Both versions of “Life is a Highway”

Here is Rascal Flatts‘ current version of “Life is a Highway,” featured in the “Cars” movie.

Here is Tom Cochran‘s original, which was a Top 10 hit in 1992:

Which do you like better?

61 thoughts on “Both versions of “Life is a Highway”

  1. rascal flatts is good for a kids movie but if you want the real with the hermonica go for the original TOM COCHRAN

  2. I like the sound of Rascal Flatts and they’re a good band and all, but i think they pretty much killed this song in thier version. As they say, the original is best, and 95% of the time, they’re right, as is true in this case. The original is how it’s supposed to be, thats how it was meant to be. I agree that some bands can make oldies songs better, but only by changing it in small doses with thier mixes of it. The original version by Tom Cochran was a Rock hit back in the ’90s, with a little mix of country and Pop and Country mixed in. Rascal Flats pretty much took his song, and turned it into pure country, with a small hint of rock that can really be seen only in the guitar solo midway through the song. The harmonica was also a key part of the song, which Rascal Flatts left out.

  3. the great thing about Rascal Flatts is that they bring so much energy to this great song. The original Thomas Cochran version does stand out because of the harmonica, but otherwise I’d give the nod to Rascal Flatts because of the energy they provide. Also, I’m surprised that no one has mentioned that Chris Ledoux also covered this song. He went towards the Cochran route as far as the way he sang it, but like the Rascal’s version, it to was minus a harmonica.

  4. I think I like the original better, Love the Harmonica.
    the whole thing seems edgier rougher. The Rascal Flatts
    definitely has the melodies. I would like to hear them play
    live.

  5. Both are good but running at half power! Videos are just choppy old MTV. The movie handled the song an order of magnitude better. Starting the song with Mack pulling out of the stadium, a sea of taillights, up the hill, green signs and cloverleafs, countryside flattening out, sunset clouds and power lines on the plains, I-40 cutting through hills, and mesas in the distance going into a desert sunset, and finally the L.A. kiddie cars buzzin Mack while he was gettin’ white line fever … all evoked wonderful memories of all the symbols of dozens of cross country trips. The essence of being ‘on the road again’. Can’t ever hear that song again without images from the movie flashin’ my brain. Both videos failed compared to the truly extraordinary movie.

  6. Liking a particular song that different artists have performed has to do with the kinda genre of music the listener likes. For me, i’m more rockish so i like Raskals version better.

    Ben
    Lead Guitarist

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  8. Tom Cochran rocks…..recently heard that song re-done on a country station, some chick singing. Does anyone know who the most recentl version was done by?

  9. completely agree with number 17, this song is definitely better with energy, yhough the harmonica added would be great

  10. Duh! Can you say sucks? Rascall Flatts or however they spell it, is terrible just like every country singer and group. They butcher songs and call it their own. They have twang, scooping, crackling, and many other components of that “style” of music (country) that is completely disrespectful to all laws or rules of proper music and voice. It’s disgusting and just goes to show how many uneducated people there are in this country when it comes to the arts. If they were educated, they wouldn’t be singing country. The original song was well done. Take some voice lessons y’all!

  11. Watch it, Bob. You’re talking to a country music fan. I personally think the songwriting in much of country music is more sophisticated and mature than in rock.

  12. Bob, you are wrong! Hank Williams was one of the most influential singers of all time! Many of the big names of the 1960s mention this man’s music as part of their inspiration.

  13. Sorry 29, but country is what’s wrong with America. Cochran all the way! ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. I like Rascal’s version better, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss the harmonica.

  15. I enjoy both versions. Wanted to point out an interesting bit of trivia – The original version was used in the 2003 movie “Cheaper by the Dozen” and the Rascal Flatts version in 2006 “Cars”. Bonnie Hunt as Kate Baker and Sally Carrera (voice), respectively, was the Female Lead in both.

  16. My personal opinion is quite simple, The Rascals Flatts make a better version, the singer is better, and honestly, i’m not missing the armonica at all, the electric guitar sounds more Route 66 sound, but obviously the video es better in Cochran’s version.

  17. TOM COCHRAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rascal Flatts is a very good rendition, but the original harmonica is excellent and the song sounds a little less country.

  18. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT RASCAL FLATTS IS WAY BETTER THAN TOM COCHRAN. WHO CARES ABOUT THE HARMNICA.

  19. The Tom Cochrane version is better for listening. I’d have said that the Racal Flatts version was better for late night on the superslab, except in the part after the film cuts away, the song gets lost — that’s where it really needed the harmonica. 😉

  20. I love them both. But i think the Rascal Flatts is better because you could make a dance up to it easier!!

  21. I love the original better. As always, the original is always the most awesome. It takes our years to appreciate the best. Copies just sometimes, well, just doesn’t cut IT. And I still want to dance

  22. I’ve enjoyed the Rascall Flatts version and it got me thinking about this song again and how much I liked he original. Having listened to both I now know why I like the Cochran version so much when it came out. The original wins but the RF’s are on my Sirius Satelite Radios Alert to let me know whenever it’s playing.

  23. OK, I see both sides of this argument, but the first time I heard this tune was by Chris LeDoux in ’98, who is both country, and playing a harmonica. The video is kinda cheezy, but thought I’d throw this old hat into the mix for y’all!

  24. Tom Petty and Tom Cochran had a killer duet in the original. I am sure a lot of people had no idea that Petty was in that song too.

  25. My problem with the Rascal Flatts version is that it doesn’t sound different enough to entirely justify the cover. If they want to cover it for fun, that’s fine, but this thing was put out as a hit single and no, it really isn’t helping the original. So many of my favorite cover songs have dared to do something completely different with the source material. Adventurous covers can be risky, but just look at how well the approach worked out for Johnny Cash in his later years.

    Whereas the Rascal Flatts’ version just sounds like a poppy, overproduced take on Tom’s version. Yeah, the vocals are a bit smoother, but that’s probably in some part due to improved studio techniques. I really miss the crunching guitar chords, the harmonica and the aggressive, soulful vocals :/

    I must admit that I haven’t been a fan of mainstream country since the era of Shania. Call me close minded, but I kinda prefer to keep my music more accoustic and rooted in tradition. As such, I adore folk, bluegrass and indie country, but I’m not so sure about the stuff on the radio.

    PS. The Chris LeDoux version is a hoot! It really looks like he’s having a ball with the song 😀

  26. Tom Cohcrane Rocks!!! Rascall Flats version is lame, weak vocals, lame uninventive country guitar solo, etc.. Rascall’s version is terrible.

  27. Tom Cochrane is definitely better, the Rascal Flats version is dull and boring, if they were on American Idol they would tell them it was like a bad karaoke version of the song.

  28. I wish they would have done a remix of toms instrumental with harmonica and rascal flatts singing their original way. I think there is but I can’t find it and I wanna here it.

  29. Chris Ledoux is much better than whinny Rascal Flatts and should be the one compared to the original.

  30. #17 (Hobie) perfectly sums up my opinion. The Harmonica is great in the original, but I LOVE the energy of the Rascal Flatts version.

    Also, the last person (#59) said Rascal Flatts version was whiny? The original sounds WAY whinier to me. Haven’t heard the Chris Ledoux version, though. I guess I need to.

  31. Country music is my least favorite genre. However, Rascal Flatts does a great job on this remake. However, the original is almost always the best unless proven otherwise. The emotion that is felt in the original gives it the edge.. and, of course, the harmonica.

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