SAMMY HAGAR - I CAN’T DRIVE 55

Released: July 23, 1984

Charts: US: #26 

Released in 1984 as the lead single from Sammy Hagar’s eighth studio album “VOA”, “I Can’t Drive 55” became both an anthem of defiance and the singer’s defining solo hit. Fueled by a high-octane riff and a cheeky protest against government regulation, the song captured Hagar’s obsession with speed — and his refusal to slow down. The track hit No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning heavy rotation on MTV, where its adrenaline-fueled video turned Hagar into a rock ‘n’ roll outlaw.

The song’s origin story is pure rock folklore. In 1984, Hagar was pulled over in upstate New York for driving 62 mph in a 55 zone, a violation of the National Maximum Speed Law, which had capped U.S. speed limits since 1974. Furious, he scrawled the lyrics to “I Can’t Drive 55” almost immediately after getting home. “I was so mad, I went straight to my guitar,” Hagar later said. “That ticket wrote the song.”

Though tongue-in-cheek, the track became an unlikely protest anthem. While other musicians were singing about social justice or the environment, Hagar was raging against what he saw as an absurd restriction on American freedom. The sentiment struck a nerve — millions of drivers agreed.

By the time “VOA” went platinum, Hagar was already on his way to a new chapter. In 1985, Eddie Van Halen spotted Hagar’s Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer at mechanic Claudio Zampolli’s shop and asked for the singer’s number. Within days, Hagar had replaced David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s frontman, officially merging his high-octane persona with one of rock’s biggest bands.

Cars have always been central to Hagar’s identity. Over the years, he’s owned an enviable lineup — from a 1967 Shelby Mustang to a 2006 Lotus Elise — and his songs often celebrate the thrill of the open road. Even within Van Halen, Hagar found kindred spirits; one of his favorite Roth-era tracks to perform live was “Panama,” another ode to horsepower and heat.

The music video, directed by Gil Bettman, brought “I Can’t Drive 55” to life as a cinematic joyride. Shot at Saugus Speedway in Santa Clarita, California, it featured Hagar being chased by the California Highway Patrol, thrown in jail, and hauled before a judge — played by legendary music executive John Kalodner. His Ferrari was driven (and occasionally wrecked) by Zampolli, who doubled as Hagar’s pit crew chief. The production was as wild as the song itself: the jailhouse set had no air conditioning, Hagar burned out his clutch during filming, and one stunt literally launched him across a courtroom.

Over time, Hagar’s take on the song has evolved. “Originally, it was a protest about speed limits,” he told Fox5 KVVU-TV in 2022. “Now it’s a protest that I can’t get anywhere on time — I’m always late.”