5 Times that Bob Seger Lyrics Mention Michigan

Bob Seger is famously from the Detroit area and a stalwart of heartland rock. So how many times did locations from his home state of Michigan work their way into his lyrics? We count down the top 5 in release date order.

Lincoln Park from Back in '72/Back in '72

The title track to Back in '72 references Seger's hometown of Lincoln Park with the lyric, "But we got homesick for Lincoln Park, imagine."

Kalamazoo from Mary Lou/Night Moves

Kalamazoo just sounds fun, so it's no surprise how many times the city has popped up in song lyrics. Seger name dropped the southwest Michigan city in 'Mary Lou' from the Night Moves album, "Left me stranded in Kalamazoo/Making her fortune off a fool like you."

Woodward Avenue from Horizontal Bop/Against the Wind

Woodward Avenue is Michigan State Highway 1 - which gives some idea of the importance of the iconic road which begins in downtown Detroit. The Seger lyric pays homage to the legendary Woodward Dream Cruise, "The pony cars are cruisin' on Woodward Avenue/Go and try to pass' em/They'll smoke you if you do"

Mackinaw City from Roll Me Away/The Distance

Arguably the best remembered Michigan reference comes in "Roll Me Away" when Seger sings

"Twelve hours out of Mackinaw City
stopped in a bar to have a brew
Met a girl and we had a few drinks
and I told her what I'd decided to do"

Just where would 12 hours out of Mackinaw City might that placed him? We did the math: Our best guess is Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Detroit from Detroit Made/Ride Out

Seger celebrates Detroit and the auto industry on the lead single from 2014's "Ride Out"

"She's a Detroit made/Deuce and a quarter, babe"