Songfacts®:

• "Driving Around" is the first single from the Los Angeles singer-songwriter Kelsey Kerrigan, who made some helpful connections after meeting Ryan Adams and impressing him with her music. Adams connected her with Johnny T. Yerington, who along with Gus Oberg produced her debut album.
• Regarding the inspiration for the song, Kerrigan told Songfacts: "Have you ever just thought to yourself, 'Wow. I'm really in this'?
  
  I was driving somewhere, I don't remember where. And I was so in my head, not in the actual moment at all. And I guess traffic kinda came to a slow stop, and suddenly I was aware of my surroundings. Like, here I was thinking about some unimportant bulls--t, and the day was f--king gorgeous. One of those days that are just right. Really pretty clouds, not too hot. My windows were down and the air was perfect.
  
  And here I was, belly fed. Back clothed. Perfect health. Driving my own car... and I couldn't even really appreciate it because I'm in my head thinking about myself probably. And it felt like, 'Why do I feel so unsatisfied? I shouldn't feel like that. I have such a good life. I'm so lucky just to be driving and be alive. And here I am wasting my brain space on some bulls--t.' But even then, I kept thinking how we all travel the same path: alone."
• Kerrigan explained: "The music behind the song was actually one of my 'jazz challenges' to myself. Sometimes, when I'm feeling uninspired or want to write, I give myself a jazz challenge. Basically I write an entire song using only 'jazz chords'... It just creates different voicings for me and it's rad. But that's only the musical side of the song."