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Life Is a Highway
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| "Life Is a Highway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
European CD and 7-inch artwork | ||||
| Single by Tom Cochrane | ||||
| from the album Mad Mad World | ||||
| B-side | "Emotional Truth" | |||
| Released | September 20, 1991 | |||
| Genre | Country rock[1] | |||
| Length | 4:26 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter | Tom Cochrane | |||
| Producers |
| |||
| Tom Cochrane singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
UK CD and 7-inch artwork | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Life Is a Highway" on YouTube | ||||
"Life Is a Highway" is a song by Canadian musician Tom Cochrane from his second studio album, Mad Mad World (1991). The song became a number-one hit in Canada in late 1991. "Life Is a Highway" also peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in August 1992 and reached the top two in Australia and New Zealand the same year. The song was covered by Chris LeDoux for his 1998 album One Road Man and Rascal Flatts in 2006 for the Cars soundtrack.
Background and release
[edit]Cochrane has stated that "Life Is a Highway" was originally conceived in the 1970s as "Love Is a Highway" while he was still a member of Red Rider, but was shelved at that time because he felt the unfinished song was unusable.[2] Following a trip with his family to eastern Africa with the World Vision famine relief organization, Cochrane revisited the song on the advice of his friend John Webster, an instrumentalist on the Mad Mad World album. In a 2017 interview with The Canadian Press to mark the song's 25th anniversary, Cochrane said Webster encouraged him to revisit the demo recording, which at that point only had mumbled vocals and improvised lyrics, but not the song's well-known chorus. "(The song) became a pep talk to myself... saying you can't really control all of this stuff, you just do the best you can," he says.[2] Cochrane says he was trying to make sense of the poverty he witnessed on his trip, which he found "shocking and traumatic".
Eventually, the original demo version was released on the 25th-anniversary reissue of Mad Mad World under the original title "Love Is a Highway". He later said the up-tempo spirit of the song came from looking for something positive to "hang the experience on."[2] Most of the vocals on the track were recorded in Cochrane's small home studio.[2] The song was Cochrane's only top-40 hit in the United States, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] In Canada, the song stayed at number one for two weeks, and three other singles from the album charted within the top 10; "No Regrets" peaked at number three,[4] "Sinking Like a Sunset" reached number two,[5] and "Washed Away" climbed to number seven.[6] In Australia and New Zealand, the single peaked at number two in both countries.[7][8] Elsewhere, it became a top-40 hit in Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.[9][10][11]
Music video
[edit]The video for "Life Is a Highway" was directed by David Storey and produced by Albert Botha. The video was shot in Alberta's Badlands, near the town of Drumheller. Many of the shots are in familiar locations along the Dinosaur Trail, including Cochrane playing guitar amid the hoodoos and the couple, Kait Shane and Brennan Elliott, running around the car while it rides the Bleriot Ferry across the Red Deer River. It also features an older man (gas station attendant), a couple (tall man, short wife), two women (Jacqueline and Joyce Robbins) from an Anabaptist religious order (Alberta has a population of Hutterites), and two First Nations men, one wearing a baseball cap with the words "Oka Standoff" printed on it, referring to the Oka Crisis (a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec). The car featured in the music video is a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport.
Track listings
[edit]- "Life Is a Highway" – 4:24
- "Emotional Truth" – 5:59
- UK CD single[15]
- "Life Is a Highway" – 4:24
- "Emotional Truth" – 5:59
- "Get Back Up" – 4:39
- European maxi-CD single[16]
- "Life Is a Highway" – 4:24
- "Emotional Truth" – 5:59
- "Lunatic Fringe" (live) – 5:00
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[27] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[32] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[33] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[34] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | September 20, 1991 | — | Capitol | [citation needed] |
| Australia | March 23, 1992 |
|
[35] | |
| United States | April 6, 1992 | Cassette | [34] | |
| United Kingdom | June 15, 1992 |
|
[36] | |
| Japan | August 5, 1992 | Mini-CD | [37] |
Chris LeDoux version
[edit]| "Life Is a Highway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
7-inch jukebox vinyl single | ||||
| Single by Chris LeDoux | ||||
| from the album One Road Man | ||||
| B-side | "Hooked on an 8 Second Ride" | |||
| Released | 1999 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:49 | |||
| Label | Capitol Nashville | |||
| Songwriter | Tom Cochrane | |||
| Chris LeDoux singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Life Is a Highway" on YouTube | ||||
In 1998, Chris LeDoux covered "Life Is a Highway" for his album One Road Man. Changes include the intro, timing of vocal entrances on the chorus, and location names between the first and second chorus. LeDoux's version was released as a single the following year and peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during the week of June 12, 1999, and remained at the spot for nine weeks.
Music video
[edit]The music video for the song, directed by Michael Salomon, takes place on multiple roads and highways as well as a blue and red static themed room. When on roads and highways, there is a chance for LeDoux to appear on a television that is sitting on a sidewalk or grass, however, while the background behind LeDoux (that appears on the TV) is the same background as everything behind the TV itself, LeDoux does not appear to be standing behind the TV. In most locations, LeDoux is walking down a road as at the start of the music video. The video ends with LeDoux singing the chorus while appearing on a flap-down TV inside of someone's car, then transitioning to LeDoux being once again in the static room and then walking out of it. After LeDoux leaves the room, the screen slowly fades to black and the video ends.
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[38] | 64 |
Rascal Flatts version
[edit]| "Life Is a Highway" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Rascal Flatts | ||||
| from the album Me and My Gang and Cars: The Soundtrack | ||||
| Released | June 6, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | 2005 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 4:36 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Tom Cochrane | |||
| Producers | ||||
| Rascal Flatts singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Life Is a Highway" on YouTube | ||||
In 2005, American country music band Rascal Flatts recorded a cover of the song for the Pixar animated film Cars, which was released on June 9, 2006. The song sold a large quantity of digital downloads, leading to a number seven peak on the Billboard Hot 100 (one position lower than Cochrane's original version). In addition, the cover was placed as a bonus track on later versions of the album Me and My Gang, and also was included on Greatest Hits Volume 1 (2008) and Twenty Years of Rascal Flatts: The Greatest Hits (2020). This version also won the "Favorite Song from a Movie" and "Favorite Remake" awards at the 33rd People's Choice Awards. Rascal Flatts re-recorded the song with Lzzy Hale on their 2025 album Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets.[40][41] With over 879 million lifetime streams on Spotify as of September 2025, the song is the band's most streamed song of all time.
The instrumental of the Rascal Flatts' cover version was prominently featured in the Top Gear: US Special, which aired February 11, 2007. The song is included on the soundtrack for Cars Mater-National Championship and Lego Rock Band. It topped the two million mark in paid downloads as of the chart dated March 28, 2009.[42] As of March 2013, the song has sold over three million copies in the US.[43] On July 14, 2015, Scott Walker, Republican Governor of Wisconsin, launched his presidential campaign as Republican Party nominee in Waukesha, Wisconsin using the song. On December 8, 2020, Harmonix announced that the cover would be featured on the video game FUSER, as a DLC on December 10, 2020. The song is also featured in video games such as Rocket League.
Music video
[edit]The music video portrays the three band members pulling into a drive-in theater driving three vintage vehicles. The cars allude to three characters from Cars: Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson and Mater. As the projector rolls, scenes from the film are shown as the band plays through the number. It was directed by Shaun Silva.
Charts
[edit]The Rascal Flatts version subsequently became a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at number seven. Even though it was not officially released to country radio, many country stations played the song as an album cut, overlapping with their then-current country single "My Wish". The unsolicited country airplay brought "Life Is a Highway" to number 18 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. The song has sold 3.4 million copies in the US as of June 2016.[44]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[50] | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[51] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[52] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[53] | 8× Platinum | 8,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Harrington, Jim (2015). "Tom Cochrane - "Life Is a Highway". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 666.
- ^ a b c d Friend, David (January 5, 2017). "Tom Cochrane reflects on success of 'Life is a Highway'". The Toronto Star/The Canadian Press.
- ^ a b "Tom Cochrane Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. February 22, 1992. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. May 30, 1992. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. November 7, 1992. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ a b "Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ a b "Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ a b "Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 34, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ a b "Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". Singles Top 100.
- ^ Life Is a Highway (Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Tom Cochrane. Capitol Records. 1991. B 73166.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Life Is a Highway (Canadian cassette single sleeve). Tom Cochrane. Capitol Records. 1991. 4JM 73166.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Life Is a Highway (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Tom Cochrane. Capitol Records. 1991. TODP-2370.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Life Is a Highway (UK CD single liner notes). Tom Cochrane. Capitol Records. 1991. 7243 8 80115 2 5.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Life Is a Highway (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Tom Cochrane. Capitol Records. 1991. 20 4676 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 45. November 9, 1991. p. 66.
- ^ Nanda Lwin (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7767." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Tom Cochrane: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. July 25, 1992. p. 14. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ "Tom Cochrane Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tom Cochrane Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- ^ "Tom Cochrane Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Retrieved November 23, 2017 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ a b "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1992". ARIA. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- ^ "The Year in Music: Top Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. December 26, 1992. p. YE-42.
- ^ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". Music Canada. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". Radioscope. Retrieved January 27, 2025. Type Life Is a Highway in the "Search:" field.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Tom Cochrane – Life Is a Highway". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 23/03/92: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 112. March 22, 1992. p. 21.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 13, 1992. p. 17.
- ^ "ライフ・イズ・ハイウェイ | トム・コクラン" [Life Is a Highway | Tom Cochrane] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
- ^ "Chris LeDoux Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ Me and My Gang (CD booklet). Rascal Flatts. Lyric Street Records. 2006. 2061-65075-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Daykin, James (June 6, 2025). "Review: Rascal Flatts re-invent & re-imagine on new album 'Life is a Highway – Refueled'". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Halestorm's Lzzy Hale featured on new version of 'Life Is a Highway' with Rascal Flatts". www.1057thepoint.com.
- ^ "Week Ending March 15, 2009: The Idol With The Most". Chart Watch. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
- ^ Grein, Paul (March 20, 2013). "Week Ending March 17, 2013. Songs: The Great Chart Robbery Of 2013". Yahoo News Chart Watch. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (June 28, 2016). "Top 30 Digital Country Singles Report: June 28, 2016". Roughstock. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ^ "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
- ^ "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 17" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Year-End 2006". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Rascal Flatts – Life Is a Highway". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Rascal Flatts – Life Is a Highway". Radioscope. Retrieved January 27, 2025. Type Life Is a Highway in the "Search:" field.
- ^ "British single certifications – Rascal Flatts – Life Is a Highway". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – Rascal Flatts – Life Is a Highway". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
External links
[edit]Life Is a Highway
View on GrokipediaOriginal Version by Tom Cochrane
Inspiration and Background
"Life Is a Highway" was composed by Canadian musician Tom Cochrane as the lead single from his second solo studio album, Mad Mad World, released on October 20, 1991, by Capitol Records.[5] Cochrane, formerly the frontman of the rock band Red Rider, drew from personal experiences of perseverance amid adversity to craft the track, which he described as a self-motivational anthem emphasizing resilience in the face of uncontrollable circumstances. The primary inspiration for the song stemmed from Cochrane's 1988 trip to West Africa, undertaken on behalf of the humanitarian organization World Vision to raise awareness for famine relief efforts in countries including Ethiopia and Mozambique.[6] [7] During the journey, Cochrane witnessed extreme poverty, hunger, and the deaths of children, experiences he later said imprinted a profound "tattoo on your soul."[7] [8] These observations of human suffering and endurance amid despair informed the song's central metaphor of life as a highway—a relentless path fraught with challenges that demands faith and determination to continue forward, even without clear resolution.[9] [10] Cochrane has explained that the lyrics serve as a "pep talk to myself," reflecting a philosophy of doing one's best despite life's uncertainties, rather than a literal road travel narrative. This interpretation aligns with the song's upbeat rock arrangement, which contrasts the underlying themes of hardship drawn from real-world humanitarian crises.[9] The track's development occurred amid Cochrane's career transition to solo work, following the dissolution of Red Rider, underscoring its role as an emblem of personal and artistic persistence.[6]Composition and Recording
"Life Is a Highway" originated as an unfinished demo titled "Love Is a Highway" during Tom Cochrane's time with the band Red Rider in the late 1970s or early 1980s, but it was rejected at the time.[11] The song was later revived and completed for Cochrane's second solo album, Mad Mad World, released on September 20, 1991, in Canada.[12] Cochrane drew inspiration from a humanitarian trip to West Africa with the organization World Vision, where he witnessed extreme poverty, hunger, and suffering in countries including Ethiopia and Mozambique, experiences he described as "shocking and traumatic."[7] [6] This trip profoundly affected him, leading him to craft the song as a form of "positive talk to [him]self" emphasizing resilience and focusing on what one can control amid uncontrollable hardships.[11] [9] The songwriting process began when friend and producer John Webster encouraged Cochrane to revisit the old demo, which featured mumbled vocals and improvised lyrics without a completed chorus.[11] One morning, inspiration struck; Cochrane jotted down ideas and rushed to his backyard home studio in Oakville, Ontario, to lay down a rough recording.[11] He added the iconic chorus to the existing demo structure, transforming it into an anthem about perseverance and human connection as a means to navigate life's challenges.[9] Recording for Mad Mad World, including "Life Is a Highway," took place across multiple studios: Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee; Tom's Cabin in Oakville, Ontario; Hungry Hollow Studio in Georgetown, Ontario; and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario.[13] [14] The album was produced by Joe Hardy and mixed at Ardent Studios, utilizing equipment such as a 32-track Mitsubishi X-880 digital recorder alongside two 12-track Akai ADAM digital recorders.[15] [16] These sessions captured the song's driving rock energy, with Cochrane handling lead vocals, guitar, and harmonica, supported by a band including drummer Jeff Pezzuti and bassist Rob Dileo.[13]Release and Promotion
"Life Is a Highway" was issued as the lead single from Tom Cochrane's second studio album, Mad Mad World, by Capitol Records in 1991, preceding the album's Canadian release on September 15.[17][18] The track appeared on various formats, including promotional CDs distributed exclusively to radio stations to encourage airplay.[19] The song's promotion centered on radio dissemination, which enabled it to quickly gain traction across Canadian airwaves upon its debut in 1991.[20] Cochrane incorporated the single into live performances during his 1991 tour dates, performing it five times as documented in setlists from that year.[21] This radio-focused strategy, combined with the single's optimistic thematic appeal, facilitated its breakthrough as Cochrane's signature solo hit.[9]Commercial Performance
"Life Is a Highway" was released as a single on September 20, 1991, from Tom Cochrane's album Mad Mad World, quickly becoming his signature hit. In Canada, it topped the RPM 100 Singles Chart, holding the number-one position for several weeks and driving strong domestic sales.[22][23] The track's road-themed anthem resonated broadly, contributing to the album's eventual shipment of over six million copies worldwide, though single-specific figures highlight its standalone appeal. In the United States, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 83 in May 1992, climbing to a peak of number six on August 22, 1992, and charting for 26 weeks total.[24] It simultaneously reached number six on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, underscoring its rock radio traction.[22] Internationally, the song performed strongly, peaking at number two on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart in October 1992 and similarly at number two in New Zealand.[25][26]| Chart (1991–1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 1 [22] |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 6 [24] |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) | 6 [22] |
| Australia (ARIA) | 2 [25] |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 2 [26] |
