1985
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Writers Ric Ocasek. 2nd Engineer Nigel Walker. Assistant Engineer George Tutko, Jason Corsaro & John Weaver. Background Vocals Benjamin Orr, David Robinson, Elliot Easton & 1 more.
Apple Music Rock. Preview. Led by the gangly Ric Ocasek, this Boston quintet became one of the biggest bands of the late '70 and '80s. Their 1978 self-titled debut sold millions, mixing punk's stripped-down aesthetic with glam, pop, guttural synths, and beat poetics, and it cleared a path at radio for new wave to follow.
Hear the best of The Cars frontman and pop mastermind Ric Ocasek (1944–2019).
- “My Best Friend’s Girl” (1978) One of Ocasek’s earliest Cars compositions, and one of his greatest, “My Best Friend’s Girl” showed his love for Fifties rock & roll, particularly Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins, with the song’s wiry guitar part and youthful sense of infatuation and angst.
- “Moving in Stereo” (1978) Already the sexiest song the Cars would ever record, thanks to an uncharacteristically slithery groove and an insinuating rhythm-guitar part, “Moving in Stereo” would hold a special place in Gen X iconography, after its instrumental soundtracked the infamous moment in 1982’s Fast Times at Ridgemont High where Judge Reinhold fantasizes about Phoebe Cates rising from a swimming pool.
- “Just What I Needed” (1978) “Sometimes good time can be the hook itself,” Ocasek told Rolling Stone in July, explaining why he insisted on Weezer using a click track on 1994’s Blue Album, which he produced.
- “Good Times Roll” (1978) Though it seems to share a sentiment with a slew of vintage rock and R&B tunes, “Good Times Roll” distances itself from the carefree mood of, say, Shirley and Lee’s 1956 hit “Let the Good Times Roll” with its hard-edged midtempo strut, blaring backing vocals, and Ocasek’s stylized singing.
The Essentials by The Cars is a compilation of hits released by WEA International in 2005. [3] Track listing. All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek. Personnel. Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals. Greg Hawkes – keyboards, backing vocals. Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, lead vocals on 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11.
- 1978-1987
- New wave
- 2005
Oct 4, 2005 · The Essentials by The Cars released in 2005. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
Sep 16, 2019 · “Hello Again” (Heartbeat City, 1984) Recalibrate the synth riff just the tiniest bit and you have a Bon Jovi song, but The Cars make things just spiky and quirky enough on their Heartbeat City...
