{"id":29974,"date":"2024-07-23T12:02:27","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T12:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/101gold\/sammy-hagars-voa-featuring-signature-tune-i-cant-drive-55-turns-40\/"},"modified":"2024-07-23T12:02:27","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T12:02:27","slug":"sammy-hagars-voa-featuring-signature-tune-i-cant-drive-55-turns-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/101gold\/sammy-hagars-voa-featuring-signature-tune-i-cant-drive-55-turns-40\/","title":{"rendered":"Sammy Hagar\u2019s ‘VOA’, featuring signature tune \u201cI Can\u2019t Drive 55,\u201d turns 40"},"content":{"rendered":"
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UMG Recordings<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of Sammy Hagar<\/strong>\u2019s eighth studio album, <\/span>VOA<\/span><\/em>, which helped launch him into mainstream success thanks to what became one of his signature tunes, \u201c<\/span>I Can\u2019t Drive 55<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The origin story of the song is somewhat legendary for Hagar fans, with the rocker recalling to ABC Audio how he got the inspiration while driving after traveling for 24 hours on his way back from an African vacation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hagar got pulled over by a cop and got a ticket for driving 62 mph. He\u00a0was shocked, telling the cop, “This is ludicrous. I can’t drive 55.” He says he went right home and, \u201cBoom, wrote the song.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI Can\u2019t Drive 55\u201d was a top 40 hit for Hagar, its popularity aided in part by a\u00a0music video shot at the Saugus Speedway in Santa Clarita, California. The song has been a staple at Hagar\u2019s live shows and is still a fan favorite, which Hagar attributes to it being something folks can relate to.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery person in America over 16 years of age had to deal with that. So that’s when you got something that’s really relative,\u201d he says. \u201cIt’s like COVID. It’s like anything you wrote about songwise in COVID, the experiences you had, every person on the damn planet had the same experience.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

VOA<\/span><\/em> peaked at #32 on the <\/span>Billboard<\/span><\/em> 200 album chart and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1985, following the success of <\/span>VOA<\/span><\/em>, Sammy was asked to replace David Lee Roth<\/strong> as frontman of Van Halen<\/strong>. With Hagar\u00a0at the helm,\u00a0Van Halen landed four #1 albums.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hagar is currently on his <\/span>The Best of All Worlds Tour,<\/strong><\/span><\/a> where he\u2019s playing both solo songs and Van Halen classics. The tour hits Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n