- Life Is a Highway
Infobox Single
Name = Life Is a Highway
Caption =
Type =
Artist =Tom Cochrane
alt Artist =
Album =Mad Mad World
Published =
Released = 1991
track_no = 1
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length = 4:24
Writer =Tom Cochrane
Composer =
Label =Capitol Records
Producer =Tom Cochrane ,Joe Hardy
Tracks =
prev =
prev_no =
this = "Life is a Highway"
this_no = 1
next = "Mad Mad World"
next_no = 2"Life Is a Highway" is a song written by
Tom Cochrane , from his 1991 album "Mad Mad World ". The song was Cochrane's most famous song, as it was a number one hit in his nativeCanada , and wasubiquitous on Canadian radio in 1991. The song also peaked at number six on the "Billboard" charts in theUnited States in 1992. The song has been covered and released byChris LeDoux ,Jerry Jeff Walker , andRascal Flatts .ong Info
In the 1990s Cochrane took his family to West Africa where he helped to raise awareness and money for the
World Vision famine relief organization. That experience shaped his next album "Mad Mad World" which contained "Life Is a Highway".The song was Cochrane's only
Top 40 hit in the United States, although he continued to have significant hits in Canada. Prominent Cincinnati disc jockey Brian Douglas was the first American DJ to play this song on air.In 1998,
Chris LeDoux released a cover of "Life Is a Highway" on the album "One Road Man". Changes include the timing of vocal entrances on the chorus, and location names between the first and second chorus. This version also appears on LeDoux's "20 Greatest Hits", released June, 1999.The song was featured in the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen" (2003).
The song was featured in the movie "Cars" (2006), covered by the band
Rascal Flatts .The song was brought back into prominence when it was the first song performed at Live 8 Barrie
July 2 ,2005 . In the same year, it was named the 13th greatest Canadian song of all time in theCBC Radio One series "".The song was featured in a 2007
Volvo commercial. It was also covered byBlake Shelton and his choir on a live edition ofNBC 's "Clash of the Choirs ".Charts
Music video
The original video for "Life Is a Highway" was produced by Canadian-South African, Albert Botha who went on to line produce two films for
Saturday Night Live , "Superstar" starringMolly Shannon and "The Ladies Man" starringTim Meadows .Rascal Flatts version
Infobox Single
Name = Life Is a Highway
Cover size =
Caption =
Artist =Rascal Flatts
from Album = Cars - Original Soundtrack and Me and My Gang (Bonus Track Version)
Released =June 6 ,2006
Format =
Recorded = 2006
Genre =Soundtrack
CountryCountry rock Pop rock
Length = 4:37
Label =Disney Records
Producer =
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single = "Me and My Gang"
(2006)
This single = "Life Is a Highway "
(2006)
Next single = "My Wish "
(2006) In 2006, Americancountry music bandRascal Flatts covered this song for theDisney /Pixar animated film "Cars". The movie was released onJune 9 ,2006 . The song sold a large quantity of digital downloads, leading to a top ten peak on the Hot 100. In addition, the cover was placed as abonus track on later versions of the album "Me and My Gang ". This version also won the "Favorite Song from a Movie" award at the33rd People's Choice Awards . The instrumental of the Rascal Flatts' cover version was prominently featured in the Top Gear American special airedFebruary 11 ,2007 .Music Video
The music video features the three members of the group playing on top of vintage vehicles that represent three of the movies characters: Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson and Tow Mater (Although the Mater replica is a pick up truck in the video and has no hitch). Behind them are projectors with images of the movie "
Cars ". Repeatedly in the video, scenes of the movie appear.Charts
The Rascal Flatts version subsequently became a hit on the US
Hot 100 charts, where it peaked at #7. Even though it was not officially released to country radio, many country stations played the song as an album cut; it reached #18 on the singles charts as a result.
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