Trans Am

Album: Single release only (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Keifer and Shawna Thompson penned this tribute to the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with Blair Daly and Nathan Chapman. "Blair Daly had the title, and we all jumped on it," Keifer Thompson recalled to Rolling Stone Country. "I've wanted that car ever since I can remember, especially after I saw Smokey and the Bandit, of course. We both love American muscle cars, and that's, without a doubt, one of the most identifiable representations of American muscle."

    "'Trans Am' is a state of mind," he added. "It's about liberation and not being painted into a corner."
  • The song's music video was shot by Wes Edwards during a 15-hour day at Nashville Soundcheck. "It's the first time we've ever had any sort of live element in the video," Keifer Thompson told Country Weekly. "We had the production and the band, and we wanted to incorporate that into the song. The song is more of a live, rocking song."

    Edwards also included an actual 1977 Trans Am, as well as taking the color scheme of the vehicle and sprinkling the black and gold throughout the clip. "The treatment really just kind of came from the classic car - the Trans Am - the classic Smokey and the Bandit car," Edwards said in a video on Glamour.com. "I just wanted to do a really rockin' performance video … Everything stems from the look of this car."

    Keifer Thompson added regarding the vehicle, "It was completely refurbished. It was all back to original. The guy lives in Alabama, and this is all he does, is refurbish old Trans Ams. We got to sit in it. Didn't get to drive it, though."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

Def Leppard Quiz

Def Leppard QuizMusic Quiz

Can you name Def Leppard's only #1 hit in America? Get rocked with this adrenalized quiz.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."