Two decades have passed since Sheryl Crow first crooned to Lightning McQueen, Mater, and the other sentient vehicles that populate Radiator Springs. In the opening moments of the 2006 Pixar film Cars, Owen Wilson’s rising star Lightning McQueen executed some audacious moves in his pursuit of the Piston Cup, while Crow’s track “Real Gone” filled the soundtrack. Although Real Gone hasn’t become as emblematic of the Cars universe as Rascal Flatts’ rendition of Life Is a Highway, it remains surprisingly popular. On Spotify, Real Gone now ranks as Crow’s third-most-streamed song, a distinction many find astonishing. And now, after all these years, Sheryl Crow returns to the world of Cars.
Sheryl Crow has since earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and this fall she is set to release a new album titled Pick You Up — a nod to how the Radiator Springs crew lifted Lightning McQueen’s spirits, humbling his ego and teaching him the value of teamwork and empathy. At the recent D23 Expo, Disney revealed a new Cars spin-off series named Cars: Lightning Racers, slated to land on Disney Jr. and Disney+ next year, and it will feature a theme song performed by Sheryl Crow — whose music, it’s worth noting, tends to sound especially fitting in cars.
At D23 Crow appeared performing the brand-new Cars: Lightning Racers theme song “Built To Last”, alongside her rendition of “Real Gone”. Billboard reports that the Cars: Lightning Racers soundtrack will include “Built To Last” and ten additional original Crow compositions. It seems she’s assembling a full Cars: Lightning Racers album! Perhaps that explains why Pick You Up contains only seven tracks — she’s saving material for the upcoming Cars project. You can watch a clip of her performing “Built To Last” below.
