I was too young but heard it in a store in the early 00s. I didn’t catch enough of the lyrics or the title to find it but it jammed. I finally heard it again several years later and was able to find it!
There was this sliver of a time period in the late 70s to 1980-81 where pop with a certain groove ruled. Driver's Seat and Nick Gilder's Hot Child In The City always pair up nicely. Like a combo of power pop mixed with rock with a hint of jazz, all snuggled in a blanket of dark desires. Absolutely the best stuff. Listen to that time period, it was amazing and gets
2:22 The lead singer Paul Roberts is a commercial illustrator and painter. His artwork was selected for the albums. The medium he uses is oil on canvas. He continues to paint at age 76. A lot of the singers from that era would have a Bob Dylan derivative voice. Even Tom Petty and Dire Straits's Mark Knopfler mimic the Dylan voice. These albums are actually advertising his art skills and talent.
I may have been the only person in my city who owned a copy of this album at the time. Years later, whenever I played this at a party or some other function, there would be a lot of 'Oh, I remember this song' and dancing.
Some twinges of the coming "New Wave" throughout. A radio staple in the summer of 79. I was 11 and made that guitar rift sound with my mouth. It drove my brother crazy.
ua-cam.com/video/rwLlvMYx0sM/v-deo.htmlsi=yt3mrMzC1LCw6K6E Thanks for the post. There is NEVER a bad "Chest Rockwell" reference. 😂 The link above is to the unreleased rock classic from "Brock" and "Chest" called "Feel My Heat." 🤣
This is a great song. Unfortunately, as with most music videos, they used the radio edit. The album version has the full guitar solo which was deemed "too heavy" for AM radio. So if you add it to your playlist, make sure you get the album version. There is also an extended 12" version, but I can't recommend it.
Saw these guys open for Kansas about the same time this song was on charts. Liked the show enough that I bought the album, and liked the album enough that I bought their second album.
Kinda, yeah. Considering how much they love Al Stewart, I'm surprised they didn't pick-up on that. It definitely doesn't sound anything like Mark Knopfler or Bob Dylan. LOL.
His name is Noel McCalla. Had a pretty good career in music. Sang for Manfred Mann's Earth Band for several years. Instead of the background singer I always refer to him as the hype man because he really gets into it.
As a note of further interest I believe lead singer Paul Roberts even painted his LP/CD covers. Sniff 'n' The Tears also has their own website where you can buy their music and posters etc.
Summer of ‘79, an incredible time for music, especially if you were 15 and really starting to dive headfirst into music for the first time like I was. There was another song with a similar vibe that came out shortly after this one right after school started back by the band Charlie called “Killer Cut.” You guys should add that to your one hit wonder reactions. I guarantee you’ll dig that one and it will go nicely in the nighttime playlist.
I remember when this came out when I was in high school -- it got a fair amount of airplay on the rock stations but no one knew quite what to make of it. It wasn't exactly new wave, but it wasn't straight mainstream rock either. Oddly enough, although a lot of us loved the track, I don't actually remember anyone who ever bought the album. It just seemed to slip through the cracks then disappear.
I remember hearing this song as a kid... Have not heard it in all these years. I thought it might change up with a or the chorus, but not a lot of changes. For sure a 70's groove. Oh yeah, he does look like Lenny K...😂
I knew you guys would love it, especially Ryan. With the exception of the vocals it ticks-off all the other boxes for him. I'm actually surprised that Nick didn't seem to love it as much as Ryan did. I think what got him was the synth solo at the end. Anyways, GREAT video and great reaction to a great song from the Disco era!!!!
Another great song ( in my place… Chile 🇨🇱) was “the song (they love to sing)” by Barclay James Harvest. The song used for intro in Magnetospio Musical program stellar in my country! I wish they would listen and reaction
What a Great song! I bought the album when it first came out. Can’t listen to it in the car… I’ll be going 100 mph at the end of the song. Thanks for reacting to it !! Love your channel!!!
Next 🙏 Dobie Gr.. Just kidding 😂 What makes Drivers Seat great is the deadpan lead vocals with the soulful backing vocals. Gerry Rafferty or even more Al Stewart esque with a touch of funkiness. That cat on the back ups adds a lot. It's about breaking up in a relationship and moving on.
Thanks for the post, JGS. I wasn't sure if I was familiar with this song and, typically, I wait to watch a video for a song like that but your post intrigued me. I listened to about the first half of the song, just to keep some level of surprise when watching the video. While you're definitely entitled to your opinion and you may well not be wrong, I felt like (from what bit I heard) the lead singer's vocals in this song sounded like the guys and channel favorite Al Stewart but perhaps with a little more of a "bottom" end to it, where Stewart's vocals are more crisp but tend to stay in a higher register more so than this lead singer. I was interested in the comparison to Gerry Rafferty, a personal favorite. While Rafferty had some "bottom end" to his voice, I still came away thinking this singer was more Al Stewart with a slight bit of Rafferty tossed in. Again, I'm not indicating by any means that I'm right about that but it was my take based on what I heard. Thanks again for the post and I hope the video for "Drift Away" met your expectations. 😀
@@jgsrhythm100 Thanks for the reply, JGS. I could hear the Rafferty bit in the lead singer's voice. To my untrained ear, I felt like Rafferty had a certain amount of soulfulness to his vocals ("the bottom end" that I referred to in my previous reply), even though Rafferty wouldn't have been mistaken as a soul/R&B artist. As for the Sniff 'n' the Tears singer, his voice's "higher end" on the register seemed very reminiscent of AL Stewart. It came to me because I've always found Stewart's singing voice to be quite unique. If I had to do a percentage breakdown, I'd feel comfortable with sounding 75% like Stewart and 25% like Rafferty. Regardless, I've always really liked "Time Passages" and "Year of the Cat," so it's not as if the Sniff 'n' the Tears lead singer sounds like some kind of bum or anything. 😂 Thanks again for the reply and the feedback.
Songs from 1978-1980 had a really cool vibe. An in-between time period of genres I feel like that was either the perfect mix or just it's own transition from one decade to another. 1979 always makes me think of "Cars" by Gary Numan and "Pop Muzik" by M. Just a cool time to be young.
@lisalisa13 Do you remember “Killer Cut” by Charlie? That’s the one song from ‘79 that I most associate with “Driver’s Seat.” Maybe “Hey, St. Peter” from Flash & The Pan.
The first thing that drove me to this song was the heavy guitar. After all these years I still love this song. Listen to the album version in your own time. After the keyboard solo at the end, there's another guitar solo. I think Nick would appreciate that. Great reaction guys.🤟
Nick, I don't hear cowbell or any other percussion. I think, because he's hitting the snare double time, the sound of the hi-hat and snare are mixing. There's also a possibility that you're heading the strum of the guitar mixed in there as well.
About the time me and my girlfriend at the time and my buddies lived for going out cruising on weekend nights. Really kind of the beginning of the end of cruising.
Those cymbals are hi-hat cymbals and allows for a double tap, cymbals opened a small amount, then tap a second time while fully closed. The hi-hat, with its two stacked cymbals whose degree of separation can be controlled to prolong or shorten the sound of the cymbals. Why do I think when you said snare, you were talking about the cymbals and not the Snare Drum 😅😅😅 Luckily your body pointed it out so you got it.😊
Never heard this one, but i can definitely hear the influence this type had on the alternative movement. The harmony throws me off and it is an unexpected layer. Its really Good
This song takes me right back to high school in San Jose during the '70s. The Lenny Kravitz look alike probably didn't know it, but he was ahead of his time. Those glacier glasses he's wearing would become a big fashion statement a few years later in the '80s.
looks like the drummers arms were going to fall off from keeping the same beat through the whole song. Looks like hes thinking " Hurry up and get this over with" 😆
Hey guy's and commenters! Many people consider them one hit wonders but they actually have a number of real good songs. People might want to check out their following songs: 1) New Lines On Love 2) The Games Up 3) The Thrill Of It All 4) What Can Daddy Do 5) Night Life. Note: If you like the ending of "Driver's Seat" you might want to play the longer 5:49 min. version. Enjoy!
I remember getting so high I felt like cleaning my kitchen was the only way to survive. I threw this song on at full blast and those four minutes felt like an hour- best fucking 4 minutes of cleaning ever.
November 1979 what a time to grow up
This song came-out in 1978.
@@bobthebear1246It peaked in the US in 1979
High school tune
They had several hits and at least five albums. The singer also expertly airbrushed all of their album covers
I was too young but heard it in a store in the early 00s. I didn’t catch enough of the lyrics or the title to find it but it jammed. I finally heard it again several years later and was able to find it!
I used to play this over and over while I was making the beds after the kids left for school in the morning!!! LOVE THIS SONG......
So I’m 68 and this has always been one of my favourite tunes .. it’s a MUST to crank-up the volume when it comes on the car radio !
There was this sliver of a time period in the late 70s to 1980-81 where pop with a certain groove ruled. Driver's Seat and Nick Gilder's Hot Child In The City always pair up nicely.
Like a combo of power pop mixed with rock with a hint of jazz, all snuggled in a blanket of dark desires. Absolutely the best stuff.
Listen to that time period, it was amazing and gets
Yes, Hot Child in The City was also a OHW. Nick had a couple other songs, but they did nothing and no one can name them today.
Also Night's rendition of Hot Summer Night
Bob Welch comes to mind
ACK! I haven't listened to Hot Child in the City in... WAY too long. Thanks for the reminder!
Credit to the drummer for maintaining that beat for practically the entire song. 🥁
The drummer, wow, the drummer! You want a great late night driving down the highway song this is it!
Oh yeah! 😊
2:22 The lead singer Paul Roberts is a commercial illustrator and painter. His artwork was selected for the albums. The medium he uses is oil on canvas. He continues to paint at age 76. A lot of the singers from that era would have a Bob Dylan derivative voice. Even Tom Petty and Dire Straits's Mark Knopfler mimic the Dylan voice. These albums are actually advertising his art skills and talent.
This song has been on my playlist since forever, and before that it was on my favourite cassette.
❤ I have it on a CD download from back in the Napster days
@@tracycampbell3060 Okay....that's it!....You're under arrest!!! 😂
@@Coowallsky 😂
Ditto. I still have the LP.
Timothy by The Buoys
The drumming is epic.
My memories of this song, Summer, at dusk, driving on curvy country roads with this song blasting and the wind in your hair.......
That one hit was actually pretty great. Forgot about it so I’m adding it to my playlist. Thanks guys!
40+ years later I still enjoy this one. I think it was a possible cause for at least one speeding ticket back in 1980.
Definitely one of my many favourites from the seventies! Glad you guys liked it!
I played this song EVERY morning after my kids left for school while I made their beds!!! LOVE THAT SONG!!!
I was 22 when this song came out, the 70s were the best decade for rock period!!
Same here. I turned 23 in November of '79. Great time to be young and alive.
I may have been the only person in my city who owned a copy of this album at the time. Years later, whenever I played this at a party or some other function, there would be a lot of 'Oh, I remember this song' and dancing.
I also had this album! Part of the playlist at the time. Roxy Music, XTC, The Cars, Fabulous Poodles. Themz was the dayz!
Bomber jacket dude in the back just having a wonderful time.
Some twinges of the coming "New Wave" throughout. A radio staple in the summer of 79. I was 11 and made that guitar rift sound with my mouth. It drove my brother crazy.
Yes you can here it.
What an incredibly unique song to react to. It's as fun to drive to as it is to react to
Song came back to popularity with great scene in "Boogie Nights" With Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell.
ua-cam.com/video/rwLlvMYx0sM/v-deo.htmlsi=yt3mrMzC1LCw6K6E
Thanks for the post. There is NEVER a bad "Chest Rockwell" reference. 😂 The link above is to the unreleased rock classic from "Brock" and "Chest" called "Feel My Heat." 🤣
This is a great song. Unfortunately, as with most music videos, they used the radio edit. The album version has the full guitar solo which was deemed "too heavy" for AM radio. So if you add it to your playlist, make sure you get the album version. There is also an extended 12" version, but I can't recommend it.
I listen to this song regularly.
65 mustang windows down summer night driving.... How I miss those day .... Great song , thank you again.😊
After all these decades, I finally get to hear this longer version. It sounds better than I remember. Thanks very much.
1979.I was 13. Great crusing music ..good memories. My older brother had a car, Monte carlo red. Then he moved out😢
I remeber the first time I ever heard this song in 79........I could NOT get enough. I played the 45 down to dust, but still have it and the cd.
When this song came out, I was 13 years old……long time ago…..it’s a classic single!
Saw these guys open for Kansas about the same time this song was on charts. Liked the show enough that I bought the album, and liked the album enough that I bought their second album.
The best part of this whole vid is the brother dancing in the back corner
Cruising on a warm summer night with this song playing, bliss.
The lead vocal is actually very
Al Stewart.
Kinda, yeah. Considering how much they love Al Stewart, I'm surprised they didn't pick-up on that. It definitely doesn't sound anything like Mark Knopfler or Bob Dylan. LOL.
Amen
Yes he does have that tone
YES!!
I'm thinking the album cover is a tribute to Year of the Cat as it was a huge song at the time of this album
Another great song from my sophomore year of high school.
The cover of the album is actually a painting by the lead singer. I think he painted all their album covers.
It was his g/f. yes he did all the art.
Based on those glasses, it looks like Sniff and Company pulled their background singer off of a pipe welding job.
😝👌
👍🏴
His name is Noel McCalla. Had a pretty good career in music. Sang for Manfred Mann's Earth Band for several years. Instead of the background singer I always refer to him as the hype man because he really gets into it.
My senior year in high school (1979-80). A great time to be alive: after Vietnam and before political correctness.
In grade 8 and loving music. Wish we could all go visit it again. I really miss it.
79 was a good year for one hit wonders. This song, My Sharona, Children Of The Sun.....
Hell yes to Children of the Sun. Billy Thorpe, Leland Sklar on bass ....
I was 11 the year this came out, still love it.❤
❤I was 13 and I still love it
Something extra is what's called a,
"Rim Shot", where he hits the metal edge of the drum.
As a note of further interest I believe lead singer Paul Roberts even painted his LP/CD covers. Sniff 'n' The Tears also has their own website where you can buy
their music and posters etc.
Another favorite! Definitely played a lot!!
The ultimate cruising song for a bunch of teenagers back in the day.
This song helped me through some rough times doing laundry. I changed the lyrics to “Dryer Sheet” and danced my ass off. 😂
The magnificent 70’s.
Cannot be touched.
Summer of ‘79, an incredible time for music, especially if you were 15 and really starting to dive headfirst into music for the first time like I was. There was another song with a similar vibe that came out shortly after this one right after school started back by the band Charlie called “Killer Cut.” You guys should add that to your one hit wonder reactions. I guarantee you’ll dig that one and it will go nicely in the nighttime playlist.
I remember when this came out when I was in high school -- it got a fair amount of airplay on the rock stations but no one knew quite what to make of it. It wasn't exactly new wave, but it wasn't straight mainstream rock either. Oddly enough, although a lot of us loved the track, I don't actually remember anyone who ever bought the album. It just seemed to slip through the cracks then disappear.
One of the 70's one hit wonders! I love the final synths! Straight to the playlist, guys! GREAT REACTION!
FINALLY. I've yet to make a suggestion but was tempted many times. THIS was the cut. Guaranteed playlist cuz it IS fire. Glad you guys agreed!
Love this song. The guy in the sunglasses was too cool for school.
I remember hearing this song as a kid... Have not heard it in all these years. I thought it might change up with a or the chorus, but not a lot of changes. For sure a 70's groove. Oh yeah, he does look like Lenny K...😂
They're an English Band .Lead singer Paul Roberts is an accomplished Artist and painter !
Thanks guys, hadn't heard that in a long time. Blast from the Past!
Great song to dance to with the steady beat
I knew you guys would love it, especially Ryan. With the exception of the vocals it ticks-off all the other boxes for him. I'm actually surprised that Nick didn't seem to love it as much as Ryan did. I think what got him was the synth solo at the end. Anyways, GREAT video and great reaction to a great song from the Disco era!!!!
❤I'm glad they enjoyed it 😊
Another great song ( in my place… Chile 🇨🇱) was “the song (they love to sing)” by Barclay James Harvest. The song used for intro in Magnetospio Musical program stellar in my country! I wish they would listen and reaction
Yeah one of my all time favs from when i was a youngn. 😊
The drummer just keeps on drummer.
This was the only surviving song after Hurricane Frederick when I was a teenager in 1979. I love it It played on the radio constantly.
I love this song it has beautiful music
What a Great song! I bought the album when it first came out. Can’t listen to it in the car… I’ll be going 100 mph at the end of the song. Thanks for reacting to it !! Love your channel!!!
Great song! Really remember my dad and mom listening this song and suddenly Im born ! Omg what a feeling !!!
(Before watching the video--fingers crossed "please like it, please like it") YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! 😁😁
Next 🙏
Dobie Gr.. Just kidding 😂 What makes Drivers Seat great is the deadpan lead vocals with the soulful backing vocals. Gerry Rafferty or even more Al Stewart esque with a touch of funkiness. That cat on the back ups adds a lot.
It's about breaking up in a relationship and moving on.
Thanks for the post, JGS. I wasn't sure if I was familiar with this song and, typically, I wait to watch a video for a song like that but your post intrigued me. I listened to about the first half of the song, just to keep some level of surprise when watching the video. While you're definitely entitled to your opinion and you may well not be wrong, I felt like (from what bit I heard) the lead singer's vocals in this song sounded like the guys and channel favorite Al Stewart but perhaps with a little more of a "bottom" end to it, where Stewart's vocals are more crisp but tend to stay in a higher register more so than this lead singer. I was interested in the comparison to Gerry Rafferty, a personal favorite. While Rafferty had some "bottom end" to his voice, I still came away thinking this singer was more Al Stewart with a slight bit of Rafferty tossed in. Again, I'm not indicating by any means that I'm right about that but it was my take based on what I heard. Thanks again for the post and I hope the video for "Drift Away" met your expectations. 😀
@@MattB-h3n
I think your right. closer to AL Stewart than Rafferty.
@@jgsrhythm100 Thanks for the reply, JGS. I could hear the Rafferty bit in the lead singer's voice. To my untrained ear, I felt like Rafferty had a certain amount of soulfulness to his vocals ("the bottom end" that I referred to in my previous reply), even though Rafferty wouldn't have been mistaken as a soul/R&B artist. As for the Sniff 'n' the Tears singer, his voice's "higher end" on the register seemed very reminiscent of AL Stewart. It came to me because I've always found Stewart's singing voice to be quite unique. If I had to do a percentage breakdown, I'd feel comfortable with sounding 75% like Stewart and 25% like Rafferty. Regardless, I've always really liked "Time Passages" and "Year of the Cat," so it's not as if the Sniff 'n' the Tears lead singer sounds like some kind of bum or anything. 😂 Thanks again for the reply and the feedback.
I didn't know anyone else knew this song.
Songs from 1978-1980 had a really cool vibe. An in-between time period of genres I feel like that was either the perfect mix or just it's own transition from one decade to another. 1979 always makes me think of "Cars" by Gary Numan and "Pop Muzik" by M. Just a cool time to be young.
@lisalisa13 Do you remember “Killer Cut” by Charlie? That’s the one song from ‘79 that I most associate with “Driver’s Seat.” Maybe “Hey, St. Peter” from Flash & The Pan.
A great song. Used to have it on a cassette a friend made for me, specifically for driving.
Great reaction to a fire song!
This is a tough song to musically execute properly by a band. Everything and everybody has to be locked tight to pull it off.
The best song of 1978 !
The beste Lied von 1978 !
Најбоља песма 1978 !
1978 legjobb dala !
Love this song definitely one of the best driving songs ever for sure💯
A favorite song of mine!!!!
a truly great song. One of my favorites from being a teen
Fantastic song! Always loved it!!!
The first thing that drove me to this song was the heavy guitar.
After all these years I still love this song.
Listen to the album version in your own time.
After the keyboard solo at the end, there's another guitar solo.
I think Nick would appreciate that. Great reaction guys.🤟
Nick, I don't hear cowbell or any other percussion. I think, because he's hitting the snare double time, the sound of the hi-hat and snare are mixing. There's also a possibility that you're heading the strum of the guitar mixed in there as well.
About the time me and my girlfriend at the time and my buddies lived for going out cruising on weekend nights. Really kind of the beginning of the end of cruising.
One of my favorites from long ago.
Those cymbals are hi-hat cymbals and allows for a double tap, cymbals opened a small amount, then tap a second time while fully closed.
The hi-hat, with its two stacked cymbals whose degree of separation can be controlled to prolong or shorten the sound of the cymbals.
Why do I think when you said snare, you were talking about the cymbals and not the Snare Drum 😅😅😅
Luckily your body pointed it out so you got it.😊
“ Doing alright! A little jiving’ on a Saturday night.”
Never heard this one, but i can definitely hear the influence this type had on the alternative movement. The harmony throws me off and it is an unexpected layer. Its really Good
Great song!
Well, holy crap! I was hoping you guys were going to do this one! I really hope you enjoy it!
Sweet Mary - Wadsworth Mansion. A OHW from 1971.
This song takes me right back to high school in San Jose during the '70s. The Lenny Kravitz look alike probably didn't know it, but he was ahead of his time. Those glacier glasses he's wearing would become a big fashion statement a few years later in the '80s.
One of my all time favorites, thank you for covering it. Im definitely going to check out the longer version too. ❤
Saw this band 4 times at The Venue, Victoria, London. They were great every time.
Great song! ❤
Love the song, love it loud. Props to the drummer keeping that beat
I discovered the Lenny Kravitz looking back up singer is Noel McCalla
Look up his solo album : Night time Emotion" ( 79)
Tons of stuff on You Tube
looks like the drummers arms were going to fall off from keeping the same beat through the whole song. Looks like hes thinking " Hurry up and get this over with" 😆
Love this song, and I can see the dire straights connection. Another great review guys !!
Great song, Great Stink Face also!
The lead singer painted the cover art for their first two albums at least, not sure about later albums.
Real good drive Rockin’ tune!
Hey guy's and commenters! Many people consider them one hit wonders but they actually have a number of real good songs. People might want to check out
their following songs: 1) New Lines On Love 2) The Games Up 3) The Thrill Of It All 4) What Can Daddy Do 5) Night Life.
Note: If you like the ending of "Driver's Seat" you might want to play the longer 5:49 min. version. Enjoy!
He sounds a lot like Tommy James to me. I have heard this song before but never knew who recorded it. Thanks for the reaction.
our 70's and 80's time for FM and AM radio was amazing; all radio sucks now; from this to R&b, all on FM radio together in our day
I remember getting so high I felt like cleaning my kitchen was the only way to survive. I threw this song on at full blast and those four minutes felt like an hour- best fucking 4 minutes of cleaning ever.
Love this song!
You gotta do Turning Japanese by The Vapors. Power pop rules!
Gives me a lunatic fringe , 99, Love is like oxygen vibe.