This song is over

Ford announced yesterday that it will put the ailing Mercury brand out of its misery. Not a big loss from an automotive standpoint. Current Mercury products are merely rebadged Fords with slightly different trim levels and fairly unremarkable. This wasn't always the case.

The brand had enough juice at one time to inspire Stevie "Guitar" Miller to write this great blues tune.



Which raises the question: where are all the great car songs of this generation?

AdAge argues that the digital age is bringing an end to car culture, but I'm not buying that 100%. After all, I don't hear any songs of praise for the iPad or Facebook.

Cars today are better mechanically than they've ever been. They're more reliable, safer, more efficient and handle better.

What they're not is more interesting.

In an effort to appeal to everybody, automakers have moved to the middle making sedans that all look and drive alike, becoming automotive appliances that do their jobs well, but don't inspire. And until that changes, we won't be hearing anymore car songs.

Too bad. I'd love to hear what the Black Eyed Peas could do with Hyundai.