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Sniff ’n’ the Tears — Driver's Seat
Album: Best Of Sniff 'n The Tears
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3259









Released: 1978
Length: 3:54
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Doing all right
A little jiving on a Saturday night
And come what may
Gonna dance the day away

Jenny was sweet
She always smiled for the people she meet
On trouble and strife
She had another way of looking at life

The news is blue (The news is blue)
Has it's own way to get to you
What can I do? (What can I do?)
When I remember my time with you

Pick up your feet
Got to move to the trick of the beat
There is no elite
Just take your place in the driver's seat

Driver's seat, driver's seat, yeah

Doing all right
A little jiving on a Saturday night
And come what may
Gonna dance the day away

Driver's seat, driver's seat, yeah

Jenny was sweet
There is no elite
Pick up your feet, pick up, pick up
Pick up your feet, gonna dance the day away

Driver's seat, driver's seat, yeah
Driver's seat, driver's seat, yeah

Driver's seat
Comments (420)add comment
Great call back on this one! Fun little catchy tune from that era. Thanks!
Like @johkir I remember the exact location I first heard this song because I thought it was so great. A classic RNR song with a great beat and all the elements of a hit! Still a favorite.
Total flashback to high school days and listening to WDHA in North Jersey. Great tune, great memories.
 dandueck07 wrote:
Driving across Canada from Vernon, BC to Brantford, Ontario with my fiancee in 1981 in our 1980 Mazda RX7, this song was part of our cassette diet.  The volume would go way up, the gas pedal would go way down, and the new recruits from the RCMP around Yorkton, Saskatchewan got to up their speeding ticket tallies.  
Still married to the same gorgeous woman, both still love this song, and . . . still haven't paid those speeding tickets.


Live 150km from Yorkton this makes me laugh 
My kids grew up on Mop and Smiff.......about the same era iirc
apropos of nothing.
Driving across Canada from Vernon, BC to Brantford, Ontario with my fiancee in 1981 in our 1980 Mazda RX7, this song was part of our cassette diet.  The volume would go way up, the gas pedal would go way down, and the new recruits from the RCMP around Yorkton, Saskatchewan got to up their speeding ticket tallies.  
Still married to the same gorgeous woman, both still love this song, and . . . still haven't paid those speeding tickets.
about to hit the driver's seat. Time to go home
The song's rhythm and chords feel like they are pasted together by a corporation from "All Along the Watchtower" and some Dire Straits song....
Sometimes a band just does one perfect song.
Best of? Did they have more than one hit?
Part of the soundtrack from my youth! Living in a small town in New Mexico with nothing to do but drive around on a Saturday night. The video to this song is awesome. I see something new every time I watch it. I am fascinated with it. 
Still a great Top 10 hit after so many years!!
 roadie wrote:

I was a Top 40 DJ and worked at stations that burned this song to a crisp.  Such a perfect radio record.  After all these years, it holds up. 



Old "album rock" DJ here.  This one's as good as the first time I dropped the needle on it.
one hit wonder, they were
Yeah! Sniffin' the Seat!
 dtown40 wrote:

If this doesn't take you to a memory, I'm not sure what will. Thanks RP.



For sure it did ;)
Sounds just as good today as it it did back then - and I still love it just as much as I did back then - sure have some lovely memories of that time.

Thanks Bill
Saturday night, home and cooking.  A few drinks... this comes on.. I can't smile big enough, nor can my husband.  Memories...  Then Cracker afterwards doing Low.. RP forever....
I don’t know what it is about this song but it’s had me hooked ever since I first heard it all those years ago. I often have it on loop when driving fast on back roads (safely, I’m too old for stupidity) and on my way to track days. Overall, a fabulous driving song, so appropriate with the lyrics.
Bill, the Amazon MP3 link doesn't work for this song.  And I'd say that most of the time the links haven't worked for me.  Just wanted to let you know because I would like RP to get credit when I buy music that I hear on your site.
 xray38 wrote:

Best car driving song ever.  How could it not be?




Have you forgotten about Radar Love? 
Best car driving song ever.  How could it not be?
Good Tune!  Thanx RP!
I was a Top 40 DJ and worked at stations that burned this song to a crisp.  Such a perfect radio record.  After all these years, it holds up. 
 surfrider4life wrote:
Should I be ashamed to say that I like this one?


Nah, it's a good song.
The production of this song sound far more recent than 1978.  More like 1988.  And I mean that as a compliment. 
IMO, maybe the best pop song ever !
an essential song
This is my standard one hit wonder. Love it.
All time classic 👍
Not to be confused with Sniff 'n' the Seat -- "Driver's Pants Tears".
 eileenomurphy wrote:

Good Tune!




I Agree!
 sid1950 wrote:

This was a staple at my parties in the late '70s! Guaranteed to get the feet moving.

'Yeaah!"

Good Tune!
 ziakut wrote:

"The Best of?"


Lol, yeah. What else was there?
 AmberStClaire wrote:


Saw these guys in London at The Venue mostly ; in the early 80s and they were a great band live; there used to be quite a crowd of us who would go, in American cars lol. After the band there was a great dj til around 3am and we m/f mix danced our arses off. What a total blast that all was. 



The Venue - I went there, too - not often enough! Good memories. pxd
My 1980 Mazda RX7 always seemed to have a boost in horsepower when I played this song.  My heavy foot had nothing to do with it!
Should I be ashamed to say that I like this one?
Saw them in Baton Rouge ~1981 touring with Kansas.  They were the worst group in concert that I ever witnessed.
I was 13 when this song first hit my ears. I was neither, metaphorically or literally, in the Driver's Seat..of anything.
 neptunejeff wrote:
 One of the signature songs from the "new wave" sound
of the late 70s. Heavy airplay  in the day but still sounds great...
 

Saw these guys in London at The Venue mostly ; in the early 80s and they were a great band live; there used to be quite a crowd of us who would go, in American cars lol. After the band there was a great dj til around 3am and we m/f mix danced our arses off. What a total blast that all was. 
 One of the signature songs from the "new wave" sound
of the late 70s. Heavy airplay  in the day but still sounds great...
 johkir wrote:
This is one of those songs that has an indelible memory etched in my brain from the first listen.  Lake Tahoe, 14 years old, laying on the beach with my transistor radio, antenna all the way up to get the one rock station from Reno(?).  Surrounded by the beauty that is Lake Tahoe, and the beauties in their bikini's, nodding my head to this new song, and that beat!
 

The best type of comment.
If this doesn't take you to a memory, I'm not sure what will. Thanks RP.
I got a speeding ticket in 1980 because of these guys! I was driving in time to the music I guess. Loved this song then and now!
 sid1950 wrote:
This was a staple at my parties in the late '70s! Guaranteed to get the feet moving.
 

And that staple has holding power! Still love this tune.
Big song my freshman year in college - great memories! For a one hit wonder they have their own station on Pandora
 TAI wrote:
WHY DO I ALWAYS THINK THESE GUYS ARE THE   CLIMAX BLUES BAND?
 
What's that you said?  I couldn't hear you over the YELLING....lol....sorry...had to do it...and this considering that I type in all CAPS all day long....so there ;-) 
I've got this one at an 8 still.  Long Live RP!!
WHY DO I ALWAYS THINK THESE GUYS ARE THE   CLIMAX BLUES BAND?
This was a staple at my parties in the late '70s! Guaranteed to get the feet moving.
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

Reading your post and the Wikipedia and AllMusic entries, I'm sure the video mixup was because the personnel in the band had probably changed 3 times between recording and filming...
 

The synth always reminds me of Rick Wakeman
I read years back that the Irish band Horselips came about during a drunken night in the pub trying to come up with a band name and whoever was scribbling was too wasted to write 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Where do you suppose these guys came up with theirs?
 Peter_Burrows wrote:
The synthesiser player was Keith Miller, a lovely guy I shared a house with in the 70s.  On the video he plays guitar, perhaps because he is so good looking.  He was an early adopter of the synthesiser, who worked with many famous names including the likes of Robert PlantPaul McCartneyPete Townshend,.  He died of a brain hemorrhage on May 17, 2005.

 
Reading your post and the Wikipedia and AllMusic entries, I'm sure the video mixup was because the personnel in the band had probably changed 3 times between recording and filming...
I have never heard this played on the radio before unless I have requested it from our local dj. Wow! how impressed I am, so many memories wrapped up in this record, this was also my husbands' all time favourite record.
"The Best of?"
Great flashback to a fun time...
Worth a mention for it's inclusion in the brilliant Boogie Nights.
 Laptopdog wrote:
They put out a "Best of" album?!
 
By retitling their other album?
They put out a "Best of" album?!
 TianGongZhong wrote:
Godlike.....
 

Yeahhhhhh.... Drivers Seat.... Yeahhhhh.....
Nice!  Brings back memories of much younger days...  Driving on a Saturday night, sure!
Godlike.....
 pinto wrote:
 
We'll adjust.  Grow up.
 
"Adjust" to dishonest and greedy?  No thanks.
Did this band ever have another hit? Song? 
I'm always amazed that this seldom if ever shows up on the list of  "Top Driving Songs"
By the way. which one is "Sniff?"

If RP doesn't play Golden Earring "Radar Love" after this...  I won;t know what to make if it!
Sniff 'n' the drivers seat?
 LinThizzy wrote:
THEY ARE REALLY IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT NOW WITH NET NEUTRALITY REPEALED,
SPECTRUM KEEPS CUTTING OFF MY RP FEED AND THAT NEVER HAPPENED WITH MY OTHER CRAPPY ISP THAT HAD 1/30 THE SPEED.
FUCK FASCIST CORPORATIONS AND DOUBLE-FUCK FASCIST POLICIES THAT ALLOW DOUCHEBAGS LIKE AJIT PAI TO DESTROY COMMON SENSE AND GOOD FAITH.
SPECTRUM IS DISHONEST AND GREEDY 
  
We'll adjust.  Grow up.
I put this as a 9 thinking about 100 years from now.  What's going to represent the late 20th century?  Something with meaningful lyrics or challenging chord progressions?  I doubt it.  Probably something dessertish like this one.
THEY ARE REALLY IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT NOW WITH NET NEUTRALITY REPEALED,
SPECTRUM KEEPS CUTTING OFF MY RP FEED AND THAT NEVER HAPPENED WITH MY OTHER CRAPPY ISP THAT HAD 1/30 THE SPEED.
FUCK FASCIST CORPORATIONS AND DOUBLE-FUCK FASCIST POLICIES THAT ALLOW DOUCHEBAGS LIKE AJIT PAI TO DESTROY COMMON SENSE AND GOOD FAITH.
SPECTRUM IS DISHONEST AND GREEDY 
 misterbearbaby wrote:
By the way, which one is Sniff?

 
The one next to the third tear
By the way, which one is Sniff?
From She's About A Mover to this?

Really?
This is one of those songs that has an indelible memory etched in my brain from the first listen.  Lake Tahoe, 14 years old, laying on the beach with my transistor radio, antenna all the way up to get the one rock station from Reno(?).  Surrounded by the beauty that is Lake Tahoe, and the beauties in their bikini's, nodding my head to this new song, and that beat!
   yeeeaaahhh.. {#Mrgreen}
Bill's just said that there are a couple of other songs on here, but when I click on the artist link it only shows the one song - this one?
Don Cheadle as Buck Swope and Melora Walters as Jessie St. Vincent in “Boogie Nights.”
The synthesiser player was Keith Miller, a lovely guy I shared a house with in the 70s.  On the video he plays guitar, perhaps because he is so good looking.  He was an early adopter of the synthesiser, who worked with many famous names including the likes of Robert PlantPaul McCartneyPete Townshend,.  He died of a brain hemorrhage on May 17, 2005.

This is so so good!  Whatever happened to these guys?
 
 


The guitar riff begins and the volume goes to 11.
band sounds so similar to Climax Blues Band
 Steely_D wrote:
Belongs somewhere on the spectrum of great music that includes Don't Fear the Reaper and Year of the Cat.

 
We share musical tastes! Kudos my friend
 
I have a different album cover which I find much better!!
And I also  had a picture posted here but now it is disappeared! 

Why?
One of my favorite band names...and the song is great
This is so so good!  Whatever happened to these guys?
 flyboy50 wrote:

That is so wrong its right.

 
Definitely nothing wrong with this!
memories! turn up the volume
 Otomi wrote:

  Businessgypsy wrote:

With all this business about seats and sniffing, an ad I once saw in the back of the Portland, OR Willamette Week comes to mind:

LADIES BICYCLE SEATS
New $10
Used $25


 



 
That is so wrong its right.
 Businessgypsy wrote:
With all this business about seats and sniffing, an ad I once saw in the back of the Portland, OR Willamette Week comes to mind:

LADIES BICYCLE SEATS
New $10
Used $25


 
lul wut?
Thank God it was just the short version.
What about Drivers A  and   B  ?  ;)
Belongs somewhere on the spectrum of great music that includes Don't Fear the Reaper and Year of the Cat.
{#Dancingbanana_2}
One of the greatest one-hit wonders of all time - love it, thanks RP!!
{#Bananajam}
TURN IT UP!!!
From 6 (what was I thinking) to 8. Yeah!
Baby, it's understood.
Top notch song from a top notch and under-rated band. Love Sniff and the Tears!{#Clap}
"Driver´s seat" directly after "Drive my car". I have to correct my rating for the Beatles-song downwards
Such strong childhood memories tide to this song.  As a little boy, I always thought it was from the film Prophecy (came out around the same time) and that was what they were saying instead of Driver Seat.  Prophecy...Yeah Prophecy...lol
Stirs up awesome memories. Thanks RP!{#Yes}
Time to retire this one. Marginal when it came out.  Hasnt aged well either. 
Always liked and still like the Sniffers.
Sorry, but the song and band names make for goofy combinations (sniffing car seats) that lead to strange visualizations. 
One of those yeah I know this song kind of songs.  Pretty cool.  Couldn't have told you the song or band name until I looked though and even then they don't look familiar.
 Zedediah wrote:
Guilty pleasure, perhaps. But it's so post-70's, anti-Disco, granting permission to reclaim some simple joys... It's just cool.

 
No reason to feel guilty, It's a nice little song...very nice.


Guilty pleasure, perhaps. But it's so post-70's, anti-Disco, granting permission to reclaim some simple joys... It's just cool.
I think I just have to raise this up from a 7 - it's always great to hear and SO classic...8!  {#Cool}
I'm hearing a lot of "White Socks/Flip Flops" by the Super Furry Animals in this song. 
...rather, I'm hearing a lot of this song in "White Socks/Flip Flops".
 There used to be a comic strip in one of the distinguished gentlemens magazines, back in the 80's. It was about a cat, Uncle Flat Nat, the ladies bicycle seat sniffer. Of course that could just be a figment of my imagination.      

       Otomi wrote:

  Businessgypsy wrote:

With all this business about seats and sniffing, an ad I once saw in the back of the Portland, OR Willamette Week comes to mind:

LADIES BICYCLE SEATS
New $10
Used $25


 



 


 orangecraig wrote:
Wonder where Greg Kihn was influenced?

 
Greg Kihn was releasing albums several years before these guys were.
Always thought of this as an 80s song, so maybe a little ahead of its time? 7.
I still make 'mix tapes' myself - with iTunes, burnt to disc or iPod - and must admit I've stolen a few of Bill's mini-lists for myself.

The Police's "Driven To Tears" makes sense as a follow-up to this, but my mix has Wilco's "Passenger Side" coming next. Changes up the tempo and throws in a bit of hillbilly flavour!
The DJ is in fine form (again or as always, take your pick).

 Terrific follow up to Widespread Panic — Traveling Light.
 ThePoose wrote:
Suggested segue: All Along the Watchtower

 
Or "Don't Fear the Reaper".
 wingo395 wrote:
One of my stranded-on-an-abandoned-island songs - especially, the extended version!

 
We had the debate about what songs we would want if we were stranded on a deserted island.  My friend had an interesting take - he would not pick any songs that he liked a lot, since if you had to listen to them over and over again, you would grow to hate them.  By that criteria, this song could make my list.


Top 40 crap material...ooo-ooo,yeah-ah-ah-ah


Smells like the 70s....
Reminds me of a movie. I can't remember the scene though.