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8EEZ Playlist: The Cars

A Boston band with the right mileage.

By Carlos GonzalezPublished 7 years ago 5 min read
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Courtesy of Elektra Records.

"I guess you're just what I needed".

Hello and welcome.

This latest spotlight is on a band that just has only one thing going for it. Fun! Do I sound like a broken record? Maybe. But, that's what I firmly believe about music - it should be fun. Growing up that way I did, not allowed initially to listen to rock music because it was considered sacrilege, it was years after rediscovering the joy of my lost youth through music.

Now, with that being said. This group, like most, got their start in the late-70's as disco was still king, but a shift began as more rock bands with crushing guitars, raw bass, heavy synths, and pulse-pounding drums began to pop up to counter the polyester-wearing, backbeat-thumping, platform-shoes-drowning-in-Brut-cologne, rainbow-lights-on-the-dance-floor....eh, you guys get the picture!

So, this band was birthed out of Boston, MA, the home of acts like Aerosmith, the eponymous 70's band, Donna Summer, Godsmack, Extreme, New Editon, and New Kids on the Block (yes, admittedly they shouldn't be added to this list, but even they themselves - SPOILER ALERT, are getting a future list!).

Meanwhile, back to this Bostonite band (thank God!). The founding members were guitarist/keyboardist Ric Ocasek and bassist Benjamin Orr. With several members and name changes, they finally settled on The Cars and their debut album was released in 1978. "Just What I Needed" was their debut single and it went into the Top-40. Despite being a modest success, it brought the band lots of fans who were dying for a more rock sound than the standard Bee Gees fare heard on radio.

Also, as a band, New Wave, was a burgeoning musical force, so rock began to experiment with other styles, such as R&B, jazz fusion, and even (yes) disco. The Cars would combine sythn pop grooves with their power pop/rock style. Their followup album Candy-O, released in 1979, gave them their even bigger hit at the time: "Let's Go", both sung by bassist Orr. Their 1980 album: Panorama, didn't score them any major hits. But, in 1981, giving their album title the brazenly forward title, "Shake It Up" would be the shot in the arm needed. The title track brought them their first ever Top-10 smash hit. It put them on the MTV map and then...1984, brought them their official Thriller-style album.

Heartbeat City would be the album that brought them super-fame and signaled the 80s rock/new wave movement had reached its pique. Five big hits out of that one album and all with massively popular accompanying music videos: "You Might Think", "Drive", "Magic", "Hello Again" and "Why Can't I Have You" all charted and brought them into the big time. They had enough to compile their first Greatest Hits album that scored them their last Top-10 hit: "Tonight She Comes". Then, a brief hiatus as both bandleaders Ocasek and Orr went on to make their first solo albums and ech score their first solo hits: "Emotion In Motion" and "Stay the Night", respectively.

Their last album together in the 1980s: Door to Door, yielded their last official hit: "You Are The Girl". It would be the last album to feature bassist and singer Benjamin Orr. He passed away in 2000 of pancreatic cancer. There was a disbanding until 2011, as they released their last album together: Move Like This. If a new album is in the works and a tour - one can only hope.

I didn't mention him, but as always, my buddy Oates has been consulted and here's his list.

Cherry's Picks

Bouncy new wave/dance/rock track keeps it simple with pounding synth beat and a snappy, hook-laden, catchy chorus!

Their catchiest hit record, certainly with Tipper Gore in mind! Their music video spells it out clearly: "Sex. Drugs. Rock N Roll". Well, we can drop the drugs - and keep the sex. Oh, they even got Andy Warhol in on the fun.

A killer rock/new wave track that keeps the beat and its slick pop production and a fun, iconic, cartoonish music video that had a memorable King Kong-like sequence (that one's coming later). How high on my list? Read on!

Benjamin Orr sang lead on this slow new wave ballad. Its haunting melody makes it a moody dream-like masterpiece.

A great mix of guitar and synth and backbeat (much like Foreigner's "Urgent" - no surprise, it's from the same producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange) with a song title that despite its chronic popularity as a title, gives the song the actual definition.

My Picks

My buddy's pick made my top-5 also. Moving on.

Off their greatest hits compilation. All the right ingredients are there, with Ocasek's vocals still in top form.

Their first major hit and its a great head-banging, shoulder-bopping, innocuous rock/pop radio jam. They were clearly poised for better things. The late bassist/singer Orr did the honors of singing lead on this track.

Orr was also the vocalist for this sweet, dream-like pop/new wave ballad; a rarity for this band, known for their faster rock fare. But, hey! Is that not how these bands landed chicks (or groupies)? Showing off their sensitive sides?

My 'Just Because' pick. Just because I love its energy. It's fun-filled dance/rock vibe. It's memorable hook. And most importantly, it's goofy MTV video that made chroma key a big thing in the 1980s. And here it is...in all its daffy, shits-and-giggles glory!

That's it for today! Toodles for now!

Next Up: The Irish band that became overnight sensations, even after making it!

80s music
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About the Creator

Carlos Gonzalez

A passionate writer and graphic artist looking to break into the BIG TIME! Short stories, scripts and graphic art are my forte! Brooklyn N.Y. born and raised. Living in Manchester, Connecticut! Working on two novels now!

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