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Sammy Hagar looked back on the legacy of his biggest solo hit "I Can't Drive 55" in a recent interview, saying the song's meaning for him has changed over the years.
"I Can't Drive 55" was originally released in on Hagar's eighth studio album, VOA, in 1984, about a year before he joined Van Halen.
Speaking about his 'Sammy Hagar & Friends' Las Vegas residency to the local Fox affiliate, Hagar noted that "I Can't Drive 55" has "stood the test of time. It's been around long enough where it came back around to have a whole new meaning — like all great songs do (laughs).
"Originally it was a protest song about that I didn't want to go [the new speed limit], and now it's a protest song that I can't get where I'm going; I'm always late," Hagar said.
Hagar wrote the song in frustration after being issued a speeding ticket for going 62 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone in upstate New York. The frontman recalls the officer informing him that they regularly give tickets for drivers going more than 5 mph over the speed limit.
Hagar replied, "I can't drive 55!" and the sound of the words gave him an idea.
"I grabbed a paper and a pen, and I swear the guy was writing the ticket and I was writing the lyrics," he recalled in one interview.
As soon as Hagar got to his cabin in Lake Placid, he grabbed a guitar and finished writing the song.
Hagar's residency at The STRAT this month and next features him alongside his bandmates in The Circle — Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson.
After the first run of shows ends, Hagar & The Circle will head out on a brief tour before returning to the STRAT on March 23 for three more gigs. The band has shows booked into October of this year.