Goddess on a Hiway

"Goddess on a Hiway"
Single by Mercury Rev
from the album Deserter's Songs
Released	November 2, 1998 August 16, 1999 (re-issue)
Format	CD, 7" vinyl CD, eCD (re-issue)
Recorded	Tarbox Studios, NRS Studios, Six Hours Studios
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:45
Label	V2 Records
Writer(s)	Jonathan Donahue, Sean "Grasshopper" Mackowiak
Producer	Dave Fridmann, Jonathan Donahue, Aaron Hurwitz
Mercury Rev singles chronology
"Everlasting Arm" (1995) "Goddess on a Hiway" (1998) "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp" (1999)
"Holes" (1999) "Goddess on a Hiway" (re-issue) (1999) "Nite and Fog" (2001)

"Goddess on a Hiway" is the first single from Mercury Rev's fourth studio album, Deserter's Songs. The single was first released on November 2, 1998, and then re-issued on August 16, 1999. Two music videos were produced for the song, one directed by Anton Corbijn, the other directed by James & Alex (featured on the 1999 eCD single). B-sides include a cover of "I Only Have Eyes for You" featuring musician Sean O'Hagan.

The song's lyrics takes advantage of homonymy: the first verse contains the lines "I got us on a highway, I got us in a car..." This changes to "She's a goddess on a highway, a goddess in a car..."

In October 2011, NME placed it at number 122 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".

Track listing

UK

1998 CD:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "Ragtag" - 2:42
3. "I Only Have Eyes for You" (featuring Sean O'Hagan) - 4:22

1998 7" vinyl:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "Ragtag" - 2:42

UK Re-issue

1999 CD #1:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" (Live Peel Session, May 5, 1999) - 3:30
3. "Car Wash Hair" (Live BBC Radio Session) - 7:55

1999 CD #2:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "I Dreamt" (read by Robert Creeley) - 1:30
3. "Very Sleepy Rivers" - 12:31
4. "Goddess on a Hiway" (enhanced video)

US

"Goddess on a Hiway +5" promo EP CD:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp" (The Chemical Brothers Remix) - 6:22
3. "Ragtag" - 2:42
4. "I Only Have Eyes for You" (featuring Sean O'Hagan) - 4:22
5. "Vampire Blues" (Live) - 2:50
6. "Isolation" (Live) - 4:10

Japan

EP CD:

1. "Goddess on a Hiway" - 3:45
2. "Car Wash Hair" (Live BBC Radio Session) - 7:55
3. "Caroline Says Pt. II" - 3:33
4. "Vampire Blues" (Live) - 2:50
5. "Holes" / "I Collect Coins" [unlisted] (Live) - 7:04
6. "Isolation" (Live) - 4:10
7. "Very Sleepy Rivers" - 12:31
8. "I Only Have Eyes for You" (featuring Sean O'Hagan) - 4:22
9. "Goddess on a Hiway" (enhanced video)