About The Song
In 1980, United Artists distributed a low-budget picture called “Roadie” starring rock music legends Meat Loaf, Alice Cooper, Blondie and Roy Orbison. Even Hank Williams, Jr. was in it, along with 1974’s “Best Actor” Academy Award winner Art Carney. The movie (which well-known film critic Leonard Maltin called “an excruciatingly dopey comedy”) was a predictable box-office flop, but the soundtrack album, which contained several popular radio cuts, earned substantial attention. One of those tracks was Eddie Rabbitt’s huge crossover hit “Drivin’ My Life Away.”
Rabbitt, along with co-writers Even Stevens and David Malloy, first got involved with the project after receiving a telephone call from Steve Wax, a former Electra Records executive in charge of the movie’s soundtrack album. Wax needed the three men to come up with a song for the album, but he was very vague in his description of the film, and didn’t even provide an explanation on how the song would be used in the movie. Wax instructed them that it had to be “a ‘driving’ kind of song, not particularly a truck-driving song or a car-driving song, but one that was simply about ‘driving’ in general.” Talk about a tall order! It’s not easy writing a song about driving without mentioning a truck, a car or a bus.
Rabbitt, Stevens and Malloy took time out from work on Eddie’s “Horizons” album to fashion the song, using the roadies’ lifestyle as a guide. It took three days of intense effort at their 16th Avenue office in Nashville. The men discussed the roadies themselves, pondering who they were, what made them choose that kind of lifestyle, things like that. From there, they were able to form suitable lyrics for the tune. As they talked and wrote, they received inspiration for the melody by playing an old Bob Dylan cut called “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” from which they fashioned the basic guitar rhythm for “Drivin’ My Life Away.”
Co-writer David Malloy was also Eddie Rabbitt’s longtime producer and was at the helm when “Drivin’ My Life Away” was recorded. There was magic in the air that day. The musicians were all geared up (pun intended) and at the very top of their game. Eddie nailed the song on the very first take. It turned out so well that both he and Malloy campaigned for Electra to issue the song not only on the “Roadie” soundtrack album, but on Rabbitt’s “Horizons” package as well. “Drivin’ My Life Away” effortlessly cruised into the #1 slot on Billboard’s country singles chart on August 23, 1980, and placed at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, landing Eddie in the upper rungs of the pop chart for the first time. His two immediate follow-ups also reached the pop Top Five: “I Love A Rainy Night” (#1) and “Step By Step” (#5).
Video
Lyrics
Well, the midnight headlight blind you on a rainy night
Steep grade up ahead, slow me down, makin’ no time
But I gotta keep rollin’
Those windshield wipers slappin’ out a tempo
Keepin’ perfect rhythm with the song on the radio
But I gotta keep rollin’
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a better way for me
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a sunny day
Well, the truck stop cutie comin’ on to me
Tried to talk me into a ride, said I wouldn’t be sorry
But she was just a baby
Hey, waitress, pour me another cup of coffee
Pop it down, jack me up, shoot me out, flyin’ down the highway
Lookin’ for the mornin’
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a better way for me
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a sunny day
Well, the midnight headlight blind you on a rainy night
Steep grade up ahead, slow me down, makin’ no time
But I gotta keep rollin’
Those windshield wipers slappin’ out a tempo
Keepin’ perfect rhythm with the song on the radio
But I gotta keep rollin’
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a better way for me
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a sunny day
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a better way for me
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a sunny day, yeah
Ooh, I’m drivin’ my life away
Lookin’ for a better way for me