Expressway (To Your Heart)

Album

Single

Label

Crimson Records

Genre

Philadelphia soul

Composer(s)

Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff

Entered Chart

Sep 2, 1967

Peak Date

Nov 4, 1967

Released

July 1967

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Crimson 1010

B-Side

Hey Gyp

This was the first hit record written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who helped create the Philadelphia Soul sound with songs like "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)," which were released on their Philadelphia International label. Gamble and Huff are from Camden, New Jersey, which is just east of Philadelphia, and often took the Schuylkill Expressway, which is the "Expressway To Your Heart." Gamble wrote the lyrics, and he explained to National Public Radio: "I was on my way over to see a young lady, and the expressway was backed up. This is when they just started the expressway in 1967 - I was sitting there for what seemed like hours, so I started beating on the dashboard and singing, 'Expressway to your heart, trying to get to you.' Songs come from your imagination. You have to be quick to capture the moment." This song starts with the sound of car horns, which came from records containing sound effects. The horns were inspired by the Lovin' Spoonful song "Summer In The City," which also used the effect. Gamble and Huff reused the lyrics "Shower you with love and affection, now you won't look in my direction" on the song I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, which contains the line, "I'm gonna shower you with love and affection, look out, it's comin' in your direction." The Soul Survivors were a white group from New York City. They had one more Top 40 hit: "Explosion (In My Soul)." The New Jersey band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes performed this in the 1987 movie Adventures In Babysitting in the scene where Elisabeth Shue and her charges show up at a fraternity party. A live version by the Blues Brothers is featured on their 1981 album, The Best Of The Blues Brothers.

I've been tryin' to get to you for a long time
Because constantly you been on my mind
I was thinkin' 'bout a shortcut I could take
But it seems like I made a mistake

I was wrong, I took too long
I got caught in the rush hour
A fellow started to shower
You with love and affection
Now you won't look in my direction

On the expressway to your heart
The expressway is not the best way
At five o'clock it's much too crowded
Much too crowded, so crowded
Much too crowded, so crowded

Now there's too many ahead of me
They're all the time gettin' in front of me
I thought I could find a clear road ahead
But I found stoplights instead

I was wrong, baby, I took too long
I got caught in the rush hour
A fellow started to shower
You with love and affection
Come on, look in my direction

On the expressway to your heart
The expressway is not the best way
At five o'clock it's much too crowded
Much too crowded, so crowded
No room for me (too crowded)