I'm looking for title/group/album/publisher of a song I heard once on
the radio somewhere between 1979 and 1985 or so.  The only part of the
lyrics I recall is along the lines of "We've got it realing, rocking;
we've got it moving, grooving, in the automobile."  I have a vague
notion that the group was European; perhaps some of the lyrics were
not in english (german, maybe?).  The title could well have been "In
the Automobile". I certainly never heard it again; surely it didn't
make the charts in the US, but it really moved.

Doctorf:

I am not a Google Answers researcher.  But your question interested
me.  After reading your post, the first song that came to mind was,
"Love Shack", by the B-52's.

Lyrics from that song include:

"Everybody's movin', everybody's groovin' baby!"

and

"Hop in my Chrysler, it's as big as a whale and it's about to set sail!
I got me a car, it seats about 20"

Full lyrics are available at
http://www.mulch.demon.co.uk/b52s/albums/cosmicthing/loveshack.html

a preview of the song can be heard here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002LGY/qid%3D1084252895/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-5599674-4703913


Despite my intuition, several pieces of information you offer pose contradictions:

1. Cosmic Thing/Love Shack didn't come out until 1987.
2. It was quite popular and still shows up in pop radio rotation.
3. All the lyrics are in English.
4. If one ventured a guess, the title of the song would be "Love Shack".


Google Answer researchers might benefit from the following clarifications:

1. Where did you hear the song (radio, movie, etc).
2. What genre would you say the song fell in.
3. What city, state, or country were you in when you heard the song.

I'll be curious to see what turns up in this post.  Good luck!
muldoob

Thanks, but "Love Shack" is way too un-obscure.  To clarify: I heard
the song on FM radio while driving on El Camino Real (that's a street
name with 6 syllables, for you non-west-coasters), in front of
Stanford University, in Palo Alto, California, USA (presumably on a
San Francisco Bay Area station), sitting in a '78 Mustang.  For all I
know, it was popular elsewhere in the world, but it somehow didn't
make an impression in the US (though I can't imagine why; I thought it
was great).  It also isn't "No Particular Place To Go" by Chuck Berry
("Ridin' along in my automobile...") nor is it "Barbara Ann" by The
Beach Boys ("You got me rockin' and a-rollin' Rockin' and a-reelin'
Barbara Ann").

I'm virtually certain that the lyrics contain the exact phrase "oh,
we've got it reelin', rockin'; oh, we've got it moovin', groovin'; in
the automobile" repeatedly, at the end of each chorus/stanza/whatever.

The best hint I can think of for genre (musically unsophisticated as I
am) is that it reminds me of "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the
Waves (see?) as far as tempo and sheer get-up-and-move power goes; on
the other hand, I believe it didn't have quite as strong a vocal
aspect (I'm thinking there was more than one voice) as compared with
the more "wall of sound"-ish instrumentals (including a strong horn
section).

Looking back, I can't believe I misspelled "reeling" in the original post.

Could it be "Automobile" by Hansie?
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&threadm=rowtech-0709012045100001%40edm-ab51-038.netcom.ca&rnum=13&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522in%2Bthe%2Bautomobile%2522%2Blyrics%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Drowtech-0709012045100001%2540edm-ab51-038.netcom.ca%26rnum%3D13
http://inthe00s.com/archive/misheard/1063239423.shtml

Possible places to get it:
http://www.7inchheaven.dk/danish/artH1.htm
http://www.finpo.dk/side18G.html
http://dev.coolforever.com/m/browse.cfm/item/6730/
http://www.stars-on-7-inch.com/index_h/hansie/hansie.htm
http://www.vinylrevival.com/lists/12inch.shtml
http://www.flipmall.com/twelvesgo.htm

Happy listening,
Carl

Carl,

That's got to be it!  Thanks!  I'm glad to see (via your links) that
at least one other person was in a similar situation as I.

Now all I have to do is order the record and find someone with a
phonograph player...  (unless somebody knows of a CD?  Or even a DVD
(a Google search on "hansie automobile" points to
http://70scountdown.50megs.com/list80.htm which suggests there was a
music video!))

By the way, it seems to me that you're entitled to the $50.

"Dr. F, I know Google Researchers.  Google Researchers are friends of mine."

(Dramatic pause.)  

"Dr. F... I'm no Google Researcher."

So this one's on the house.  I've had some great free comments here,
and I'm just "payin' it forward."  Hmm... I *would* appreciate it if
you'd consider buying some tickets five to ten years from now, when
you see an ad for a musical about Asian-Americans in L.A.  :)

BTW, there's an alternative spelling of the performer's name.  Do a
Google search on "Hansje" and "automobile" and you just might find
something you're interested in.

Cheers,
Carl

More info!  I don't speak Dutch, but it's possible to pick out some
relevant facts anyway:

http://www.muziekbase.com/direkt.asp?nr=58217

Must... get... back to work...

Carl