Wolfgang Van Halen addressed criticism about Van Halen’s ‘Panama’ being used in a commercial on his Bluesky social media account.
A fan voiced disappointment about the song’s commercial use. “Selling out ‘Panama’ for a truck commercial s*cks,” the fan stated.
Wolfgang offered a direct response: “It’s literally a song about a f*cking car, my guy.”
The debate emerged after Dodge RAM Trucks featured ‘Panama’ in their Super Bowl 59 commercial. This sparked discussions among Van Halen fans about the song’s use in advertising.
Wolfgang’s response revealed an interesting detail about the song’s automotive origins.
Research from American Songwriter revealed that a dragster named the ‘Panama Express’ inspired the song. David Lee Roth had seen this vehicle at a drag racing event.
Autoweek documented the song’s unique origin story. Roth faced a challenge to write beyond his typical themes of women and parties. He responded by creating lyrics that merged automotive enthusiasm with romantic metaphors.
2loud2oldmusic uncovered another automotive connection. David Lee Roth’s 1969 Opel Kadett Caravan wagon, nicknamed ‘Panama,’ may have partially inspired the song.
The song’s automotive heritage makes its use in a truck commercial align naturally with its original theme.
