About The Song
“Panama” is a song by the American rock band Van Halen. It was the third US single released from their album 1984.
Despite its name, the song is not about the country. Instead, the song was reportedly written about a car. In an interview with Howard Stern, lead singer David Lee Roth explained the meaning behind the song. Although the song features some suggestive lyrics, it is about a car that Roth saw race in Las Vegas; its name was “Panama Express”, hence the title of the song.
Panama was also the name of Roth’s Opel Kadett.
Roth wrote the song after being accused by a reporter of “singing about only women, partying, and fast cars”. He realized he had never written a song about fast cars and decided to write one.
In an interview with guitarist Eddie Van Halen, he said the song was musically inspired by AC/DC’s straightforward three chord rock style.
During the bridge of the song where Roth says “I can barely see the road from the heat comin’ off,” Eddie Van Halen can be heard revving his 1972 Lamborghini Miura S in the background.
The car was backed up to the studio and microphones were attached to the exhaust pipe to record the sound for the song.
The song is in the key of E♭ Major.[citation needed] However, the published score is in the key of E Major, having a moderate rock common time tempo of 144 beats per minute.
The music video for the song, directed by Pete Angelus, primarily features on-stage performances by the band. The bulk of the video was shot at The Spectrum in Philadelphia over two nights both during the show and at soundcheck. Portions of it were filmed at the tour dates prior during performances at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.[citation needed]
The car shown in the music video is a heavily customized 1951 Mercury Eight convertible – notably not “Panama Express”, the Opel or the Miura.
Video
Lyrics
Jump back, what’s that sound?
Here she comes, full blast and top down
Hot shoe, burnin’ down the avenue
Model citizen, zero discipline
Don’t you know she’s coming home with me
You’ll lose her in the turn
I’ll get herPanama, Panama
Panama, PanamaAin’t nothin’ like it, her shiny machine
Got the feel for the wheel, keep the moving parts clean
Hot shoe, burnin’ down the avenue
Got an on ramp comin’ through my bedroom
Don’t you know she’s coming home with me
You’ll lose her in the turn
I’ll get herPanama, Panama
Panama, PanamaYeah, we’re runnin’ a little bit hot tonight
I can barely see the road from the heat comin’ off of it
Ah, you reach down, between my legs and ease the seat back
She’s blinding, I’m flying
Right behind the rear view mirror now
Got the feeling, power steering
Pistons popping, ain’t no stopping nowPanama, Panama
Panama, Panama
Panama, Panama
Panama