Life is a Highway - wikipedia Life is a Highway `` Life Is a Highway '' Single by Tom Cochrane from the album Mad Mad World Released September 20, 1991 Recorded Genre Rock, heartland rock Length 4 : 26 Label Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Tom Cochrane Producer ( s ) Tom Cochrane, Joe Hardy Tom Cochrane singles chronology `` String Module Error : Match not found '' ( 1989 ) `` Life Is a Highway '' ( 1991 ) `` No Regrets '' ( 1991 ) `` White Hot '' ( Live ) ( 1989 ) `` Life Is a Highway '' ( 1991 ) `` No Regrets '' ( 1991 ) `` Life Is a Highway '' is a song written by Tom Cochrane, from his 1991 album Mad Mad World. The song was Cochrane 's most famous song, as it was a number one hit in his native Canada. The song also peaked at number six on the Billboard charts in the United States in 1992. The song has been covered by Rascal Flatts for the Cars soundtrack, as well as by Chris LeDoux, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Home Free. Contents 1 Song information 2 Charts 2.1 Weekly charts 2.2 Year - end charts 3 Music video 4 Rascal Flatts version 4.1 Music video 4.2 Charts 5 Chris LeDoux version 5.1 Music video 6 Other covers 7 References 8 External links Song information In an interview with The Canadian Press, Cochrane said the song was originally envisioned several years before its release as `` Love is a Highway, '' but was shelved while he was still working with his band mates in Tom Cochrane and Red Rider during the late 1980s. Following a trip with his family to East Africa, where he helped to raise awareness and money for the World Vision famine relief organization, he revisited the song with advice from his friend John Webster, an instrumentalist on Mad Mad World. In an interview with The Canadian Press to mark the song 's 25th anniversary, Cochrane said Webster encouraged him to revisit the demo recording, which only had mumbled vocals and improvised lyrics, but not the song 's well - known chorus. Eventually that version was released on the 25th anniversary reissue of the album as `` Love is a Highway. '' While his trip to Africa was influential to a notable portion of the Mad Mad World album, it was especially formative to the final version of `` Life is a Highway ''. Cochrane says he was trying to unpack the poverty he witnessed on his trip, which he found `` shocking and traumatic. '' He later said the uptempo spirit of the song came from looking for something positive to `` hang the experience on. '' Most of the vocals on the track were recorded in the small studio in his backyard. `` It became a pep talk to myself... saying you ca n't really control all of this stuff, you just do the best you can, '' he told The Canadian Press in an interview. `` All the details of going into a country like Mozambique, which was in a protracted civil war at the time, you ca n't be distracted with all of that. '' Places mentioned in the song are Mozambique, Memphis, Khyber Pass, and Vancouver. The song was Cochrane 's only Top 40 hit in the United States. In Canada, three other singles from the album charted. It was also featured in the 1992 film There Goes the Neighborhood, starring fellow Canadian Catherine O'Hara. Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1991 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 6 US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 6 Canadian Singles Chart Australian Singles Chart New Zealand Singles Chart Sweden Singles Chart 23 Dutch Singles Chart 35 Year - end charts Chart ( 1992 ) Position US Billboard Hot 100 18 for next print Music video The original video for `` Life Is a Highway '' was produced by Albert Botha who went on to line produce two films for Saturday Night Live, Superstar starring Molly Shannon and The Ladies Man starring Tim Meadows. 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 has an older man ( gas station attendant ), a couple ( tall man, short wife ), and two women from an Anabaptist religious order ( Alberta has a population of Hutterites ). The car which is featured in the music video is a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport. The plot for the video is a pastiche of the 1991 Canadian dark comedy, Highway 61. The song was originally offered by Capitol Records to the film 's director, Bruce McDonald, to use in the film. McDonald declined the offer, saying the song was `` too poppy ''. Rascal Flatts version `` Life Is a Highway '' Single by Rascal Flatts from the album Me and My Gang and Cars : The Soundtrack Released June 6, 2006 Format Digital download Recorded 2006 Genre Country rock Length 4 : 36 Label Lyric Street, Walt Disney Songwriter ( s ) Tom Cochrane Producer ( s ) Dann Huff Rascal Flatts singles chronology `` Me and My Gang '' ( 2006 ) `` Life Is a Highway '' ( 2006 ) `` My Wish '' ( 2006 ) `` Me and My Gang '' ( 2006 ) `` Life Is a Highway '' ( 2006 ) `` My Wish '' ( 2006 ) In 2006, American country band Rascal Flatts recorded a cover of this 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 top ten peak on the Billboard Hot 100. 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 their Greatest Hits Volume 1. This version also won the `` Favorite Song from a Movie '' award at the 33rd People 's Choice Awards. 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 Lego Rock Band. It topped the 2 million mark in paid downloads as of the chart dated March 28, 2009. As of March 2013, the song has sold over 3 million copies in the US. On July 14, 2015, Scott Walker, Republican Governor of Wisconsin, launched his presidential campaign as Republican Party nominee in Waukesha, Wisconsin using the song. Cochrane requested that it not be used again. Music video 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 the movie : Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson and Mater. As the projector rolls, scenes from the Disney / Pixar movie Cars are shown as the band plays through the number. It was directed by Shaun Silva. Charts The Rascal Flatts version subsequently became a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it peaked at number No. 7. 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 No. 18 on the US Country Song chart. The song has sold 3.4 million copies in the US as of June 2016. Chart ( 2006 ) Peak position US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) 18 US Billboard Hot 100 7 US Billboard Pop 100 9 Chris LeDoux version In 1998, Chris LeDoux covered `` Life Is a Highway '' for his album One Road Man. The song is one of Chris ' most popular among fans, as well as `` For Your Love '', `` This Cowboy 's Hat '', `` Hooked on an 8 - Second Ride '', `` Cadillac Ranch '' and `` Horse Power ''. Changes include the intro to the song, the timing of vocal entrances on the chorus, and location names between the first and second chorus. Music video The music video for the song 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 Chris himself to appear on a television that is sitting on a sidewalk or grass, however, while the background behind Chris ( that appears on the TV ) is the same background as everything behind the TV itself, Chris does not appear to be standing behind the TV. In most locations, Chris is walking down a road as at the start of the music video. The video ends with Chris signing the chorus while appearing on a flap - down TV inside of someones car, then transitioning to Chris being once again in the static room and then walking out of it. After Chris leaves the room, the screen will slowly fade - out to black and the video will end. Other covers In 2007, Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the Rascal Flatts version for their video game Alvin and the Chipmunks, which also appeared in the 2011 video game Alvin and the Chipmunks : Chipwrecked. References Jump up ^ Amazon ^ Jump up to : Friend, David ( January 5, 2017 ). `` Tom Cochrane reflects on success of ' Life is a Highway ' ''. The Toronto Star / The Canadian Press. ^ Jump up to : Charts - Life Ia a highway Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1992 ''. Archived from the original on 2010 - 01 - 17. Retrieved 2010 - 07 - 30. Jump up ^ `` Week Ending March 15, 2009 : The Idol With The Most ''. Chart Watch. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2012. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ Bjorke, Matt ( June 28, 2016 ). `` Top 30 Digital Country Singles Report : June 28, 2016 ''. Roughstock. Jump up ^ `` Rascal Flatts -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot Country Songs for Rascal Flatts. Jump up ^ `` Rascal Flatts -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for Rascal Flatts. Jump up ^ `` Alvin and the Chipmunks : Chipwrecked ''. Official Website. Majesco Entertainment. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Tom Cochrane `` Life Is a Highway '' music video at YouTube Rascal Flatts `` Life Is a Highway '' music video at YouTube Preceded by `` Just Came Back '' by Colin James Juno Award for Single of the Year Succeeded by `` Beauty and the Beast '' by Celine Dion / Peabo Bryson Tom Cochrane Studio albums Hang On to Your Resistance ( 1974 ) Mad Mad World ( 1991 ) Ragged Ass Road ( 1995 ) Songs of a Circling Spirit ( 1997 ) Xray Sierra ( 1998 ) No Stranger ( 2006 ) Take It Home ( 2015 ) Songs `` Life Is a Highway '' Rascal Flatts singles Rascal Flatts `` Prayin ' for Daylight '' `` This Everyday Love '' `` While You Loved Me '' `` I 'm Movin ' On '' Melt `` These Days '' `` Love You Out Loud '' `` I Melt '' `` Mayberry '' Feels Like Today `` Feels Like Today '' `` Bless the Broken Road '' `` Fast Cars and Freedom '' `` Skin ( Sarabeth ) '' Me and My Gang `` What Hurts the Most '' `` Me and My Gang '' `` My Wish '' `` Stand '' Still Feels Good `` Take Me There '' `` Winner at a Losing Game '' `` Every Day '' `` Bob That Head '' `` Here '' Unstoppable `` Here Comes Goodbye '' `` Summer Nights '' `` Why '' `` Unstoppable '' Nothing Like This `` Why Wait '' `` I Wo n't Let Go '' `` Easy '' ( with Natasha Bedingfield ) Changed `` Banjo '' `` Come Wake Me Up '' `` Changed '' Rewind `` Rewind '' `` Payback '' `` Riot '' `` I Like the Sound of That '' Back to Us `` Yours If You Want It '' `` Back to Us '' Other songs `` Life Is a Highway '' `` That Should Be Me '' ( with Justin Bieber ) `` Words I Could n't Say '' Pixar music Albums The Incredibles Cars WALL - E Up Brave Songs `` You 've Got a Friend in Me '' `` When She Loved Me '' `` If I Did n't Have You '' `` Real Gone '' `` Life Is a Highway '' `` Our Town '' `` Down to Earth '' `` We Belong Together '' Other albums Woody 's Roundup : A Rootin ' Tootin ' Collection of Woody 's Favorite Songs Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Life_Is_a_Highway&oldid=798634512 '' Categories : 1991 singles 2006 singles Tom Cochrane songs Rascal Flatts songs Chris LeDoux songs Jerry Jeff Walker songs Music videos directed by Shaun Silva Song recordings produced by Dann Huff RPM Top Singles number - one singles Songs written by Tom Cochrane Songs from Cars ( franchise ) Capitol Records Nashville singles Lyric Street Records singles Walt Disney Records singles Music videos directed by Michael Salomon 1991 songs Songs about automobiles Pixar songs Hidden categories : Music infoboxes with Module : String errors Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015 Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Talk Contents About Wikipedia 日本 語 Edit links This page was last edited on 3 September 2017, at 01 : 33. 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Question: who wrote the song life is a highway
Answer: Tom Cochrane