Chuck Prophet – Ford Econoline

I started to go through his songs and found quality throughout. I went with this one because the car/van song fan in me had to pick it. Here is a 1985 Econoline. Let’s take a ride. 

Certain songs feel like they were written for the open highway. Not really to a set destination, but through unnamed towns and roadside attractions. This is that type of song. In this song, every mile matters, and the road is always calling.

Prophet first broke onto the music scene in the mid-1980s with Green on Red, a band in the Paisley Underground in Los Angeles. Prophet joined as guitarist in 1985, just in time to inject his rootsy edge into their sound. He was barely out of his teens, suddenly on the road in Europe, and finding out fast what life in a rock band really meant: cheap motels, crooked promoters, and that you kept going, no matter what.

When Green on Red broke up in the early 1990s, Prophet made a solo album called Brother Aldo, which showcased his knack for blending storytelling with rootsy music. He has released 17 solo albums since then and was on 10 of Green on Red albums. While some of his peers have retired, he is still showing up in clubs playing his Telecaster.

After listening to some of his catalog, he comes from everywhere. He has something for almost everyone, from pop, soul, rock, and Americana. I’ve mostly listened to Night Surfer, but I started to explore other albums. His songwriting really stands out, and his songs are catchy and stick with you. This song came out in 2014 on his Night Surfer album. Peter Buck worked on this album with Chuck, playing guitar. 

Ford Econoline

She pulled over said, “Climb on in”I did what she saidShe turned the music up real loudIt was The Talking HeadsDidn’t matter where we were goingMade no difference to me at the timeIt takes me back when I hear that songMakes me feel warm insideFord Econoline!Ever since the beginning of the worldThe beginning of timeSomebody said that the road was hisSomebody said, “No, it’s mine”Some folks are born ‘neath a sign on the roadClose enough to turn and leave it all behindFall together like the Rock Of GibraltarGuitars and drums insideFord Econoline! Ford Econoline Ford EconolineChris-crossed the country in two tone jobIt was a 1985Mile after mile we was burning oilWe couldn’t keep it aliveLaid out flatter than a Chinese rugWhen she went her way I went mineAll these memories like dirty platesStacked up in the sink of timeFord Econoline! Ford Econoline

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

40 thoughts on “Chuck Prophet – Ford Econoline”

    1. Thank you Sheila! I appreciate when people take the time to give new/old music a try.
      I’ve seen those vans and the 70s versions…I love the look of them.

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    1. I came across that song while researching this…I should have said something about it. I guess musicians used these vans a lot!

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  6. In Canada at that time there was a band called Econoline Crush, the first part for the van they toured in.
    Not a bad driving song, I hadn’t heard of him before. I think I like it more than the Green on Red you put up last week. But I’m a GM guy so I’ll go with Sammy John’s Chevy Van, LOL.
    When I was 11 or so I got one of those model kits of a Ford van. Painted it metallic purple, with those dark bubble windows on the back of the sides. Vans were cool in those days

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    1. He is a talented guy and I love the positive feedback I’m getting with this. It’s one of those I liked it at first listen.
      I loved vans as a kid but never had one. The ones with the bed and were rolling hotel rooms! lol
      Models…I did them as well of cars but I never had a van.
      Purple…that works for these things perfectly! I loved those bubble windows.

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      1. man, yeah, I had a couple of magazines that showcased the best of the custom vans back then. It was at the time a goal of mine to have one I think. I liked the look of Chevy’s a bit better but the Econoline was cool, no question. I suppose Dodge made vans too but I can’t remember them from that era

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      2. Yea these were cheaper I believe so that is why musicians liked them….but this is overboard Dave…but some were like rolling works of art…

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    2. A purple bug-windowed van- of course! Please please please tell me it was painted in purple metalflake? That would have been any model making schoolkid’s second best thing to fall asleep dreaming about.

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      1. LOL!!! yep – second only to the lovelies one could pick up in such a hot ride! I liked making models like that but my allergies were a problem, but then TEstors came out with a glue that was odorless so I was able to make a few and spray paint them outside. My favorite was a Chevy truck – the tractor part of the tractor trailer.

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  7. Pingback: Chuck Prophet – Ford Econoline – MobsterTiger

    1. I’ve been stuck on Chuck this week. I could have done any song but I love road songs CB.
      I had a 66 Mustang that was like that at times. What I wouldn’t give for it now.

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      1. Chuck can overwhelm you with goodness once you’re hooked. Sounds like you are.
        We could talk cars/baseball and a few other things.
        Still on topic Max. 1537 turned me onto Fu Manchu a few years ago and they do some “road songs”. In fact they have an album called ‘King Of The Road’. They are not subtle. One of the reasons Why I tuned into this blog thing. Find some new blood.

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      2. Yes I am hooked…I do have a weakness for those road songs…I just looked up Fu Manchu and they did one Drive (Dirty Mary Crazy Larry) which sounds really cool!

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  9. I know I have one of his CDs, but I can’t tell you which one. I like his voice. I also wondered if it was a Nanci Griffith cover, like someone else mentioned. She has a song of the same name. Good.

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    1. Yea that was the preferred van by musicians I believe because it was affordable at the time…still odd though that it’s the same name! I really like his stuff a lot.

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  10. Great pick, Max. My German music buddy Gerd pointed me to Chuck Prophet a couple of years ago. I really liked what I heard at the time and have featured Prophet on a few occasions, including his most recent album “Wake the Dead” from October 2024, featuring a cumbia backing band! I’d like to go back and listen to more of his music!

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    1. Yea I’ve had a Chuck week this week and have listened to quite a bit. I listened to mostly Night Surfer but I’m moving to his other albums. He is a winner man.

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      2. Yea man…I get that completely… and I also really like his former band Red On Green…I will listen to him this week as well.

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    1. He was in Dream Syndicate right? I’ll have to check him out.
      Graham I’m posting tomorrow because of labor day. I’m doing two posts but not the Ry Cooder one but it’s the other one I’ll be anxious to see what you think about the guy.

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  14. Pingback: Chuck Prophet – Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

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