Album: Machine Head (1972)

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• Nobody gonna take my car, I'm gonna race it to the ground
  Nobody gonna beat my car, it's gonna break the speed of sound
  Ooh it's a killing machine, it's got everything
  Like a drawing power big fat tires everything
  
  I love it and I need it, I bleed it
  Yeah it's a wild hurricane
  I'm a highway star, yeah
  
  Nobody gonna take my girl I'm gonna keep her to the end
  Nobody gonna have my girl she stays close on every bend
  Ooh she's a killing machine, she's got everything
  Like a moving mouth, body control and everything
  
  I Love her and I need her, yeah
  That's who turns me on
  Alright, hold tight I'm a highway star
  
  Nobody gonna take my head now that I'm on the road again
  Nobody gonna take my head, they're gonna be my death again
  Ooh I'm in heaven again I've got everything
  Like an open road, all my prayers and everything
  
  I love it and I need it, I bleed it
  Yeah it's a wild hurricane
  I'm a highway star, yeah
  
  Nobody gonna take my car, I'm gonna race it to the ground
  Nobody gonna beat my car, it's gonna break the speed of sound
  Ooh it's a killing machine, it's got everything
  Like a drawing power big fat tires everything
  
  I love it and I need it, I bleed it
  Yeah it's a wild hurricane
  I'm a highway star
  I'm a highway star
  I'm a highway star, yeah Writer/s: Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 39

• William P Hobin Jr from Boston,mass.Two Excellent Rock Songs "Smoke On The Water" and "Highway Star" Deep Purple Rock On !!!!
• Mrs Maria Fe G Valdes from Philippines,i love deep purple
• Ivo from Plovdiv, BulgariaThe line '8 cylinders all mine' refers to the V8 (8 cylinders in "V" configuration) engines that most sports and muscle cars have.
  It's funny because some say that the song was about speed, quoting that exact line.
• Bill from Southeastern, PaAs a car enthusiast, I find the writer's initial non-technical description of his ride to be almost juvenile. If you ask almost any car enthusiast about his/her car you should be prepared for a bombardment of name brands, technical jargon and dyno stats. This car obviously has "everything" because the writer says that twice and since this car is capable of breaking the sound barrier (eat your heart out, C. Yeager[rip]) it probably needs every bit of it. (lol)
• J Donna from Los AngelesI think this song is about stimulants! Specifically, probably amphetamine ("speed'). I think in the modern context, the history of the amphetamine drug is underappreciated, especially in the 60s and 70s music scene. It was used extensively and for many, probably gave them the focus and stamina they needed to write, record, perform the music that still influences us today. Interestingly, there are always talks of 'kids today' using Adderall and similar drugs to get ahead in school and work, but none of that is new. Drugs like Biphetamine ("Black Beauties") and Amytal (a combination drug of dextroamphetamine and amobarbital) were very widely used. In any case, a great song!
• J Rule from Hawthorne, CaliI was born and raised in Hawthorne. When I was about 13, 1974, I was walking on 142nd and Inglewood Ave. on the way to Rite Mini mart for a Milky Way and I saw a beautiful long 2 door car, may have been a Charger, with oversized slicks in the back and undersized fronts, with a custom paint job. I believe it was blue and Highway Star was painted in large script. Very cool.
• Ng99 from LondonJon Lord plays his Hammond through a Marshall stack rather than Leslie cabs on this track. He explained this on a BBC4 documentary.
• Geo from New Mexico Radar love came out after Highway Star!!!
• Seventhmist from 7th HeavenLooks like I picked the wrong week to quit listening to songs about amphetamines.
• Curtly from Redcar, EnglandIts all about amphetamines (speed), for example '8 cylinders all mine' referring to speed in capsule form .And 'on the road again' meaning being on speed ,and of course the reference to 'speed inside my brain' .The car is a metaphor for a person being on speed. Body control as well referring to the fluency you have whilst on speed.
• Esskayess from Dallas, TxOne of many songs a friend of mine called "music to bend the speed limit by."
• Ray from Ccs, VenezuelaMy favorite guitar solo! Ritchie Blackmore is the greatest guitar player ever! He´s got the feeling, technique and breakneck speed!
• Christopher from Santiago, ChileMaybe there's one allusion to drugs on the line "I have speed inside my brain". Speed is a slang to amphetamines. Anyway, this song is awesome and it's fun to play on Rock Band, too.
• Mike from Stevenson Ranch, CaIf Madonna can get into the Hall Of Fame then why cant these guys these guys are the best when it comes to hard rock
• Reed from New Ulm, MnThe whole song is pretty Awesome! particularly the drumming!
• Cyberpope from Richmond, CanadaPretty obvious he intends the ambiguity. . .
  
  Both are his alone; both give him joy; Both have speed. . .
  
  This & Child in Time are my two fave Deep Purple songs (DP being my fave group of al)
• Dave from Huntington Beach, CaYes, the song implies that Ian Gillan is singing about a car - but there is also ambiguity used here. He makes frequent comparisons to his girl throughout, some which are overtly suggestive (I "seed" her, for instance). One could easily argue that the lyrics are written from a teenage male perspective, a person confused as to what is more important - as they both are "fast" and make him feel good. Is this "his car" or is it "his girlfriend" ? Perhaps they are both one in the same, and that is the whole point.
• Scott from London, OnRe: Daniel, Charlotte. The entire keyboards for this album were in fact played through a Marshall amplifier and not the standard Leslie's that are common with keyboards.
• Al from Bumfuque, Bhutanthe live version of this song on MADE IN JAPAN is flat out stoopid sick! it is punk rock in the solo, total whammy bar noise at the end. check out YOUTH YOUTH YOUTH by Generation X. definitely influenced by this tune.
• Brunospfc from Maxassucetiz, Burkina FasoIf you know this song and never hear that while driving a good car in high speed, you dont understand it 100%
• Tim from Santa Maria, CaThis is easily one of the most awesome songs to play on Rock Band. That solo is just too awesome for words.
• Sharkman from Livonia, MiA guitar solo is a song within a song. It has a beginning and an end, and somewhere in between, it has to inspire some kind of emotional response from the listener. Highway Star does all this and more, which is why it is so highly regarded.
• Michael from Morris County, NjGReat song. Really grasps the power and energy of hard rock.
• Greg from Port St. Lucie, Flthis was rated as the No. 8 guitar solo of all time on DigitalDreamDoor.com
• Daniel from Charlotte, NcThe organ solo is awesome, it sounds like they put it through a guitar amp
• Sam from Lincoln, NeRitchie Blackmore's guitar solo is very reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen's fingertapping in "Eruption". Kinda makes you wonder.
• V-starr from ?????????, MiCool song... but its kinda hard trying to get that solo down on Rock Band
• Soutiman from Mumbai, IndiaIt's a superb hard rock song, which is absolutely an anthem. I'll make my kids listen to it and they better like it too.
• Matthew from Milford, MaThis song is playable in Elite Beat Agents. Seriously, what kind of stupid dog falls asleep on the back of a pickup truck?
• P from Z, United Statesthis was featured on a car racing game on snes called rock n roll racing.
• Mike from Hueytown , Alcool song.....rarely played on the radio
• Dougie from Delhi, IndiaIn his autobiography Gillan writes that the band hired a bus to take them and some journalists to a gig in Portsmouth. One journalist asked how they go about writing a song, so Blackmore started strumming on the guitar and Gillan just started singing adlib. They refined it and by the end of the night had Highway Star. In the sleeve notes for a live album it adds that they rehearsed it at soundcheck.
• Eric Forman from Steven's Point, WiIt was featured on the Dazed & Confused soundtrack album.
• Justin from Albany, NyThis is by far my favorite song by deep purple. Both solos are incredible, the keyboard solo and the guitar solo.
• Sindre from MosjÃ?en, NorwayWell... What is there to say...? It's a great song, and the theme speaks for itself. If in doubt, get a hold of the "Deep Purple" - 71'-72" DVD. Gillan clearly states that the song is about "racing around and having fun," or something
• No_id_please from Hippy Town, Cothis song is really good but not as well knwn as it should be.
• Devon from Westerville, OhHighway star is a sweet song. One of my favorites from Purple. The solo is awesome.
• Miro Jones from Joinville, ScYou're wrong. Gillan said that this song was composed on the touring bus when a reporter asked him how they do make music. At the same time Blackmore was playing a steady note (G) and Gillan started singing a melody that you know as Highway Star...
• Halmyre from Dunfermline, ScotlandHighway Star was written while on the way to a concert; it was played that same night.

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