Overall, there have been 29 single releases throughout the years with 26 of them charting in the top 20 or better. Eight of those 26 have reached the coveted No.1 spot on the national country charts.
His first release, “Back Side of thirty” went nowhere fast. Three more singles also met with a minimum success, although they all charted. But in March of 1978, the label released “Rose Colored Glasses,” a song Conlee wrote, which became a huge hit as well as his signature song. In January of 1979, the label re-released “Back Side of Thirty” which went on to become a No. 1 record, and the hits continued to roll. The John Conlee hit list includes songs such as “Lady Lay Down,” “Before My Time,” “Friday Night Blues,” “Miss Emily’s Picture,” “Busted,” “I Don’t Remember Loving You,” “Common Man,” “I’m Only In It For The Love,” “In My Eyes,” “As Long As I’m Rocking With You,” “Years After You,” “Domestic Life,” “Mama’s Rockin Chair,” “Hit the Ground Runnin,” and “Fellow Travelers.” All of Conlee’s hits have that unmistakable common thread – that unique voice. Conlee has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1981.
Cars
John Conlee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath a string of lights
A 49 model and I was sixteen
But I knew it was love at first sight
And the man said, son, I'll make you a deal
And I knew I had to make her mine
I held my breath and slid behind the wheel
Cars, just motors and wheels
Rubber and glass and steel
Still, I think back over the years
And it sounds strange, I suppose
But it's cars I remember most
She was parked on the street by the First Baptist Church
As we ran down the steps hand in hand
My brand new Chevy waiting there at the curve
And we waved to the crowd and got in
Well, the miles went by and so did the years
And I thought that we were doing alright
Till she packed up the kids and picked up the keys
And just drove away one night
Cars, just motors and wheels
Rubber and glass and steel
Still, I think back over the years
And it sounds strange, I suppose
But it's cars I remember most
Well, the years have gone by and a lot of thing changed
I hardly see the kids any more
Took a new job and moved to LA
And bought me a two-seater Porsche
There's lots of pretty girls out here and you know
I could be doing alright
But mostly at night I just drive up the cost
And look at the city lights
Cars, just motors and wheels
Rubber and glass and steel
Still, I think back over the years
And it sounds strange, I suppose
But it's cars I remember most
Cars, just motors and wheels
Rubber and glass and steel
Still, I think back over the years
And it sounds strange, I suppose
But it's cars I remember most
In John Conlee's song "Cars," the singer reflects on his life through his memories of cars. The song begins with him recollecting about seeing a 1949 model car that he fell in love with when he was just sixteen. He reminisces about how the dealer offered him a deal, and he got behind the wheel for the first time. He reflects on the significance of cars, describing them as "just motors and wheels, rubber and glass and steel," yet still claiming that he remembers them most.
As the song progresses, the singer recounts significant events in his life that happened in and around cars. He remembers when he and his wife left their wedding and got into his Chevy, while the crowd watched and waved. He also recalls when his wife left him one night, packing up the kids and driving away. Later, he describes his current life, living in Los Angeles, where he drives his two-seater Porsche and looks at the city lights, reflecting on his memories of the cars in his life.
Overall, "Cars" is a song about the significance of objects in our lives and how they can evoke memories and emotions. Despite being just machines, cars hold sentimental value for the singer, reminding him of important people and events in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
She was sittin' on a car lot looking like a dream
A beautiful car caught my eye while it was displayed in a car lot
Underneath a string of lights
The car was well-lit and showcased perfectly in the car lot under a string of lights
A 49 model and I was sixteen
The car was a 1949 model and I was only sixteen years old during that time
But I knew it was love at first sight
I felt a strong emotional connection with the car the moment I saw it
And the man said, son, I'll make you a deal
The car salesman offered me a deal on the price of the car
And I knew I had to make her mine
I was determined to buy the car and make it mine
I held my breath and slid behind the wheel
I nervously got into the driver's seat for the first time
It was my very first time
It was my very first experience driving a car
She was parked on the street by the First Baptist Church
The car was parked on the street near the First Baptist Church
As we ran down the steps hand in hand
As we ran out of the church holding hands
My brand new Chevy waiting there at the curve
My brand new Chevrolet car was waiting for us at the corner
And we waved to the crowd and got in
We acknowledged the people around us and got into the car
Well, the miles went by and so did the years
As time passed, we drove many miles and several years went by
And I thought that we were doing alright
I believed everything was going well for us
Till she packed up the kids and picked up the keys
But suddenly, my wife packed up our kids and left with the car keys
And just drove away one night
She drove away in the car one night, leaving me behind
Well, the years have gone by and a lot of thing changed
Many years have passed since then and a lot of things in my life have changed
I hardly see the kids any more
I barely get the chance to see my children now
Took a new job and moved to LA
I got a new job and relocated to Los Angeles
And bought me a two-seater Porsche
I bought myself a two-seater Porsche car
There's lots of pretty girls out here and you know
There are many attractive women in Los Angeles, as you can imagine
I could be doing alright
I could be doing well with my new life in LA
But mostly at night I just drive up the cost
But most of the time, especially at night, I just drive along the coast
And look at the city lights
And take in the beautiful view of the city lights
Cars, just motors and wheels
Cars are just machines with engines and wheels
Rubber and glass and steel
They are made of rubber, glass, and steel materials
Still, I think back over the years
Despite this, I still think back to the past years
And it sounds strange, I suppose
Admittedly, this may sound strange to others
But it's cars I remember most
But it's the memories and experiences I had with cars that I remember the most
Contributed by Ella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Patch Gatsby
Thanks for this. The Harmony album is not easy to find these days. Like many of you, I remember listening to this on cross country trips as a little kid.
SonicAndOKKOFanatic 2023
I didn't know John Conlee sang this before Tom Wopat. This is a great song!
jonjons typhoon 4k
Have listen to this awesome guy since I could hear and have been a auto tech now for 26 yrs and as a child john conlee is what artist I remember most and still today listen to
radiowwww
I have a playlist dedicated to CARS,MUSIC.TOOLS AND TIME. This video fit well in this playlist. After 51 years in the industry, have a complete knowledge of these facts for the last 100 years. What i dont know, o know where to look.
Andrew Osborne
I loved listening to this as a kid
Broad Side
I just turned 16 :)
Gorden Scottfan
another song from Bob Mcdill and Dicky Lee
mark reynolds
like you tube