Jan Berry and Brian Wilson collaborated on roughly a dozen hits and album cuts for Jan & Dean, including the number one national hit, "Surf City" (1963). Subsequent Top-10 hits for Jan & Dean included "Honolulu Lulu," "Drag City," "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena," and "Dead Man's Curve" -- which became eerily portentous when Berry received severe head injuries in an automobile accident just a short distance from Dead Man's Curve in April 1966.
This accident marked the end of their commercial peak, during which they'd scored an impressive total of 26 chart hits over eight years. The group finally stopped performing after Jan Berry died in March 2004.
Little Deuce Coupe
Jan & Dean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't know what I got
Little deuce Coupe
You don't know what I got
Well I'm not braggin' babe so don't put me down
But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town
When something comes up to me he don't even try
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill
But she'll walk a Thunderbird like (she's) it's standin' still
She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored.
She'll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar
And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy
And comin' off the line when the light turns green
Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen
I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer
When I get rubber in all four gears
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
(My little deuce coupe)
(You don't know what I got)
She's my little deuce coupe
You don't know what I got
The lyrics to Jan & Dean's song Little Deuce Coupe tell the story of the singer's pride and joy: his little deuce coupe, a car with a flat head mill that can walk a Thunderbird like it's standing still. He goes on to describe the car's various features, including its competition clutch, four on the floor, and loud lake pipes, that make it a force to be reckoned with on the streets. The singer boasts that his car is the fastest set of wheels in town, and he often leaves other cars in the dust when the light turns green.
The song is an ode to the car culture of the 1950s and 1960s, when young people were obsessed with automobiles and the freedom they represented. It celebrates the thrill of driving fast and the feeling of power that comes from having a hot rod that can outrun the competition.
One interesting aspect of the song is that it was actually written by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, who produced and sang on the track. Wilson was inspired to write the song after seeing a hot rod race on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. The song became an instant classic and helped to cement the Beach Boys as one of the most beloved and influential bands of the era.
Line by Line Meaning
Little deuce Coupe
This is a song about the singer's car, a little deuce coupe.
You don't know what I got
The singer believes that nobody knows how fast his car can go.
Well I'm not braggin' babe so don't put me down
The singer doesn't want to come across as arrogant, but he is proud of his car.
But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town
The artist believes that his car is the fastest in the area.
When something comes up to me he don't even try
Other drivers know not to challenge the artist's car because they assume it's too fast for them to handle.
Cause if I had a set of wings man I know she could fly
The singer is impressed with the car's speed and acceleration.
Just a little deuce coupe with a flat head mill
The car is a simple, classic model with a standard engine.
But she'll walk a Thunderbird like (she's) it's standin' still
The artist's car can easily outrun a much more powerful car like a Thunderbird.
She's ported and relieved and she's stroked and bored.
The car has been modified to increase performance.
She'll do a hundred and forty with the top end floored
The car is capable of reaching a top speed of 140 mph.
She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
The car has a high-quality clutch and a manual transmission.
And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar
The car's engine runs smoothly, but makes a loud, powerful roar from the exhaust pipes.
And if that ain't enough to make you flip your lid
The singer is so proud of his car that he thinks it will amaze anyone who sees it.
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy
The singer owns the car outright and has the legal title to it.
And comin' off the line when the light turns green
When the traffic light turns green and it's time to start driving, the singer's car is very fast.
Well she blows 'em outta the water like you never seen
The car is so fast that it can easily beat other cars in a race.
I get pushed out of shape and it's hard to steer
The car's power makes it difficult for the driver to control it.
When I get rubber in all four gears
The car's tires spin in all four gears because it has so much power.
She's my little deuce coupe
The singer is very fond of his car.
You don't know what I got
The artist believes that others don't understand just how special his car is.
(My little deuce coupe)
The artist repeats the car's name to emphasize how important it is to him.
(You don't know what I got)
The artist repeats this line to emphasize that nobody else understands just how powerful his car is.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROGER CHRISTIAN, BRIAN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
duck841
I had both versions of this song when they came out in the early 60's. The Beach Boys were a favorite band of mine and I loved the surfer sound and west coast bands of that time. That said, the more unpolished sound of the Jan and Dean version wins. It reminds me of the local bands playing at dances and such in the junior high on Friday nights. And the garage bands which were every where in the 60's.
Darrell Tiencken
I love this version, it has a slight hint of sarcasm on Jans lead!
Chuck Stauber
Definitely Jan and Dean, with Glen Campbell's guitar riffs at the end.
Bon Scott
Fucking great
Chris Reise
Great tune. But you should have used the image of the album it actually CAME from. (Drag City)
Darrell Tiencken
I love Jan and Dean BUT The Beach Boys version is better!
zeenasworld
NOPE
David Wesley
BOTH VERSIONS SOUND GREAT.
Bob Buch
Jan & Dean rule! BBs just copy cats.
Volvandese
Brian Wilson wrote the song...