‘Panama’ is a song by the American rock band Van Halen. It was the third US single released from the 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 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. The car shown in the music video is a heavily customized 1951 Mercury Eight convertible - notably not "Panama Express", the Opel or the Miura.
‘Panama’ was one of the last Van Halen songs recorded with David Lee Roth as lead singer before he left the band to go solo. With Roth at the helm, the group built a huge following with five albums released from 1978-1982. They took a little more time before issuing their sixth, 1984, early in 1984. With the synth-driven lead single, ‘Jump,’ they landed a #1 hit and crossed over to a much wider audience, but they didn't leave their core fans behind. The rocker "I'll Wait" was the next single, followed by ‘Panama,’ which left no doubt where the group's priorities lay (girls, guitars, cars). ‘Hot For Teacher’ was the last single, keeping the group on the airwaves throughout 1984.
Label – Warner Bros.
Songwriters – Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth
Producer – Ted Templeman
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Ooh
Oh, yeah
Uh-huh, ah!
[Verse 1]
Jump back, what's that sound?
Here she comes, full blast and top down
Hot shoe, burning down the avenue
Model citizen, zero discipline
[Pre-Chorus]
Don't you know she's coming home to me?
You'll lose her in the turn
I'll get her, ah!
[Chorus]
Panama
Panama
Panama
Panama
[Verse 2]
Ain't nothin' like it, her shiny machine
Got the feel for the wheel, keep the moving parts clean
Hot shoe, burning down the avenue
Out an on-ramp coming through my bedroom
[Pre-Chorus]
Don't you know she's coming home to me?
You'll lose her in the turn
I'll get her, ah!
Uh-oh
[Chorus]
Panama
Panama, ow
Panama, ah
Panama, oh-oh-oh-oh
Woo!
[Guitar Solo]
[Spoken Interlude]
Ah
Yeah, we're running a little bit hot tonight
I can barely see the road from the heat coming off it, I say
I reach down between my legs and
Ease the seat back
[Bridge]
She's blinding, I'm flying
Right behind in rearview mirror now
Got the fearing, power steering
Pistons popping, ain't no stopping now
[Chorus]
Panama
Panama
Panama
Panama, oh-oh-oh-oh
Panama
Panama, oh-oh-oh-oh
Panama