The Cars

Tracks:

Real Gone - Sheryl Crow
Route 66 - Chuck Berry
Life Is A Highway - Rascal Flatts
Behind The Clouds - Brad Paisley
Our Town - James Taylor
Sh-Boom - The Chords
Route 66 - John Mayer
Find Yourself - Brad Paisley
Opening Race
McQueen's Lost
My Heart Would Know - Hank Williams
Bessie
Dirt Is Different
New Road
Tractor Tipping
McQueen And Sally
Goodbye
Pre-Race Pageantry
The Piston Cup
The Big Race

Amazon.com

Cars is a typical Disney-Pixar animated movie in that it deals with an anthropomorphic character (here, a car) and the heartwarming values of family and friendship. (Alas, we'll have to wait a little while longer for the company to take on greed and selfishness.) The accompanying soundtrack is equally typical in that it's split between catchy pop songs and a score by Randy Newman. The clear highlight of the pop tracks is Sheryl Crow's boisterous, huge-sounding "Real Gone" (her best song in ages). Rascal Flatts also cover Tom Cochrane's 1991 hit "Life Is a Highway," while John Mayer rocks out on "Route 66" (Chuck Berry's elegantly lean version is included as well). For his part, Newman continues his distinguished association with quality animation by supplying a nimble score. It's fun to hear him deploy riffs that wouldn't be out of place on a Quiet Riot album on the bombastic "Opening Race," while the bluesy "Bessie" does George Thorogood with a tuba. The CD's overall Southern flavor is emphasized by the frequent use of banjo and slide guitar, as well as by score tracks cantering about, like "McQueen and Sally." And, as usual, Newman delivers a nostalgic, misty-eyed song--in this case "Our Town," performed by that master of sensitive laid-back charm, James Taylor. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Good, but a little too country/western.......2007-07-17

My family LOVES a couple of the songs - Sheryl Crow's "Real Gone" and Brad Paisley's "Life is a Highway," but several of the rest are just too mellow or country/western-style for our taste. But there's a pretty good remake of "Route 66," as well as the classic original. All in all, it's worth the money just for those songs.

Fun to drive with Cars!.......2007-07-13

Used Cars Gotta love it! The movie's great and having the music in the car makes it a fun ride!

great cd.......2007-07-10

Great movie soundtrack cd. Lots of good songs and music; if you've seen the movie, you can almost see the action going on with the different orchestral pieces. The kids love the songs. We've only had the cd a couple of weeks but the kids are already singing along with the songs; the kids are 2 and 5.

Cars.......2007-06-14

My son loved the movie and we love the soundtrack. Sheryl Crow's song is great!

My boys love it!.......2007-05-25

I love this CD as much as my boys do. It is so upbeat and fun! We listen to this in the car all the time and the boys love to tell me what scene is happening with each different song. They even like listening to the back half of the CD and describing each part that is going on. I would definitely recommend this for any Cars fan - it's great!

Average customer rating:

economic car collection
Drive
The carrs cd
DRIVE
Hooked on the Cars

Cars - Complete Greatest Hits
The Cars , and Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Foreigner - Complete Greatest Hits
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits
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The Very Best Of Supertramp
Boston - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00005Y1XY
Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

Just What I Needed
My Best Friend's Girl
Good Times Roll
You're All I've Got Tonight
Bye Bye Love
Moving In Stereo
Let's Go
It's All I Can Do
Dangerous Type
Touch And Go
Shake It Up
Since You're Gone
I'm Not The One
You Might Think
Drive
Magic
Hello Again
Why Can't I Have You
Tonight She Comes
You Are The Girl

Amazon.com

If rock's most successful and memorable acts have usually succeeded by wrapping their own distillation of music history and personal tastes in whatever fashionable trappings are currently gripping the culture, it's hardly surprising that the Cars remain one of the most enduring symbols of the punk/new wave era. This 20-track anthology distills that argument perfectly. Ric Ocasek's songs embody a solid '60s sense of pop craftsmanship informed by a trend-conscious stylistic sheen and a cynical, slippery emotional detachment that's often betrayed by his own distinctly weary brand of romanticism, from the anxious pop of "Just What I Needed" and "You're All I've Got Tonight" to the melancholy-on-ice musings of "Drive" and "Tonight She Comes." Sixteen of the 20 cuts here were chart singles, and radio staples like "Bye Bye Love" and "Dangerous Type" might as well have been. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

20 of their best tracks available on 1 CD, including 'Just What I Needed', 'You're All I've Got Tonight', Touch and Go', 'Magic', 'You Might Think' & more. Rhino Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

economic car collection.......2007-07-17

Excellent condensed collection of Cars hits. Easily could have been a 2 cd
collection as the Cars were a hit machine in their day. Very good selection of songs that are catchy and fun as well as mysterious and open-ended. Once you get this you will likely want more.

Drive.......2007-07-06

A good late 70s early 80s CD. Reminds on of early MTV. Good mix, great sound

The carrs cd.......2007-06-08

The itemwas fine but it took wayyyyy toooooo long to receive it!!!

DRIVE.......2007-05-17

DRIVE--My favorite Cars' song and one of my top five songs EVER. Just so beautiful. It touches me in some way, even now.

Fran Mobley

Hooked on the Cars.......2007-05-08

The more I play (almost every afternoon) the 20 hits on this CD the more I love each and every one of them. From the 80s I was hooked on the video for "You Might Think" and only now am able to appreciate the other great Cars recordings as included on the CD. They put a lift in the day of this old Disco music fanatic. How fortunate that they are available today.

Average customer rating:

The Soundtrack of My College Days
Best Album For a Drive in a Convertible
Just So Incredible!
In 1978, it was just what I needed
THE CARS ARE VERY GOOD

The Cars
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Candy-O
Shake It Up
Heartbeat City
Panorama
Get the Knack

ASIN: B000002GWB
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Good Times Roll
My Best Friend's Girl
Just What I Needed
I'm In Touch With Your World
Don't Cha Stop
You're All I've Got Tonight
Bye Bye Love
Moving In Stereo
All Mixed Up

Amazon.com essential recording

American art-rock was often stilted and lacking in humor until the New Wave arrived. Liberated by the influence of the Velvet Underground, Roxy Music and punk-era fellow travelers like Blondie and Suicide, the Cars methodically linked hookiness (enough to produce three hit singles and several other FM favorites from this debut album) and at least one raised eyebrow. The result still plays as a rock & roll classic. And if charm wasn't their aim, the fact is, it's undeniable. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

The Soundtrack of My College Days.......2007-07-17

Back in the late 70's and early 80's, when musical technology made its biggest breakthrough since multi-track recording, some bands combined synthesizers with guitars, only to make them sound pretentious or out-of-place while others favored one instrument to the near-exclusion of the other. The Cars broke through by mixing guitar with synthesizers to produce a remarkably rare synergy. The result was danceable and appealed to both rockers and new wave fans. The band is fronted by two first-rate lead vocalists, Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. Ocasek, a quirky-looking scarecrow of a man with voice to match, provides an almost cartoonish foil to the earnest, understated Orr. The cutting-edge keyboards and deceptively skillful guitar work are driven by thunderous drums and background vocals that sound somehow like thirty people crowded around a microphone in a room much too small to hold them. The result is music that entertains, breaks new ground and fills my memories of college. This debut album shows the Cars at their most down-to-earth and raw, before drum machines and Fairlight synthesizers gave them much more "corporate" kind of sound.

Best Album For a Drive in a Convertible.......2007-03-21

In 1978, I was going to school at UC San Diego in La Jolla CA. I was living in a house on the beach in Del Mar with six other guys. One of these guys, Steve Pardella, had just purchased the new "The Cars" album and when I first heard it, It gave me a surge of energy that no other music had ever given to me. I immediately recorded it on cassette and put it in "My Car"

"My Car" at the time and which I still own is a 1969 Cougar Convertible in which I had installed a killer sound system.

This album, (along with Joe Walsh's "So What" album) was at the top of my play list when I drove to and from school. There was nothing more mood elevating than driving with the top down through Del Mar, along Torrey Pines Beach and through Torrey Pines State Park with "The Cars" cranked up to maximum volume.

Take this album for a drive with the top down - all your troubles will melt away. You are the king of the universe!

Just So Incredible!.......2007-02-21

Even though this album produced three hot singles, I don't know why it had never won any awards for the best debut album; it really should have done thtough as The Cars by the Cars is one of the truly best first albums I ever heard bar none. Not even the Beatles has come up with such intensely thrilling music. Take the track, Moving In Stereo: wow, what a song! If this CD has a flaw, it's that with only nine songs the album is just a little too short. There was room for a couple of more songs on the original album and it's a shame that the band didn't have a few more songs to lengthen the album. Still, overall it is a near perfect album of truly great music.

Ron

In 1978, it was just what I needed.......2007-01-03

There are precious few flawless albums in rock and roll history. This is one of them. Just as Nirvana's "Nevermind" singlehandedly turned Grunge into a mainstream phenomenon, so it was for New Wave with the Cars' debut album - And just like Nirvana fostered countless unlistenable imitators, so did the Cars. But I have a choice not to listen to all of the bad New Wave that followed this, and I also have a choice to listen to this impossibly catchy album as long as I have functioning ear drums.

For those who are only familiar with the Cars through classic rock radio, this is the Cars CD to get. It's a rare instance where one of the band's original albums is the first choice over a greatest hits package.

THE CARS ARE VERY GOOD.......2006-12-11

THE CARS ARE AN EXTREMELY TALENTED AOR BAND FRONTED BY RIC OCASEK.THIS BAND IS VERY GOOD JUST LIKE PINK FLOYD,CREAM,THE ROLLING STONES,AC/DC AND QUEEN.THEIR DEBUT IS THEIR BEST.PICK IT UP RIGHT AWAY BUT IGNORE THE PREVIOUS REVIEWER AND HIS LOUSY RECMMENDATIONS.

Average customer rating:

CHEAP-O EDITION WITH NO LYRIC SHEET OR PHOTOS
THE CARS ARE WINNERS
In the shadow of their first album
not as brilliantly-conceived as the classic debut, but a highly enjoyable sophomore album
Hot album and even hotter cover!

Candy-O
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Eccentrics | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Cars
Panorama
Shake It Up
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The Cars: Deluxe Edition

ASIN: B000002GWX
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Let's Go
Since I Held You
It's All I Can Do
Double Life
Shoo Be Doo
Candy-O
Night Spots
You Can't Hold On Too Long
Lust For Kicks
Got A Lot On My Head
Dangerous Type

Customer Reviews:

CHEAP-O EDITION WITH NO LYRIC SHEET OR PHOTOS.......2007-01-01

Music- excellent. Different, not better than the first album. A turn to the left (they'd been listening to Kraftwerk-ShooBeeDoo, anyone?)

Sound- a bit flat sounding remaster, but better than the original cd editions.

Packaging ...BAD...
c'mon Mr. Ocasek, aren't you a CEO or something in Elektra records???

You want lyrics or photos?
GET THE LP!!!!

I guess he felt that his lyrics weren't good enough to be reprinted...

Ben Orr was THE SINGER- RIP, man!!!

THE CARS ARE WINNERS.......2006-12-12

THE CARS ARE AMONGST MY FAVOURITE AOR BANDS AFTER BOSTON.I JUST LOVE THIS ALBUM.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.IGNORE THE BELOW MORON.
PS:PINK FLOYD,CREAM,THE ROLLING STONES ARE LEGENDS AND ARE MEANT FOR WINNERS.
FOREIGNER,GREEN DAY AND DIRE STRAITS SUCK AND ARE MEANT FOR LOSERS.

In the shadow of their first album.......2006-10-27

Like the progression of Ambrosia's first two albums, this second album by the Cars features much more refined production and some fresh sounding, innovative uses of the latest technology, and also a slightly less personal touch at times, and resulting lack of conviction. (It does have a better cover than Ambrosia's 2nd album). Like the Cars' first album, this is meant to be fun music, party music. In my opinion, the best songs here are *slightly* better than anything on their first album (or anything they've done since). But there are some lesser moments too, where it sounds like they're on autopilot. These songs have a kitschy humor to them - especially the brilliant "You Can't Hold On Too Long", which captures the era. Those of us who remember the 'New Wave' craze have a hard time listening to this song without smiling. "It's All I Can Do" is an underrated gem, beautiful harmonies, arrangement, melody! "Let's Go" is a fine uptempo rock song with good synth solos and a Beatleish guitar riff that makes the bridge to the chorus. The slightly lesser song "Since I Held You" still has a very good guitar solo that develops over the song. But the rest of the album, though still very good, and not having a bad note or dull moment, lacks the punch of their first album.

not as brilliantly-conceived as the classic debut, but a highly enjoyable sophomore album.......2006-08-25

I somewhat disagree with those who say that 1979's "Candy-O" is a carbon copy of the Cars' debut. Granted, it's not a drastic departure by any means, but the vibe is distinctly different--the rhythm guitars generally get pushed to the background and sound brittle; Greg Hawkes' synthesizer work is more prominent; and Elliot Easton is given more room to shine with his brilliant lead guitar work. The result is an intriguingly claustrophobic listening experience.

All the songs here are written by Ric Ocasek, and it's a fine batch indeed. A couple of the tunes are forgettable, particularly "You Can't Hold On Too Long" and the wimpily-harmonized "Since I Held You". And there's also the annoying, forced-sounding, albeit mercifully-brief experimental number "Shoo Be Doo". But otherwise the album is extremely pleasing, with great tunes such as the lovely mid-tempo ballad "It's All I Can Do"; the stipped-down, yet neatly textured and hook-heavy pop-rocker "Double Life" (great licks from Easton); and the riffy, ominously rocking "Night Spots". There are minor gripes you could make here and there--"Let's Go" feels kinda disjointed and insubstantial, the title track feels a bit TOO 'hip' for its own good, and the uptempo "Got A Lot On My Head" suffers a little from the overly cheesy 'Farfisa' organ, but these same tunes are still stuffed with irresistibly catchy hooks.

All in all, not as consistent or brilliantly-conceived as the self-titled debut, "Candy-O" is lots of fun regardless.

Hot album and even hotter cover!.......2006-07-26

I don't know which I enjoy more; the great music on this follow-up to the Cars first smash album, or the amazinging hot girl on the car looking like she's just begging to be taken!

Average customer rating:

Driven to Excellence
Heartbeat City
Automatic Loop-de-Loop: Greatest of the Great
We're not in Kansas anymore
One Of The top Recordings Of The 80's.

Heartbeat City
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Shake It Up
Panorama
Candy-O
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The Cars

ASIN: B000002H1T
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hello Again
Looking For Love
Magic
Drive
Stranger Eyes
You Might Think
It's Not The Night
Why Can't I Have You
I Refuse
Heartbeat City

Amazon.com essential recording

Buddy Holly-meets-Roxy Music was the hook-filled formula Ric Ocasek and crew fell into on their classic 1978 debut--and it's one they continued to milk throughout the first half of the '80s. As in any formula, it seemed to dilute a bit with each subsequent release. Heartbeat City, however, saw the Cars shaking things up a bit and scoring three hit singles in the process. "You Might Think" does have that same old Cars pop sound, but "Magic" and especially "Drive" sound unlike anything the Boston band had previously recorded. The album proved to be a rebirth of sorts...as well as a final hurrah. Following their Greatest Hits package, the Cars would fade away following 1987's Door to Door. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

Driven to Excellence.......2007-07-07

The fifth studio release by the Cars' is Heartbeat City a CD filled with infectious songs and one that elevated the band to a new found glory thanks to some sharp, fun, intellectual, goofy and, most importantly, creative videos in the height of MTV's importance in pop culture.

This album spread the Cars' appeal to a new audience but it also came with a degree of spoil, perhaps putting the band in an unwanted position of notoriety one which was difficult to uphold for future releases.

The CD was produced by famed producer Mutt Lange and it exposed the use, maybe overuse, of a drum machine by drummer David Robinson; however, the Cars pulled off the trick of satisfying long time fans while developing a larger audience through catchy pop tracks.

A track-by-track review:

1. The CD starts off with "Hello Again" a track probably more famous for its extensive video presence with the likes of Andy Warhol and a group of purposely used freaky people. Ric Ocasek does lead vocals. The song is one of the album's best and was representative of the imagery of the time. It holds up today.

2. "Looking for Love" is an overlooked tune. While it isn't the pop sensation of others on the disc, it is a song that deserves merit for if nothing else Ocasek's unique vocal style.

3. "Magic" is another tune that congers up images of the video played many times on MTV. Ocasek walks on water and a gang of misfits fawn over his presence. The song instantly induces memories of summertime pleasures.

4. "Drive" is perhaps the signature vocal of Benjamin Orr. The man never got his due as one of rock's all-time great vocalists. Here is a perfect illustration of a phenomenal voice and a chilling reminder of a lost treasure. True fans will never forget him. The video starred Ocasek's future wife, model Paulina Porizkova, and highlighted the typical ups and downs of a relationship. Paulina's sexiness is ideal.

5. "Stranger Eyes" is another song that merits better appreciation than what history has written. Orr delivers the vocals and the song is a winner.

6. "You Might Think" is in a group of songs that defines the music of the new wave era of the 1980s. The video, an award-winner, is comical and shows the mystery that is Ocasek in an extroverted way. One of the band's all-time best songs. "You might think I'm crazy but all I want is you." What an obvious line but what a splendid one, too. Brevity is the soul of wit.

7. "It's Not the Night" is arguably the big rocker on this release. Orr again shows his vocals have no limitations. He evokes memories of "Cruiser" from Shake it Up. Crank this up.

8. "Why Can't I Have You" was a deep album cut at the time. It is melancholy and the cries of desperation in Ric's voice can be heard throughout. In one sense a soft song but in another so powerful.

9. "I Refuse" wallows in mediocrity but it does have some attraction. Ocasek does a good job here painting a picture of someone who is tired of being used by his mate and who refuses to be part of any charade.

10. "Heartbeat City" is the title track and is a cool, if not smashing, entry. It is a tune that will create an image of how one person can make another smile with just her (Jacki) presence. A really solid song. This is one of those tracks that never gets tired.

Heartbeat City.......2007-01-17

The Cars was a interesting band. They got played on classic rock stations but they was a new wave band even the police had a hard time getting played on stations at the time. That being said when this album came out in 1984 it sounded different, clean yet a little rough, new wave yet a little hard around the edge which is why I loved this album. This is one of very few album that is flawless. Years later (around 1998) Ric said this was a experimental album and it was the first album ever that was recorded through computer with synth and drum machine which make it even more better album because it doesn't sound cold like other new wave bands at the time. I highly recommand this album to anyone that want a classic new wave album.

Automatic Loop-de-Loop: Greatest of the Great.......2007-01-13

The Cars, in a word, are unbelievable. As popular as they were in their heyday of the '80s, the quality and sophistication of their music remains largely unappreciated. Heartbeat City is one of the finest albums of the period, and of New Wave as a genre altogether. It brought together and for the first time to the mainstream, a perfect interaction of rock and electronica, in such an understated way that the very notion passed unnoticed. The title track itself is emblematic of great soundscape-driven pop/rock, and I don't have enough time to write about all the other tracks in the album. Suffice it to say that, musically, aesthetically and artistically this was a high watermark for the band and New Wave in the Pop world. Its follow-up album, Door to Door, was equally good and largely misunderstood, and I would recommend it as much as this one.

We're not in Kansas anymore.......2006-11-03

I remember when You Might Think, the first song off the Cars' new album made itself known - it was upbeat, but completely overshadowed by its groundbreaking video that set new standards. The problem with that was, it was easy for the video to distract from the fact that the song was a bit fluffy, for a group that made its name by vowing "there's no mistaking rock and roll". By now the Cars sound has lost just about everything that made it unique, and gone from having lots of synths to having TOO MANY. It still has Rik Ocasek's odd voice, but instead of amusing, wry humor, the emphasis is slickness and a certain smugness. This album has a terrifically produced sound, and there are some well written songs, like 'Hello Again' (which contains a lot of the old Cars humor) and the title track. Songs like 'Magic' and 'You Might Think' are instantly catchy, but don't really merit repeated listenings. 'Drive' is a nice ballad, it's nothing TOO amazing but it avoids a lot of the traps that made other ballads of the time (like Chicago/Peter Cetera's) so bad. This isn't bad music by any means, like the Moody Blues' Other Side of Life, it is elegantly put together, but the soul's gone. I guess the guys just got older and weren't as peppy and intense into the music anymore. And one last thing, the album cover is pretty terrible. What a confusing jumble of car parts and body parts (and interestingly, a two-star rating). Their other covers you could UNDERSTAND what you were looking at.

One Of The top Recordings Of The 80's........2006-09-25

Owning every Cars CD and solo recording by this group I feel quite familiar with the Cars music. I've listened to ALL of them countless times, but always find myself back in "Heartbeat City". What a CD!!!! When the album was first released unbeknownst to me I heard Drive and Magic on the radio, and immediately went out and purchased the cassette. To this day the CD still remains in my changer. This music defined so many things for me back then. I feel this CD help change the direction on music at the time. All they're previous releases led up to this. It was the pinnacle of their music. Important yet dreamy at times, dark and light, sad yet compelling. An absolutely fantastic recording that I cannot say enough good things about. On another note I've listened to the New Cars release that just came out..........Todd is great in his own right but this is nothing more than a $$ scheme. I can't help but laugh every time I hear his voice on a favorite Cars song. Give me a break. Ric, are you listening? There is one and only will be one lead singer for the Cars, ever.

Average customer rating:

Solid songs carry this not too extensive CD
More New Wave than Rock
Check out the words
Doesn't this disc need RE-MASTERING?!?
Shake It Up

Shake It Up
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Panorama
Heartbeat City
Candy-O
The Cars
Door to Door

ASIN: B000002GXD
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Since You're Gone
Shake It Up
I'm Not The One
Victim Of Love
Cruiser
A Dream Away
This Could Be Love
Think It Over
Maybe Baby

Customer Reviews:

Solid songs carry this not too extensive CD.......2006-10-14

Almost every Cars CD contained songs with infectuous hooks, simple but fabulous guitar work, and songs driven by powerful rhythm and catchy lyrics. "Shake It Up" is no exception. Not unlike other artists of their time, however, the Cars also weren't exempt from tossing in a muligan or two to fill out their albums and/or contract obligation. Despite that fact, the first 6 songs on this CD are strong enough to outweigh the remaining fluff. "Since You're Gone" is my favorite Cars song for so many reasons. One of the best heartbreak/love songs ever written is an unrelenting, powerful, impossible not to sing along with tune, even if you can't relate to the simple but brilliant lyrics penned by Ric Ocasek (his solo effort, "Emotion in Motion" in my opinion, would provide the next best Cars' related love song). "Shake It Up" was the other radio darling from this CD. But you can't emphasize those 2 simply for that fact. "Victim of Love" and "A Dream Away" are 2 of the most unheralded songs by the Cars, certainly by radio play standards. Though "A Dream Away" didn't escape the astute ears of the deep AOR stations who know great music when they hear it. Talk about your infectuous songs. I challenge anyone to listen to this song cranked on a quality sound system and try to sit still. "Victim of Love" too has typical Cars hooks and is another Ocasek sung empathetic dity to the love lorn that is also one of my favorite Cars songs. "Cruiser" and "I'm Not The One" round off the best six songs for other reasons and make this CD worth buying, particularly at the bargain prices it can be found at. The last three songs are throwaways, but that doesn't make any difference as far as how I rate this CD. My last edition of this CD, though not remastered had very good sound quality. It was bought several years after the intial release of this CD (I bought the album my first copy) so it may have benefited from a quality production by that time. The point being you needn't wait for remastering to enjoy a solid Cars CD.

More New Wave than Rock.......2006-08-10

The first four Cars albums, all produced by Roy Thomas Baker and released in the space of four years, are a really solid body of work. Each one is not quite as good as the one that came before it, but this was a great band, so even this fourth one, "Shake It Up," is still a four-star album in my book. It's probably not the one to start with, but if you own a couple others and you're still curious about the Cars, give it a try.

"Shake It Up" is more commercial than the previous album, "Panorama," but at the same time, it has a warmer, more intimate sound, more along the lines of "Candy-O." The biggest difference is that "Shake It Up" is not as guitar-oriented as any previous Cars album (nor any of the later ones, for that matter). After delivering great solos on the first two songs, Elliot Easton only gets one more solo, on "Victim of Love," though he does play some really nice, raunchy fills at the end of "Cruiser." There is not a single solo on the entire second half of the album, as the keyboards carry the melodies and the guitar is relegated to a complementary role.

Still, this album sticks in my mind just as much as the first three. Ric Ocasek was still wrting good tunes, and even the weaker material toward the end is so cleverly arranged that it jumps right out of the speakers and into your head. "Think It Over" and "Maybe Baby" would've been dumb songs in the hands of lesser musicians, but the Cars make them come alive. "Maybe Baby" is the only song where David Robinson has a chance to cut loose on drums, and he attacks them with all the ferocity of a guy who has spent the entire album up till then playing with a drum machine.

There are two first-rate keyboard-driven slow songs on this album, "I'm Not the One" and "A Dream Away." "Since You're Gone" is one of the funniest, most fatalistic songs Ocasek ever wrote, and "Cruiser" is a great crunching rocker in the tradition of "Candy-0." Some people hate the title song, but I've always loved it.

Yes, the Cars were less of a "rock" band here, but being a "rock" band was never the point anyway. They always walked both sides of the line between rock and new wave. They just chose to be more of a new wave band with this album. And it worked out just fine, as far as I'm concerned.

Check out the words.......2005-01-24

A long time ago, I bought this record, not the CD. The Cars were a group that I considered popular. I know some of the songs were on the radio and eventually I saw a great music video of "You Might Think" that seemed as witty as anything that was on TV that week, but I was mainly buying records that appealed to me in a weird way, and The Cars always seemed to be weird enough for me. By the time "Shake It Up" came out in 1981, I might have read that their experimental efforts had flopped and The Cars were sticking with a simple format that worked for them in the past; so the title "Shake It Up" was meant in a mild way. The words tended to seem hypothetical, particularly in the song "This Could Be Love" :

. . . more than you want me to

till i met you in the dark
i was chasing little sparks
when you think you're going to sink
comes someone you wouldn't think
is this the kill
is this the thrill
i'll wait until you say
this could be love

Which is followed by a song called "Think It Over." The poetry is magically evasive, totally eschewing concrete images, calling a song "Maybe Baby." The tragic element is destiny for the victim of love :

framed by the night touched by the glove
you're the victim victim of love.

There might be a greatest hits CD with a lot more Cars songs that radio listeners would recognize, but this collection of nine songs in 1981 was the set I could even buy a book of music for and try to play and sing in simple beginner fashion. The sounds on the record were never as simple as what was in the book, but the music worked well at that level. Actually learning these songs was much better than just hearing them on the radio, and we all ought to be grateful that Ric Ocasek came up with so many songs that fans of popular culture could enjoy, even if our understanding was a bit vague.

Doesn't this disc need RE-MASTERING?!?.......2004-08-15

I appreciate the content-based reviews, but some of us are long-time Cars fans who made their minds up about the songs many years ago. The question is, is this compact-disc everything it could be in terms of SOUND REPRODUCTION?

Regrettably not. The Cars albums were initially "dumped" to CD back in the early 90s, and it took a long time for the first three albums to be decently re-mastered. (Sadly, ART and LYRIC reproduction still has not been handled properly! Each new CD version looks exactly like the older, worse version!) As far as I can tell, Shake It Up and Heartbeat City have never been properly transferred. In other words -- they sound terrible.

Seems the problem is, Elektra's out of business. Certaintly, it's not a question of The Cars being able to sell records, since they ALWAYS DID, FROM DAY ONE. It's just not fair.

Somebody, please, obtain the rights and do The Cars right! Don't these pioneers of 80s sound quality deserve modern reproduction?

Shake It Up.......2004-08-13

A little more light-hearted this time around, a year after the darker textures of Panorama. Shake It Up is a wonderful album that's sometimes forgotten, stuck between their "commercial disappointment album" and their "commercial smash album". It all starts out with one of the band's most memorable tunes, 'Since You're Gone', with Ric Ocasek's charming rhymes and Elliot Easton's faux E-Bow solo. A true classic. The title track is also a true classic, featuring a neo-doo-wop groove that remains the Cars' most danceable tune. 'I'm Not The One' is a simply incredible ballad, one of their best. It wasn't released as a single until 1986, as a remixed version from the Greatest Hits album. The original is better, with yet another wonderful synth solo by the band's secret weapon, Greg Hawkes. It sounds downright gothic. 'Victim Of Love' is a more light-hearted ditty. I love Hawkes' giddy synth touches on this one. 'Cruiser' is an awesome rocker, a perfect cruising song, naturally. I haven't owned this album for very long, and 'Cruiser' has already become one of my favorite Cars songs, along with the next song, 'A Dream Away'. This song is astounding; a great mood created by a driving synth line and synthesized drums, coupled with Ric's moody voice and lyrics. Probably my favorite song on the album. 'This Could Be Love' is another moody ballad, and a great one at that. Could've made a good single, too. 'Think It Over' has a bit different sound for the Cars. Despite the synths, it feels a little more rockabilly than usual. Ben Orr's vocal, as usual, make this song jump from good to great. "Everytime you run around, it makes me wanna pop". Also would've made a great single. 'Maybe Baby' is a driving Ric Ocasek rocker with some pretty slick percussion. And that's the end of this short but sweet Cars album, their one and only album cut at their own custom studio, Syncro Sound in Boston. I wonder whatever happened to that place? Anyway, Shake It Up remains one of the Cars' more light, enjoyable albums and I never tire of it.

Average customer rating:

Panoramic View, from 2007--
weird and wonderful Cars
Quirky and essential Cars album
New Wave was nearly over
Ric Ocasek writes some trippy stuff

Panorama
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shake It Up
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The Cars

ASIN: B000002GX3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Panorama
Touch & Go
Gimme Some Slack
Don't Tell Me No
Getting Through
Misfit Kid
Down Boys
You Wear Those Eyes
Running To You
Up & Down

Customer Reviews:

Panoramic View, from 2007--.......2007-06-20

"Panorama" was released in the later days of my initial Cars thrill, in August, 1980. I had listened to Candy-O far more than any sane person ever would, and was ready for a new Cars ride. "Touch and Go" was just what I needed to get me to Musicland to buy the new LP, "Panorama."

The first few listens had me basically lifting the needle after "Touch and Go," and dropping it back to the beginning of the track. Eventually the needle found its way to the rest of the LP, and I found more and more music to like. And, 27 years later, I love this album (now on CD!) more than ever... it has the staying power very few albums from 1980 ever had.

May God grant rest to my beloved Benjamin Orr, the most underrated vocalist and song writer of his time. The man had singing chops that shamed many of his peers. I recommend his final interview, on "The Cars Live," on DVD The Cars Live - Musikladen 1979 from Image Entertainment. He was a sick man at the time, but was happy to keep giving his all to his fans.

weird and wonderful Cars.......2007-03-17

Few bands were able to bridge the gap between hook-laden hard rock and the synthesizer dominated noodling of new wave music that was enjoying its relatively short heyday in the early '80's. Nobody attracted classic rock fans and new wavers alike better than the Cars, with the possible exception of Devo or The Pretenders.
"Panorama" unlike the first two releases, is full ahead Ric Ocasek quirkyness, full of strange rhythms, sample noises and alienating lyrics. The title track layers itself over and over into a puddle of delightful electronic swirls by songs' end. Give rock fans credit for showing an appetite for weird rhythms particularly with "Touch And Go", a hit for the band and similiar somewhat to the Police's "Spirits In The Material World" without being a knockoff.
"Gimme Some Slack" gives us a Stonesy riff and the most accessible beat on the CD. Other tracks like "Getting Through" are punky in spirit, "Down Boys" snarls with lines like "You thought you were hysterical and I still ain't laughing" and a theremin style synth during the chorus.
Unlike the next two albums the Cars would release before disbanding that were decidedly commercial and anything but adventurous, not that they were bad by any means, "Panorama" probably stands as the one album the Cars did with little concern for accessability. As such, it has aged well, standing tall next to the debut "The Cars", which is still one of rock and roll's greatest debut albums ever. It's interesting that with the onset of the technology available that computer driven music hasn't evolved much over the years, except for rude noise by NIN and some bland dance beats. "Panorama" shows us what could have been had music turned more electronic instead of hair farmer metal and grunge within ten years of its release.

Quirky and essential Cars album.......2007-01-01

As the other reviewers have noted here, this album was a big departure from the first two Cars albums. The first two albums were catchier and more upbeat; this one has a more despairing or at least curious feel, and yet it still has it's own greatness. Not surprising that this is the Cars album with the strongest Ric Ocasek imprint on it, yet the full band also contributes nicely. The title track "Panorama" is probably my personal favorite, "Touch and Go" is the most Cars-like when compared to the first two albums, and "Misfit Kid" is much like a great Ocasek solo track - a theme of alienation combined with wry humor, in other words an Ocasek specialty. In fact "Misfit Kid" could well be a biographical song about Ocasek himself. Really all the songs here have something to offer, once you get used to the offbeat style. The Cars album that followed this one, "Shake it Up", was much more of a return to the form of the catchier first two albums. Possibly if Shake it Up had been the third album, and Panorama the fourth, this album might have been better appreciated in its own time. Or maybe not. But viewed now as one of six Cars albums rather than one of three, Panorama can be appreciated as a very interesting and essential part of the Cars catalog. It's really hard to rate this album vs. the other Cars albums, given that it's not the type of album that made the band so popular, I wouldn't say it's their best, but given the interesting creativity that often "works" here, I'd say it's not their least worthy album either. So "essential" works as well as anything. If only Ocasek's solo albums were near this good.

New Wave was nearly over.......2006-10-27

Almost as good as Candy-o, but even more trendy and the New Wave sound is losing the punkish, bizarre edge and becoming a bit monotonous. That being said, there are some good songs on this album, oh yes. "Touch and Go" is one their best songs ever, with an odd, lurching beat in the verse that gives way to a stunning, grooving, chorus, that gives way to one of the best guitar solos ever recorded. "You Wear Those Eyes" is a beautifully weird love song. There's a bit of reuse of old ideas and lyrics (how many times can Rik Ocasek make wordplay with "come"), but it's not a bad album. New wave had several elements or angles to it, one was its punk roots, but there was also an influence of the 'robotic' sound of bands like Kraftwerk. At this stage in the game, the keyboard sounds are a bit tamer and the groove is getting very robotic and mechanical. This is their last really good album.

Ric Ocasek writes some trippy stuff.......2006-10-26

Not the greatest Cars album, but lyrically it is one of their most interesting. Several songs from this album do make the "greatest hits" list, but it is some of the non-singles like "Down Boys" that will draw most of your attention.

Average customer rating:

ONE OF THE BEST CARS GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUMS THUS FAR.
Now surpassed by "Complete Greatest Hits"
Just what we all needed...Let the good times ROLLLLLL!
the cars greatest hits
This IS the compilation to own!

The Cars - Greatest Hits
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002H3G
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Just What I Needed
Since You're Gone
You Might Think
Good Times Roll
Touch And Go
Drive
Tonight She Comes
My Best Friend's Girl
Heartbeat City
Let's Go
I'm Not The One
Magic
Shake It Up

Amazon.com

The Cars' blend of New Wave experimentation and trad-rock values made for nearly ubiquitous radio presence in the late '70s and early '80s. Often jumpily ambivalent and marvelously pop-wise in the same moment, Ric Ocasek captured the zeitgeist for people to whom even Talking Heads didn't matter much. Kicking off with one of the all-time great singles, "Just What I Needed," then winding its way through seven more years of singles including the then-brand new "Tonight She Comes," Greatest Hits is one, um, well-oiled pleasure machine. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

ONE OF THE BEST CARS GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUMS THUS FAR........2007-06-29

I will be writing a review on the legendary greatest hits compilation album entitled "THE CARS GREATEST HITS" by one of Rock's legendary bands. I give you one of America's pride and joy's, T-H-E C-A-R-S! "THE CARS GREATEST HITS" was originally released in 1985 on Cassette and Compact Disc on the Elektra / Asylum Records label which is a division of Warner Communications Inc. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary compilation album or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

THE CARS will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for their mixture of synthesizers and Hard Rock music thus resulting in a Hard Rock sound unimaginable. When vocalist and guitarist Ric Ocasek met up and joined forces with drummer David Robinson, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and the late great bassist Benjamin Orr, THE CARS would be born and a new progressive Hard Rock sound was about to unfold and take Rock n' Roll by storm. THE CARS would electrify fans and audiences the world over for many years from 1978 to 1985. Which now brings me to the greatest hits compilation album I'm about to review for you today. "THE CARS GREATEST HITS" highlights and chronicles the band's greatest works from the 1978-1985 period. In my opinion, "THE CARS GREATEST HITS" is without a doubt, a true testament of the pure genius and musical creativity of five extremely talented musicians. This legendary compilation album is also a fine fitting tribute to a great legendary band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time.

It is now time to let the music of THE CARS to speak for itself and back it up musically as it was truly intended. "THE CARS GREATEST HITS" from 1985 begins with a*s kicking synthesized Hard Rocker "Just What I Needed," the slow mild synthesized Rocker "Since You're Gone," the forever CARS stamped trademark Rocker "You Might Think," another CARS a*s kicking Hard Rocker, "Good Times Roll," the mysterious sounding and synthesized mild Rocker "Touch And Go," the beautifully slow, synthesized and romantic "Drive," the fast paced synthesized Rocker "Tonight She Comes," THE CARS trademark Rock anthem "My Best Friends Girl," the beautiful synthesized mild Rocker "Heartbeat City," the forever CARS stamped trademark synthesized Rocker "Lets Go," the beautifully slow synthesized mild Rocker "I'm Not The One," the a*s kicking CARS trademark Hard Rocker "Magic" and the fast and energetic synthesized mild Rocker "Shake It Up." Other songs that deserve honorable mention that didn't make this collection are "Hello Again," "Stranger Eyes," "It's Not The Night," "Why Can't I Have You" and "I Refuse." May I also add that THE CARS were definitely sizzlin' hot and on fire while laying down the tracks for these songs.

I would like to highly recommend this legendary greatest hits compilation album for everyone of all ages to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. However, you may want to research further into the many other CARS greatest hits compilation albums that are available. In doing this, you will have found the right compilation album that suits your music tastes and needs. You will have also taken a giant step in owning and starting your very own CARS music collection. You can do all of your researching and album purchases either on Amazon com or at your nearest and local Borders Books and Music store.

In closing, THE CARS, despite the untimely death of bassist Benjamin Orr and hiring new CARS frontman Tod Rundgren, the band has proven to persevere and move forward in 2007 with a new World Tour. According to numerous music critics reports, THE CARS new World Tour is a success and are performing to sell-out audiences the world over to highly critically acclaim. With this in mind, I guess it is safe to say that THE CARS are here to stay and are not going anywhere anytime soon. Knowing this, THE CARS will forever leave their place and mark in Rock n' Roll history and their accomplishments, contributions and achievements will never be forgotten. So here's to you Ric, David, Elliot, Greg, the late great Benjamin and Tod. Thanks for the many great memories and moments with many more still to come. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. THE CARS RULES! R.I.P. Benjamin Orr (1947-2000). Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.

Now surpassed by "Complete Greatest Hits".......2007-02-06

Making a case for The Cars as brilliant singles band, this 1985 "Greatest Hits" is 13 songs that are all incredible. From 1978 till they dissolved in 1987, this Boston band helped to define what American New Wave music sounded like. A touch of Roxy Music, a dash of David Bowie, a really strong helping of melody and top that off with two solid lead vocalists in Ric Ocasek and the late Ben Orr, and you had the formula for the albums from "The Cars" classic to the hit packed "Heartbeat City." This CD was released while "heartbeat City" was still in its phenomanal commercail run, thus missed the singles from "Door To Door" (which is to say, not much).

As brilliant as the debut was, it is represented CD on this collection by three were singles, with "Just What I Needed" being one of the most important top 40 records of 1978. (Oddly enough, this was about the same time Van Halen's cover of "You Really Got Me" cracked the charts - both of these bands arguably changed the state of radio.) The simple handclaps and harmonies of "My Best Friend's Girl" were irresistible.

When the sophomore album arrived, it was with the brash mix of Buddy Holly and The Beatles that collided on "Let's Go." That probably remains my favorite Cars single, exploding from the radio in the summer of 1979. The underrated "Panorama" followed. Ocasek had become interested in experimental music, like the art duo Suicide, and "Panorama" reflected that. The tricky key changes in "Touch and Go" were not the average hit single fare. Ocasek's solo albums often had more of a "Panorama" feel to them, and I guess he needed to get it out of his system.

Then it was a return to popland. "Shake It Up," with its cheesy picture-disk styled cover art, produced the first top ten single for the group. "Shake It Up" (the single) was a prefect mash of Beach Boys sunniness and new wave dancablity. It also became a harbinger of the next album, as the moody ballad "I'm Not The One" set the stage for the band's biggest hit. On this greatest hits set, "I'm Not The One" is a different mix from the "Shake It Up" version.

When "Heartbeat City" arrived in Spring of 1984, it matched the artiness of "Panorama" with the pop splendor of "Shake It Up" and the debut. Jumping from producer Roy Thomas Baker to Robert Lange, the sound went from arthouse to dancehouse, and the pop sheen was unmistakably Cars. Ben Orr rode that sound to the band's biggest single, "Drive," climbing to number three that summer. The videos for that song and the giddy "Magic" and "You Might Think" (remember Ocasek as a human fly) were all over MTV that summer, and The Cars had their greatest success to date. I also liked that the "Heartbeat City" title song graced this CD.

The success also came with strain. Easton, Ocasek and Orr each releasing solo albums (with Orr charting a single with "Stay The Night") and only convening to record a one-off single for a Christmas best of in 1985. "Tonight She Comes" was a great double-entendre of a lyric, as were many of the best Cars songs. It was also their last top ten single.

The Ocasek produced "Door To Door" was released in 1987, after the release of this "Greatest Hits," and found the band in a non-cohesive state. Only "You Are The Girl" managed to chart, and it is not on this CD.

"Greatest Hits" is pretty close to a five star set. But with "Cars - Complete Greatest Hits" containing seven more songs (along with "Hello Again"), I would tend to steer - no pun intended - to the 2002 collection. That CD also sports better mastering. Still, if you were a radio-geek (or an MTV geek) in the early 80's, this CD will take you back.

Just what we all needed...Let the good times ROLLLLLL!.......2006-02-13

The cars were one of the most popular pop/rock bands to grace the stage in their time...their music wasn't over the top, but at the same time some of their more emotional, heartfelt tracks were not near as sappy as the competition. When I listen to this greatest hits album, I'm not drowning in songs about love, woman, cars, betrayal, or anger, I'm simply having a rocking good time!

The track "Since your gone" is one of my favorites, it's a slower paced song but we still are able to tap our foot to a good beat and the guitars aren't discombobilating into a mess of fuzz. Lead Singer Ric Ocasek's vocals aren't about range so much as power. All the hits are here, from "Let the good times roll" and "Just what I needed" to "My best friends girl" "Shake it up" and "Magic" There are a variety of greatest hits and best of compilations out there of "The Cars" but I always liked this one the best. In an industry where so much is changing and often not for the better, the Cars tenure stands the test of time and is something to savor perhaps compared to some of the "rock" music that is out there today. 13 fun foot-tapping tracks for one to relish.

the cars greatest hits.......2005-07-24

The Cars Greatest Hits is a good overview of The Cars career, the only released one more album after this complation. The Cars Greatest Hits has all the songs you would expect to be here. All of the big hit singles, as well as a new song,"Tonight She Comes." This would a good starting place for the casual fan, if you enjoy this you should buy their first album as well.

This IS the compilation to own!.......2005-04-25

Wonderful...thoughtful...intelligent pop. The Cars epitomise an 80's feel that, unlike many of their peer groups, still makes great listening. I wore out the album, and this CD has a brilliant "bonus track, "Heartbeat City," which is worth the cost of the entire CD. Songs like "Drive" and "Tonight She Comes" don't need me to recommend them...it's a classic CD.

Average customer rating:

Snow Patrols Greatest Hit Yet
Chasing Cars

Chasing Cars
Snow Patrol
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000H80M0I
Release Date: 2006-11-06

Tracks:

Chasing Cars
Play Me Like Your Own Hand
It Doesn't Matter Where, Just Drive

Customer Reviews:

Snow Patrols Greatest Hit Yet.......2007-06-24

If you haven't heard the track 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol, you are really missing out. This is a truly wonderful track, and whether you own the single or the album, there is no denying it is a great song.
It's a very meaningful melodius track, with so much heart and feeling in it. It's one of those songs that just makes you stop and think about life. And for those of you that have heard 'Chasing Cars' but not the rest of the new album 'EYES OPEN', I can highly recommend it. Eyes Open

Chasing Cars.......2007-04-06

$13.99 for THREE songs? I thought I was ordering the whole cd for that price. It should be more clearly marked as a SINGLE. That is a ridiculous amount to pay for THREE songs.

Average customer rating:

No "Bye Bye Love"?!
Just what you need . . .
It IS just what I needed!
Why a Cars anthology?
PACKED with goodies, but I would change a coupla things...

Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology
The Cars
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Shake It Up
The Cars Live - Musikladen 1979
Panorama
Heartbeat City

ASIN: B000003474
Release Date: 1995-11-07

Tracks:

Just What I Needed
My Best Friend's Girl
Good Times Roll
You're All I've Got Tonight
Don't Cha Stop
Moving In Stereo
Take Me Now
Cool Fool
Let's Go
Candy-o
Dangerous Type
Double Life
Got A Lot On My Head
Gimme Some Slack
Nightspots
Slipaway
That's It
Panorama
It's All I Can Do
Don't Go To Pieces

Tracks:

Touch and Go
Don't Tell Me No
Shake It Up
Since You're Gone
I'm Not The One
Cruiser
The Little Black Egg
Funtime
You Might Think
Drive
Magic
Hello Again
Why Can't I Have You
Breakaway
Tonight She Comes
You Are The Girl
Strap Me In
Door To Door
Leave Or Stay
Ta Ta Wayo Wayo

Amazon.com

Despite musical roots that branched from the Velvets to Steely Dan and the likes of then-new wave icons Roxy Music, the Cars never strayed far from the crucial, hook-conscious, three-minute pop song sensibility which made them one of the most successful and long-lived radio staples of the '70s and '80s. As well as being catchy, Ric Ocasek's best songs are also ironic--"Good Times Roll" and "Just What I Needed" both contain winking lyrical twists. With Ben Orr vocalizing the sweeter material, guitarist Elliott Easton's and keyboardist Greg Hawke's often-quirky musical embroidery, and drummer David Robinson's rhythmic propulsion and fashion sense, the Cars became the self-contained rock juggernaut--or, if you prefer, new wave arena band--documented on these two discs.

The hit singles and select album cuts stretch from their improbably rich debut through moodier efforts like "Panorama" and the vibrant, yet satisfying "Shake It Up" and "Heartbeat City." The CD is well seasoned by a cache of previously unreleased demos, B-sides, and outtakes. The earliest of these ('77 demos of "Take Me Now" and "Cool Fool") demonstrate that the band's sound was intact before they met their first multiplatinum producer, while later rarities (playful covers of Iggy's "Fun Time" and the Nightcrawlers' "Little Black Egg") underscore their eclectic, seemingly incongruous tastes. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

No "Bye Bye Love"?!.......2007-06-03

They chose to leave out the song that put the Cars on the radio? And some of these choices are not just what I needed; better left to a complete-est CD for those who must have every song no matter what. "All mixed up" would have been a better choice than some of the out takes they put on the set. Which points up the main weakness of the Cars; on Shake it up and later recordings they had become locked into the Techno sound and it seems that it was imposable for them to break the mold and they died out with the `80s.

Just what you need . . . .......2007-04-22

An outstanding 40 song compilation on 2 CDs. Owning this arguably eliminates the need for owning any individual Cars albums (I have them all). Packing these tunes onto 2 CDs allowed the producers to include all the best songs and even a few alternative numbers . . . unreleased demos and covers. Cool.

I noticed that Reviewer Larry Davis wrote that the playlist was perfect except that Dontcha Stop should have been replaced with Bye Bye Love. I concur. It would have made this collection perfect. But that is not a deal breaker. If you enjoy The Cars, this is just what you need.

It IS just what I needed!.......2007-04-06

When the Cars burst onto the scene in 1978 it was with an energy rarely seen in the increasingly stuffy and stagnant rock scene. The Cars embodied the then-emerging punk ethos of modern rock; edgy, dark, mysterious and somewhat retro with oblique lyrics about nothing and seemingly anything. They were on a par with other strong groups emerging at the time like Blondie, the Ramones, the Clash, and others that broke the traditional rock mold of groups like Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones. The group had an amazing decade long run with 13 Top 40 hits and six best-selling albums. Listen to any classic rock station today and you'll likely hear a Cars song before too long. But the Cars defied easy classification drawing fans of rock, new wave, and punk, even becoming popular with MTV.

"Just What I Needed" pulls in all their Top 40 hits and fan favorite tracks from their albums such as "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Moving In Stereo," "Touch and Go," and previously unreleased tracks such as their take on the Iggy Pop gem "Funtime." If you're a hardcore Cars fan who already has all of their six previous releases on CD then this is probably worth it for the previously unreleased tracks and demos and it's nice to have most of their best known tracks on two CDs. This compilation is perhaps the best out there and neatly sums up the Cars career including a really nice booklet covering their career. While they didn't last long their influence on other bands still reverberates today. When they reformed in 2006 adding Todd Rundgren to replace lead singer Ric Ocasek (who declined) and bassist/singer Ben Orr (who had died) it was something of a pale imitation of the first version of the Cars.

Why a Cars anthology?.......2006-12-18

The Cars released only seven or so studio albums in their short recording career. And, as evidenced by JUST WHAT I NEEDED: THE CARS ANTHOLOGY, the band did not have many other recordings (unreleased, flip sides, and so on) worth including on a 40-song repackage such as this.

So most of the JUST WHAT I NEEDED collection comprises songs already available on the Cars' readily available albums. As their seven or so albums are all worth owning, who needs this anthology? People who just want the hits can get the band's greatest hits CD.

PACKED with goodies, but I would change a coupla things..........2006-09-30

Now, I would actually give this set a 4.5, instead of the full 5. Why?? Well, I'll tell ya.

At the time this sucker was released, 11 years ago, it was perfect, but in 2006, 2 things were nagging me.

Firstly, it's the tracklisting. For 99% of it, it's perfection, the tracks selected and remastering. The one negative?? I'd replace "Dontcha Stop" with "Bye Bye Love", and that's it!!! "Bye Bye Love" belongs in "Dontcha Stop"'s slot, as on the first album, it comes immediately, without pause, after "You're All I Got Tonight" (and on rock radio in the late 70s/early 80s, stations would always play these two songs back-to-back), AND the song ends with the synth whoosh that goes into "Moving In Stereo", which is placed after "Dontcha Stop" on this collection. That song wasn't really a hit and it didn't get much airplay, BUT "Bye Bye Love" did. So I'd do that switcheroo, and not even have to move any of the other tracks!!!

Second, the packaging. It's too bulky!!! It's only 2 CDs, not 3 or 4, there are no pictures underneath the CD trays (they are black, not clear), and the booklet is thin, so instead of a thick double clamshell case, it should be a THIN double case, which is prominent today, but not in existence back in 1995 when this sucker was released. And, that cool, sparkly purple slipcase??? It is cool, so I cut it up. I made it so, it's in a thin double case, the front of the sparkly slipcase is a page in the front, over the booklet, and the back (where the songlist is), I placed underneath the CDs, the clear tray holding both discs. This is so, when you look at the case now, the purple sparkly color shows underneath the spine. You have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Also, the inner back, with the shot of Elliot Easton's lefthanded Telecaster guitar should NOT be hidden, so I made it the regular back cover of this reconfigured package...also cuz the barcode and catalogue number shows here too. As for the side spine, it originally was divided up into two, with the thick case. Well, after some cutting and snipping and taping, it now looks like (on ONE single sidespine): R2 73506/(in green) THE CARS ANTHOLOGY/ (in blue) Just What I Needed/ Elektra/Rhino. It looks better this way, anyway...who knows if this package will ever be redone??? Is it out-of-print??

Oh and one last thing, there is a glaring picture caption error in the booklet!!! On page 4 is a picture of the band, and on page 5 is the caption, listing the band members. Um, they left out leader Ric Ocasek's name!!! Kind of unacceptable really.

Otherwise, perfect killer 2CD anthology. Now, we need the rest of the catalogue to get the proper treatment similar to the debut, or at least have "Shake It Up", "Heartbeat City" and "Door To Door" get remastered, and there be a proper Ric solo anthology and include those rare soundtrack cuts.

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