Coupe de Ville

Album: The Note's For You (1988)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Cadillac introduced the first Coupe de Ville in 1949, boasting a two-door coupe style, leather interior, and a pillar-less hard-top. Offered at $3,497 - considered expensive for the time - it was one of Cadillac's most popular models, and by 1961 the company was selling over 20,000 of the vehicles annually.
  • This song talks about lost love, something Neil Young has much experience with. The song contrasts Young's love for his Coupe de Ville with his longing for a lost lover, drawing attention to how material possessions, no matter how nice, never really end up fulfilling you. "If I can't have you," he wails on the chorus, "I don't want nothin' else."
  • This song was included on the album Young produced with his new band, The Blue Notes. This caught the attention of musician Harold Melvin, who owned the rights to the "Blue Notes" name. While Young was on tour with his new band, Melvin sued him over the name rights and won. Young was forced to re-name his band "Ten Men Workin'" for the remainder of the tour.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

When Rock Belonged To Michelob

When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing

Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.