Driving My Life Away

Album: Horizon (1980)
Charted: 5
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • With the exception of "I Love A Rainy Night," This was Eddie Rabbit's most successful song, reaching #1 on the Country charts and selling over a million copies. The song was inspired by the hectic lives of his roadies, whose constant traveling made them virtual strangers to their wives, families, and friends.
  • This was featured in the motion picture Roadie, which starred Art Carney and Meat Loaf. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Santa Barbara, CA, for above 2
  • David Malloy and Even Stevens wrote this with Rabbitt. They also collaborated on "I Love A Rainy Night."

Comments: 5

  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaThanks Eddie. RIP.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 20th 1980, Eddie Rabbit performed "Drivin' My Life Away" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special', he was also the show's co-host...
    Six days earlier on June 15th, 1980 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on September 28th it peaked #5 (for 2 weeks) and spent almost a half-year on the Top 100 (25 weeks)...
    And on August 15th it reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
    On the Country chart it was the 2nd of his five straight #1s; "Gone Too Far", this one, "I Love A Rainy Night", "Step By Step", and finally "Someone Could Lose A Heart Tonight" (in all he had a total of sixteen #1s on the Hot Country Singles chart between 1976 and 1989)...
    R.I.P. Mr. Rabbitt (1941 - 1998).
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxI heard this played many times during the late summer of 1980, so whenever I hear it, back I go to that year.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiI miss you, Eddie! What a classic song.
  • Karen from Manchester, NhThere was a killer remake done by Rhett Akins. I believe it was used in the movie "Black Dog."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.