Bringing you guys this clip from our 50k subscriber livestream! Our first time checking out The Cars! We’d heard the song from our childhood and now know where it’s from!! Cheers all! 🙌🏻🔥
Not a bad song on the entire album. Basically a greatest hits album. The 2nd side plays like one long song. You're All I've Got Tonight=>Bye Bye Love=>Moving in Stereo=>All Mixed Up. Arguably one of the best back-to-back-to-back-to-back sequence of songs in recorded music history.
@@jeffcobb2734 oh crap I forgot about side 2 of that album. Yeah it's really cool how the songs blend into each other, and all are fun to listen to especially on headphones.
And a great voice... loved 'Drive' so much because of his vocals. Sad that he and Rick are gone. But thankful that music is forever, especially The Cars.
Elliott Easton underrated? Absolutely! His solos are short but sweet...makes you wanting more. Check out the Candy O album for great examples of this. 👍🏻
While not as iconic as the debut, Candy-O has A+ materiel running all through it. The transition from Shoo Be Doo to the song Candy-O is one of my faves.
Their debut is one of those beginning-to-end listens. It is 100% a party mood setter. If you're having a house-party, you just slap this on and let people go.
"It's hard to have that cultural context" A very astute observation and comment! The synth, while dated to the modern ear, was incredibly new, fresh, and exciting at the time. You simply didn't use synth like that in rock and roll before 1978, but rock and roll was emerging away from Zeppelin and AC/DC. Rock was splintering into Disco (late '70s), New Wave (late '70s), and Punk (1976). The Cars took classic rock elements and drove them through New Wave toward Punk in a new and exciting way to this 14-year old (in 1978).
yeh dude have to agree same age as you was driving other day moving in stereo came on indie oldies station have the best of c d here somewhere has some live cuts also the bands music still great my nephew plays gitaur and is a fan of the band and is 30 years younger than us the bands has whole new generation of fans even today
12 years old here and totally blown away by their music because there was absolutely nothing like it out there at the time and nobody ever came close to their sound.
When the Cars came out with this, they were basically world leaders in a new sound. For a few years, they were the hottest thing based purely on their sound and look.
@@VU-WakeUp Yes, that sterility left room to hear all the little touches like the noise of the fingers on the strings and really made the dynamics pop. I still find it exciting to listen to, like physically exciting because of the sound.
Agreed. Rock had gone in the direction of FM / Prog rock. The radio was Foreigner, Kansas Aerosmith etc. Then the Cars (and others, Blondie, B-52s etc) came out and brought back a Pop sound.
I don't want to say the Cars are underrated, because I don't think people underrate the Cars, but I think sometimes people forget how good the Cars really are (were) until they hear them again. The Cars were one of my favorite bands of the 80s.
TRUE: I struggled to not say a Blist band, not a rolling stones, but MAAAn you really wanted to hear a new song, had No1 hits all over radio, but not thought of as a big time band? it's,,, wierd, but they were always the AVANTE GUARDE, First CG video on mtv I think[meh, "video printer"]
THE CARS!! Summer of 78, this was THE album to be listening to! Desert island for sure All these guys were extremely talented with their instruments, some multi instrumentalists. The guitarist is a lefty. They were all older when this came out, in their late 20s. They earned their success the hard way. Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up are incredible through headphones! Benjamin Orr had the golden voice, he was a teen rock star on a local hometown Cleveland show in the 60s. Benjamin is sadly missed RIP
I mean if they go down this rabbit hole they could be listening to the likes of Talking Heads and Ramones... and those 2 bands alone have such deep great catalogs along with The Cars. I really never appreciated this type of music when I was younger. but now that I'm older and looking back it's really just some of the best.
And the funny thing is that that staccato-guitar-riff-with-an-answering-power-chord intro to "Just What I Needed" that Fountains of Wayne aped in "Stacey's Mom" was itself aping "Yummy Yummy Yummy" by the Ohio Express. I always admired the Cars for that; anyone can borrow from the blues or classic rock'n'roll or from soul music, but it takes balls to lift something from a bubblegum song.
Cars-referential in multiple ways - not only was the style mimicking the Cars, but the pool scene imagery in the video originates from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", 1982. The soundtrack song for this FTaRH scene was...you guessed it, the Cars - "Moving in Stereo."
"The Cars" themselves called this album their greatest hits album. They didn't know if they would be able to duplicate the success of this first album. History of course tells us how successful this group became. Ric Ocasek wrote brilliantly, Ben Orr was a great (and I do mean great) lead singer. Elliot Easton on guitar was perfection personified , he never, ever overplayed his lead guitar, just gave you enough, which left us wanting more. Greg Hawkes on synthesizer was simply amazing and should not be discounted. And David Robinson was always setting the stage on rhythm with Ben Orr on bass as well. These guys were just brilliant musicians and well ahead of their time.
When I was in high school in the late 70’s, all the world was The Cars. Everyone was nuts about them. You guys need to play Bye Bye Love. Hard driving road trip music!
…and practically floating on Benjamin’s vocals…Moving In Stereo/All Mixed Up is a great duo - I actually prefer All Mixed Up. Bye Bye Love is another song having Benjamin Orr on lead vocals.
Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and fantastic taste. They did great covers of Jackson Browne's "These Days," the Kinks' "Better Days," ELO's "Can't Get It Out of My Head," and more. (They even covered "Hit Me Baby One More Time" as a lark and made it good.) They also made several great albums that, if popular music hadn't gone to hell, should have been hits. "Stacey's Mom" is a good song, but it's not even in the top five songs on "Welcome Interstate Managers." They had songs they didn't even release until a double-album of unreleased material came out that in a better world would have been #1 hits. Check out "The Girl I Can't Forget" (which Schlesinger wrote) sometime. It's perfectly crafted - and genuinely funny - pop-rock. My wife and I used it to open the dance-floor at our wedding. Schlesinger also wrote the music to Tom Hanks's "That Thing You Do" and went on to win awards for all the music he wrote for "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." His death last year from Covid at the age of 52 was a not just a tragedy but a great loss. As someone said, he was becoming his generation's Sondheim.
My wife thought he was so good looking. We went to Live Aid in Philly in 85, and with all the amazing bands that played there, her favourite memory was seeing Ben live
Ha!...I was working at the Boston Phoenix back then (also on Newbury St.), and one of my co-workers was Elliot Easton's (the guitarist) girlfriend at the time. Used to see him all the time, occasionally with Ric Ocasek. Nice dude, and an even better guitarist!
This album's final mix was done through car stereo speakers purchased at Radio Shack because Ocasek thought that was how most people would hear them for the first time.
He's my favorite guitar player. Inventive, plays to the song, rooted in the past yet not the least bit retro, throws in tasteful little licks here and there in places such as the chorus turnarounds in order to accentuate Ric's or Ben's singing, and never overstays his welcome in the solo. Guitar players like Elliott Easton, George Harrison, and Mike Campbell make great songwriting and great recordings even better.
I remember reading in an interview in Guitar Player magazine decades ago that he liked to keep his solos short and interesting. He said jamming with garage bands as a teen and taking 1/2 hour guitar solos got it out of his system . He’s an amazing and tasteful player!
The Cars self-titled debut is one of the most flawlessly-crafted rock albums ever constructed. It was classicist enough for the rock'n'roll crowd, with enough slick modernity and weirdness for the new wave crowd. it had something for everyone! :)
That synth sound was new back in the day, and this song certainly helped usher in New Wave as a musical genre. Synths got way overused in the 80s, but loved it on this. Also, this album is worthy of a full album reaction--similar to Boston's debut in terms of song-to-song quality (though different genres obviously)!
Yeah, I remember how fresh and new the Cars' sound was, with the synths and the perfect-pop-high-polish production, so fitting to the band name. They were one of the bands that established New Wave as an outgrowth but whole separate thing from punk rock.
Elliot Easton is criminally underrated. There isn't one note or element of the phrasing of that solo that could possibly be improved upon, and that was his M.O. for his entire tenure with The Cars. Everything was always concise and freakishly tasty.
The Cars were a breath of fresh air in the middle of the 70s disco era. While many heavy rock fans thought of them as pop music, because of the synth sound, many rock other listeners welcomed them. The lead guitarist Elliot Easton was first underrated but later became well respected. He was a minimalist at his lead guitar playing. His leads were short even in concert. He wasn’t a show off but when he stepped forward on stage and did his little 30 second lead, we all watched and went “holy the shit that was perfect”.
What's funny is that. His lead parts are actually not easy to play. This solo is 4 times harder to play than it sounds. It's like harder than any Zeppelin solos except hearbreaker played clean. The country lick close to the end is a pain
Wasnt the Police Toto Triumph April wine The Sones Why do you ignore all the other rock songs that came out in the disco area PLUS THERE WAS DISCO IN THE EARLY 80s as well, You must be a 80s kid lol
@@theodoreritola7641 Toto and April Wine ! Those are B level rock bands. Their music is unoriginal. As for the Police their 1st 3 albums where recorded in 1977,78,79. They disbanded by 1984, I think. I loved the Police and The Cars and The Pretenders and the Clash. All of them had an distinctive sound and style. And I’m not and 80s kid. I was married in 1979.
Every damn song on this album and Candy-O are absolute bangers. Hold onto your butts, you haven't even scratched the surface. Btw, it's perfect music for driving and getting a ticket.
I love how Benjamin Orr says "yeah", R.I.P. Memory Eternal. Ric and Benjamin are legends and are missed so much. They were the primary writers for the band. The whole 1978 debut album is stellar, not a bad song on the album. Check out "Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up" often played together. "Dontcha Stop" is a cool deep track. Every freakin song guys, 1978 was a great year. Then the Candy-O album, the title track alone is a banger. Their Panorama album was experimental, every band has to experiment to grow so while that album didn't do as good as the first 2, it's still an impressive work of art. The band went back to their original style after that album. Enjoy guys and thank you!!
“Bye Bye Love” and “My Best Friend’s Girl” are worth a listen. Both are great songs in a style similar to the two you’ve heard so far. Then, you have to listen to “Moving in Stereo,” which has this pulsing rhythm and almost feels like a prog rock song. It’s not like any other song they’ve ever released.
A different flavored sauce, but a debut that’s had more spins from me than those listed here is Tom Waits’ Closing Time. A sublime departure from mainstream Rock. I also prefer Heart’s debut to The Cars first album. It’s a personal journey.
This Cars 1st LP was released in June of 78. I was graduating from HS. The Cars hit the music scene like a sledgehammer back then. Hard to put into words just how different and outstanding their sound was. R.I.P. Ric & Ben The album art on the Candy-O LP is EPIC !
Never been this early! Glad you're checking out this band, many great songs! Thanks Andy and Alex, your channel helps keep me sane in these weird times! Again, I love what you Gents do and how you do it! ❤
The whole album is fantastic. Definitely should play Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up. Moving in Stereo transitions into All Mixed up. Must play both together.
I believe this is among the 1st bands that started the “ new wave” music . They were huge when I was in jr. high. The “Nirvana “ of new wave if you will. Great reaction. Peace. ✌🏼
I usually don't like synthesizers, but I think it fits well in this song. It even ends with a synth. I know Alex doesn't like 80s music, but you two should check out more. Forget the fact that a song was done in the 80s. Anyway, you two as always, ROCK! 😊
The Cars my Boston hometown heroes. Used to often see Rick Ocasek(RIP) model and Paulina Porizkova around town. Keyboardist "Greg Hawkes" lives 10 min from me.
When this was released as a single it sold Me on the Cars. Oddly enough, the dj’s labeled it punk; they didn’t know what else to call it. It did have kind of a punky edge. Cool listen.😎✌🏽☮️🎸
@@thesonicslasher75 Ocasec had more style. It's like John Bonham. He wasn't the most technical or talented drummer ever, but his influence is incalculable.
@@delphi-moochymaker62 Ocasek was a better singer for the harder Cars songs, and Orr better for their slower stuff. As for John Henry Bonham, he is the GOAT... hands down. He did stuff most drummers couldn't imagine.
@@delphi-moochymaker62 I mean I do agree he was a great songwriter and singer in the cars as well. but I know at some point Ocasec said in an interview that he wanted Benjamin Orr to sing the most personal song he had written at the time which was the song drive. and in his words asked him to sing it cuz he felt he couldn't do the song justice. that just tells me that Orr was the better singer. even if he wasn't the main guy behind the band, doing most of the work, or the fan favorite.
@@thesonicslasher75 "Better" is such a loose subjective description. Example. Frank Sinatra called Tony Bennett "the best singer he has heard". So then by definition, you could say that Bennett is a "better" singer than Sinatra...yes? No. Style counts for much. Ask Lady Gaga. I could show you a more technically adept singer than David Bowie. So then you could say "he is a better singer" correct? No. The comment is too generalized. Better in what way specifically? Not universally better as the comment suggests.
Gents - it’s great to see these older videos as a reminder/marker of how much progress you’ve made in your craft over the last year, both with your set and with your approach to how you analyze the songs. I love all the growth you’ve made!
Spent a bunch of my late-1970s college years exactly doing the Roadrunner thing, with a couple of friends and their beater car - we'd get on Route 128 late at night, blow some weed, slap the Modern Lovers tape in the cassette deck, and sing along with Roadrunner.
This was such a new, totally different sound when it came out. We were listening to stuff like Zeppelin, Who, Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, Boston, Journey, Springsteen, Steve Miller Band, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd ... and this just came out of nowhere. So refreshing. A great album.
Benjamin Orr: definition of "cool." That particular synth sound was new to us during that time period and gave the Cars their quirky style. Always a tight band and is a staple of mine in most situations.
Noooo, ... Stacy's Mom sounds like this! 😄 The Cars were the go-to good times music. Everyone danced by hopping and shrugging. 😄 Ric Ocasek (known for his long face) went on to produce videos and other bands. In fact, his You Might Think video spawned awards and recognition for the craft. Good analysis, and thanks for the bonus track! Cheers! 🥃💥🥃👍❤
OMG dudes - I wore this album out! Got in on vinyl when I was 18 years old (when it was first released) and drove my parents crazy blasting it every day after classes. Yeah, memories rushing back! lol I'm with you - I love Ben Orr's voice.
I'm surprised they didn't comment on the reverse drum pattern (snare-bass-snare-bass) in the verse that follows the guitar solo. It's quite unique and distinctive.
"My Best Friend's Girl", "You Might Think", "You're All I've Got Tonight", or "Dangerous Type" all have that oozing "Cool" that The Cars just emit. Just excellent sound production, and a very upbeat moodiness...I really dig all of their recognizable synth flair. 70's and 80's All The Way!
I go shoot pool almost every Friday night at a small bar in Wisconsin because they have free jukebox night and I always play "The Cars" (by the way, I caught covid-19 there) 😷😳 but I still go there post covid.
Surprise surprise, but I ever since I saw the episode of Bob’s Burgers where Tina sings this, I haven’t been able to stop thinking of it whenever I hear this.
Late boomers, raised on "rock", we're told this was "punk", or something other than just rock. It is interesting how this song now sounds like "classic rock".
A little cultural context: When this came out arena rock was being challenged from many directions. Disco was huge still, punk was a force that railed against traditional rock and we saw the beginnings of New Wave. I believe some bands wanted very much to avoid being lumped in with the "dinosaur" bands, aka the ones I loved most. The Cars created songs with undeniable hooks. I believe they could have done them as straight-ahead rock songs and they would be classics just like they became, but they put some very creative spin on them instrumentally, rhythmically and lyrically. The unnatural synth sound was kind of a New Wave calling card that helped them avoid a rock label but I think gives an unfortunate dated element to their songs. There are too many bands to list that followed a similar pattern of New Waving-up songs that at their core were solid, traditional good songs. The Cars were genius at it. I can recommend anything of theirs up to Heartbeat City where they drown in their own overkill.
“Your all I’ve got tonight” is a banger! Lots of great songs from The Cars! Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up is a unique song pairing. Can’t wait to hear you guys review them.
The Cars were the first mainstream New Wave band and brought the genre to an entirely new level with their debut release. They got progressively popier and more commercial though, as the years went on. Candy-O (sophmore effort) is their best album, hands down. The hits were 'Let's Go,' and 'It's All I Can Do,' but you can't go wrong with the title track, 'Dangerous Type,' 'Night Spots, or 'Since I Held You.' You guys would not regret doing the whole album on Patreon!
That's right...I could not remember what commercial it was from but knew it was from a commercial because that is how my kids knew the song...plus the classic rock radio I used to play in the car.
1st 3 albums with some of the most perfectly crafted rock song's....period. This was no cookie cutter band. The song's were filled with character and integrity. These guys rehearsed and played live very very well. A tight band that took pride in their art. Over 20 million can't be wrong.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Bringing you guys this clip from our 50k subscriber livestream! Our first time checking out The Cars! We’d heard the song from our childhood and now know where it’s from!! Cheers all! 🙌🏻🔥
How about some TRAGICALY HIP.
Its Canadian Maplesauce
Welllll. It's about damn time fellas. Perfect song. Thanks!!
My Best Friend's Girl Friend is great too.
I loved The Cars when I was a teenager, still do!! Next should be "Moving in Stereo"
Just love 💕 the Cars!!! For some reason I didn’t listen to them when I first heard them back in 78,79!!! But when I started listening I love it all!!!
RIP Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr. The Cars were so tight; one of the strongest debut albums in rock history. Put on your skinny leather tie and rock out.
Not a bad song on the entire album. Basically a greatest hits album. The 2nd side plays like one long song. You're All I've Got Tonight=>Bye Bye Love=>Moving in Stereo=>All Mixed Up. Arguably one of the best back-to-back-to-back-to-back sequence of songs in recorded music history.
@@jeffcobb2734 oh crap I forgot about side 2 of that album. Yeah it's really cool how the songs blend into each other, and all are fun to listen to especially on headphones.
One of my dream '80s lineups would be the cars the talking heads and blondie
@@jeffcobb2734 facts
@@jeffcobb2734 Absolutely.
"Moving In Stereo," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Candy-O," "Dangerous Type."
Don't forget "Let's Go"
Ric Ocasek sang the fun rock songs. Ben Orr sang the slow sexy songs and they're so damn good.
Did they do Good Times Roll yet?
@@johncbeer I don't think so.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Benjamin Orr was one of the coolest cats ever in rock-n-roll, and Elliott Easton is criminally underrated.
And a great voice... loved 'Drive' so much because of his vocals. Sad that he and Rick are gone. But thankful that music is forever, especially The Cars.
Elliott Easton underrated? Absolutely! His solos are short but sweet...makes you wanting more. Check out the Candy O album for great examples of this. 👍🏻
@@jimilgenfitz6998 my fave Cars album (Candy-O).
No songs were skipped in the listening of this CD!!!
While not as iconic as the debut, Candy-O has A+ materiel running all through it. The transition from Shoo Be Doo to the song Candy-O is one of my faves.
100%, he is such a cool cat stud in the live video for this
Elliot Easton doesn't get the credit of a 'lead guitarist' of the time. Very underrated.
The Cars didn't have to go that hard on their first album, but they just did. All the songs on it are great. Check out Bye Bye Love one day.
Kinda hard to find a bad song by them.
Their debut is one of those beginning-to-end listens. It is 100% a party mood setter.
If you're having a house-party, you just slap this on and let people go.
My favorite song from The Cars!
They gotta check out the entire trifecta: Bye Bye Love/Moving In Stereo/All Mixed Up.
@@ATalkingBadger good call!
"It's hard to have that cultural context" A very astute observation and comment! The synth, while dated to the modern ear, was incredibly new, fresh, and exciting at the time. You simply didn't use synth like that in rock and roll before 1978, but rock and roll was emerging away from Zeppelin and AC/DC. Rock was splintering into Disco (late '70s), New Wave (late '70s), and Punk (1976). The Cars took classic rock elements and drove them through New Wave toward Punk in a new and exciting way to this 14-year old (in 1978).
Exactly
yeh dude have to agree same age as you was driving other day moving in stereo came on indie oldies station have the best of c d here somewhere has some live cuts also the bands music still great my nephew plays gitaur and is a fan of the band and is 30 years younger than us the bands has whole new generation of fans even today
No doubt! Well said! 👍
12 years old here and totally blown away by their music because there was absolutely nothing like it out there at the time and nobody ever came close to their sound.
@@randogirl-3 yeah everyone was saying rad in high school or killer or awesome or bitchin and we all called each other dude... lol
When the Cars came out with this, they were basically world leaders in a new sound. For a few years, they were the hottest thing based purely on their sound and look.
True as I remember that well!👍🏻
Yes - I thought it was a ground-breaking sound at the time. Kinda cool - removed,&sterile.
@@VU-WakeUp Yes, that sterility left room to hear all the little touches like the noise of the fingers on the strings and really made the dynamics pop. I still find it exciting to listen to, like physically exciting because of the sound.
Agreed. Rock had gone in the direction of FM / Prog rock. The radio was Foreigner, Kansas Aerosmith etc. Then the Cars (and others, Blondie, B-52s etc) came out and brought back a Pop sound.
Yes. And "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits had that same whole-new-sound feel.
One of the best pop songs ever written.
I don't want to say the Cars are underrated, because I don't think people underrate the Cars, but I think sometimes people forget how good the Cars really are (were) until they hear them again. The Cars were one of my favorite bands of the 80s.
I think they are not underrated... Simply many ppl don't know about them especially here in Europe
TRUE: I struggled to not say a Blist band, not a rolling stones, but MAAAn you really wanted to hear a new song, had No1 hits all over radio, but not thought of as a big time band? it's,,, wierd, but they were always the AVANTE GUARDE, First CG video on mtv I think[meh, "video printer"]
Yeah, mine too.
I remember them flooding the airwaves and seeing thier record everywhere!!
Formed in the 70s
THE CARS!!
Summer of 78, this was THE album to be listening to! Desert island for sure
All these guys were extremely talented with their instruments, some multi instrumentalists. The guitarist is a lefty. They were all older when this came out, in their late 20s. They earned their success the hard way.
Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up are incredible through headphones!
Benjamin Orr had the golden voice, he was a teen rock star on a local hometown Cleveland show in the 60s.
Benjamin is sadly missed RIP
Next Cars tunes - Moving in Stereo, Candy-O, and Drive.
Double Life - Shoo Be Doo must be played with Candi-O
Couldn't agree more with your picks. Or, in other words, great suggestions.
Endorsed 👍
My favorites: Candy-O, Touch & Go, Gimme Some Slack
I would love for them to react to Drive so bad.
Go deep with the cars. You will not be disappointed. Incredible band that doesn't get talked about nearly enough.
Incredible
True.
I mean if they go down this rabbit hole they could be listening to the likes of Talking Heads and Ramones... and those 2 bands alone have such deep great catalogs along with The Cars. I really never appreciated this type of music when I was younger. but now that I'm older and looking back it's really just some of the best.
The cars. Music from 40 years ago but sounds from the future
omg ... Forty Years???!!!
I just finished school yesterday! ☺
How is 1978 , 70 years ago
meant to say 40 years ago This came out in June of 78,
NOOO How about 43 years ago 1978 . THE AMAZE ING 70 DEEZ
You mentioned “Stacey’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne. That was a deliberate attempt by the band to mimic the Cars’ style...so spot on.
And the funny thing is that that staccato-guitar-riff-with-an-answering-power-chord intro to "Just What I Needed" that Fountains of Wayne aped in "Stacey's Mom" was itself aping "Yummy Yummy Yummy" by the Ohio Express. I always admired the Cars for that; anyone can borrow from the blues or classic rock'n'roll or from soul music, but it takes balls to lift something from a bubblegum song.
If you watch the Stacy's Mom video, you'll see the car she drives has a license plate that says, "I (heart) Ric."
Cars-referential in multiple ways - not only was the style mimicking the Cars, but the pool scene imagery in the video originates from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", 1982. The soundtrack song for this FTaRH scene was...you guessed it, the Cars - "Moving in Stereo."
@@pax61 same with the kids at the bus stop where the Stacy was picked up at. They were dressed up like the Cars in the Album sleeve art
The Cars were also credited with being one of the first " New Wave " bands .
"The Cars" themselves called this album their greatest hits album. They didn't know if they would be able to duplicate the success of this first album. History of course tells us how successful this group became. Ric Ocasek wrote brilliantly, Ben Orr was a great (and I do mean great) lead singer. Elliot Easton on guitar was perfection personified , he never, ever overplayed his lead guitar, just gave you enough, which left us wanting more. Greg Hawkes on synthesizer was simply amazing and should not be discounted. And David Robinson was always setting the stage on rhythm with Ben Orr on bass as well. These guys were just brilliant musicians and well ahead of their time.
What a debut. You had to be there; this album was like nothing before it.
Nobody sounded like them when their first album came out. Unique and timeless. They are still so cool!
When I was in high school in the late 70’s, all the world was The Cars. Everyone was nuts about them. You guys need to play Bye Bye Love. Hard driving road trip music!
Everyone was moving in stereo....
@@carolyndavis1045 and shakin' like tremolowwww
…and practically floating on Benjamin’s vocals…Moving In Stereo/All Mixed Up is a great duo - I actually prefer All Mixed Up.
Bye Bye Love is another song having Benjamin Orr on lead vocals.
Oh yeah bye bye love is good too and my best friend’s girl
Another song request for The Cars: Let’s Go. It’s one of their best, great tune.
It absolutely is. Second that request.
Third!
My favorite Cars' song. It's a must!
That is my number one favorite song of all time!! 👍
@@PaintedCavern It is def my favorite song by The Cars. Just rediscovered All Mixed Up a few years ago. It is fantastic as well.
Since this is 25 years older, it's the other way around--Stacy's Mom sounds like Just What I Needed. :)
Yes 👍
I think Fountains of Wayne intended their song to echo the Cars' groove...
@@jondhuse1549 definitely. In the video there’s a kid dressed like ric ocasek, and the license plate on the car says we❤️ric
Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and fantastic taste. They did great covers of Jackson Browne's "These Days," the Kinks' "Better Days," ELO's "Can't Get It Out of My Head," and more. (They even covered "Hit Me Baby One More Time" as a lark and made it good.) They also made several great albums that, if popular music hadn't gone to hell, should have been hits. "Stacey's Mom" is a good song, but it's not even in the top five songs on "Welcome Interstate Managers."
They had songs they didn't even release until a double-album of unreleased material came out that in a better world would have been #1 hits. Check out "The Girl I Can't Forget" (which Schlesinger wrote) sometime. It's perfectly crafted - and genuinely funny - pop-rock. My wife and I used it to open the dance-floor at our wedding.
Schlesinger also wrote the music to Tom Hanks's "That Thing You Do" and went on to win awards for all the music he wrote for "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." His death last year from Covid at the age of 52 was a not just a tragedy but a great loss. As someone said, he was becoming his generation's Sondheim.
The singer, Ben Orr went to my high school and church when I was a kid. I remember seeing him and he had a magnetic personality even back then.
My wife thought he was so good looking. We went to Live Aid in Philly in 85, and with all the amazing bands that played there, her favourite memory was seeing Ben live
Why would Jewish Ben Orr go to church?
@@michaelanderson2881 because... he wasnt?
@@michaelanderson2881 Convert? Ever hear of that possibility?
@@michaelanderson2881 He was Russian Orthodox i.e. Christian/Episcopal 🙄
Watch "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and you will never not love "Moving in Stereo."
^^^^^^^
Jesus Christ, doesn't anybody knock anymore?
She doesn't want to use that as a tool, Brad
Buh, buh, moving in stereo
agree
This band used to practice below my office on Newbury street in Boston...fucking building shook!
Newbury Street.
Ha!...I was working at the Boston Phoenix back then (also on Newbury St.), and one of my co-workers was Elliot Easton's (the guitarist) girlfriend at the time. Used to see him all the time, occasionally with Ric Ocasek. Nice dude, and an even better guitarist!
@@RandyHall324 yeah..they recorded at intermedia sound I believe.
@@markndogs voice recognition..what can I say?
That's one of the things I loved about Boston's music scene - it was so merged in with the community. They wuz us.
This album's final mix was done through car stereo speakers purchased at Radio Shack because Ocasek thought that was how most people would hear them for the first time.
Elliot Easton is one of the coolest and best lead guitarists ever.
He's my favorite guitar player. Inventive, plays to the song, rooted in the past yet not the least bit retro, throws in tasteful little licks here and there in places such as the chorus turnarounds in order to accentuate Ric's or Ben's singing, and never overstays his welcome in the solo. Guitar players like Elliott Easton, George Harrison, and Mike Campbell make great songwriting and great recordings even better.
And probably the most underrated guitar player. One of my favorites and I've played guitar for 40 years.
I remember reading in an interview in Guitar Player magazine decades ago that he liked to keep his solos short and interesting. He said jamming with garage bands as a teen and taking 1/2 hour guitar solos got it out of his system . He’s an amazing and tasteful player!
Elliot has his own band now Google him and check it out.
You’re All I’ve Got Tonight should be next for a heavier rocker.
MY BEST FRIENDS GIRL IS A GREAT CARS SONG
The Cars self-titled debut is one of the most flawlessly-crafted rock albums ever constructed. It was classicist enough for the rock'n'roll crowd, with enough slick modernity and weirdness for the new wave crowd. it had something for everyone! :)
That synth sound was new back in the day, and this song certainly helped usher in New Wave as a musical genre. Synths got way overused in the 80s, but loved it on this. Also, this album is worthy of a full album reaction--similar to Boston's debut in terms of song-to-song quality (though different genres obviously)!
Yeah, I remember how fresh and new the Cars' sound was, with the synths and the perfect-pop-high-polish production, so fitting to the band name. They were one of the bands that established New Wave as an outgrowth but whole separate thing from punk rock.
This was 1978 ..
@T D Have you priced a MiniMoog Model D lately? I spent less on my last seven cars
Elliot Easton is criminally underrated. There isn't one note or element of the phrasing of that solo that could possibly be improved upon, and that was his M.O. for his entire tenure with The Cars. Everything was always concise and freakishly tasty.
The Cars were a breath of fresh air in the middle of the 70s disco era. While many heavy rock fans thought of them as pop music, because of the synth sound, many rock other listeners welcomed them. The lead guitarist Elliot Easton was first underrated but later became well respected. He was a minimalist at his lead guitar playing. His leads were short even in concert. He wasn’t a show off but when he stepped forward on stage and did his little 30 second lead, we all watched and went “holy the shit that was perfect”.
What's funny is that. His lead parts are actually not easy to play. This solo is 4 times harder to play than it sounds. It's like harder than any Zeppelin solos except hearbreaker played clean. The country lick close to the end is a pain
Wasnt the Police Toto Triumph April wine The Sones Why do you ignore all the other rock songs that came out in the disco area PLUS THERE WAS DISCO IN THE EARLY 80s as well, You must be a 80s kid lol
@@theodoreritola7641 Toto and April Wine ! Those are B level rock bands. Their music is unoriginal.
As for the Police their 1st 3 albums where recorded in 1977,78,79. They disbanded by 1984, I think. I loved the Police and The Cars and The Pretenders and the Clash. All of them had an distinctive sound and style. And I’m not and 80s kid. I was married in 1979.
This album has more hits than most greatest hits albums.
3?
Good Times Roll, Moving in Stereo, You're All I've Got Tonight, Let's Go, Candy-O, Touch and Go, Since You're Gone, Shake It Up.
They already did Let The Good Times Roll.
@@clintonsmith5163 I wanted to hear it twice.
Every damn song on this album and Candy-O are absolute bangers. Hold onto your butts, you haven't even scratched the surface. Btw, it's perfect music for driving and getting a ticket.
Moving in Stereo /All Mixed Up is a great one to experience 👌
They need to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High lol
"Hi Brad. You know how cute I always thought you were."
👍
I love how Benjamin Orr says "yeah", R.I.P. Memory Eternal. Ric and Benjamin are legends and are missed so much. They were the primary writers for the band. The whole 1978 debut album is stellar, not a bad song on the album. Check out "Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up" often played together. "Dontcha Stop" is a cool deep track. Every freakin song guys, 1978 was a great year. Then the Candy-O album, the title track alone is a banger. Their Panorama album was experimental, every band has to experiment to grow so while that album didn't do as good as the first 2, it's still an impressive work of art. The band went back to their original style after that album. Enjoy guys and thank you!!
Need I add: The banger title track to Candy-O is another song having Benjamin Orr on lead vocals.
Song to checkout: The Tubes "Talk to you later"
Tubes “What do you want from life” holds up well too!
White punks on dope
“Bye Bye Love” and “My Best Friend’s Girl” are worth a listen. Both are great songs in a style similar to the two you’ve heard so far. Then, you have to listen to “Moving in Stereo,” which has this pulsing rhythm and almost feels like a prog rock song. It’s not like any other song they’ve ever released.
IMHO, the best debut album of any band. Every song is a hit. The band used to call their fist album their Greatest Hits album.
The first Boston album was pretty great as well.
Yeah, agree. These guys and Boston. Doesn't feel like a debut album at all.
@@kbusby4824 and weren’t the Cars from Boston as well?
Van halen also had a great debut album as well I might add.
A different flavored sauce, but a debut that’s had more spins from me than those listed here is Tom Waits’ Closing Time. A sublime departure from mainstream Rock. I also prefer Heart’s debut to The Cars first album. It’s a personal journey.
Just play their first album in its entirety. It's all good.
The Cars were the gateway into new wave for a 16 year old me! These guys led me to bands like B-52s, Devo, and more!
This Cars 1st LP was released in June of 78. I was graduating from HS.
The Cars hit the music scene like a sledgehammer back then. Hard to put into words just how different and outstanding their sound was. R.I.P. Ric & Ben
The album art on the Candy-O LP is EPIC !
Now this is the music I'm talking about...post punk - new wave...thanks @ Andy & Alex 💕
The Cars debut album is awesome top to bottom. My favorite is “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight.”
Never been this early! Glad you're checking out this band, many great songs! Thanks Andy and Alex, your channel helps keep me sane in these weird times! Again, I love what you Gents do and how you do it! ❤
Who else needs to hear 'I'm in Touch With Your World' now?
This album is ingrained in me. It never gets old.
That’s exactly what I was thinking!! 😂
I like "Don't Cha Stop" and "All mixed up" too.
Interesting you guys immediately noticed "Stacey's Mom", that group LOVED the Cars/Ric Ocasek.
Elliot Easton highly underrated guitarist as far as the general public goes. These guys were great in concert! RIP Ric and Ben
Good Time Roll , All mixed Up, Moving In Stereo... Give em a listen..
This song came out in 1978 and still sounds fresh today.
You cant really pick a bad Cars tune..
Not off of this album
Yes you can. Their later stuff was artificial and mechanical.
Apparently you don't own the the bands whole catalog.
Everything on the Panorama album...
"You can't hold on too long" is the earliest song I don't like
Can’t tell you how much I like this song. One of my favs of all time. Moving in Stereo, Dangerous, are a couple others.
This song is 40 years old. Of course there is synth.
Yeah synth was fairly common by then. "Lucky Man" from 1970 by ELP was a brand new sound featuring the strong synth.
NOOOOOOOOOOOO 42 YEARS 0OLD 1978, 70s
Synth was the whole point!
NOOO 43 YEARS AGO 1978 RFELEASED
Bruce hows a song from the 70s Just 41 years ago ?
"Since You're Gone" by The Cars is an excellent song that I feel you two will like, that I feel is underrated in their arsenal of music.
I LOVE the synth lines in this song. So perfect.
The whole album is fantastic. Definitely should play Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up. Moving in Stereo transitions into All Mixed up. Must play both together.
I believe this is among the 1st bands that started the “ new wave” music . They were huge when I was in jr. high.
The “Nirvana “ of new wave if you will.
Great reaction. Peace. ✌🏼
Stacys mom is inspired by the cars according to fountains of Wayne composer
And the Stacys Mom video was inspired by the famous Fast Times at Ridgemont High scene that features the Cars.
The composer, Adam Schlesinger, sadly passed away from COVID last April. Way too young.
Didn't Ric produce Stacy's Mom?
@@cacho2112 I thought that too but looks like he wasn't involved at all.
@@fidoz2370 damn. I guess they just really liked the Cars
I usually don't like synthesizers, but I think it fits well in this song. It even ends with a synth. I know Alex doesn't like 80s music, but you two should check out more. Forget the fact that a song was done in the 80s. Anyway, you two as always, ROCK! 😊
Yep!
why are you lying this was 1978,,
THE 80s were very over rated Thank to so many cover songs from the 70s Helped em out
Gotta do "Drive" by Cars. I was never much of a fan of theirs, but that's a great song.
💖
The Cars my Boston hometown heroes.
Used to often see Rick Ocasek(RIP) model and Paulina Porizkova around town. Keyboardist "Greg Hawkes" lives 10 min from me.
When this was released as a single it sold Me on the Cars. Oddly enough, the dj’s labeled it punk; they didn’t know what else to call it. It did have kind of a punky edge. Cool listen.😎✌🏽☮️🎸
These guys were 80s but they were industry changing innovators. First album was absolutely incredible.
DID YOU 4 GET THESE WERE IN THE 70s NOT the 80s , There 1st LP Was in the late 70s
Whos 80s ? The cars formed in the 70s lol And this songs 70s
You must do "Drive" & "Let The Good Times Roll" by them.... perhaps their best known ...
Guys, I love how you’re using Thursdays to throw random songs on the channel.. livestreams, etc. keep up the good work.
Benjamin Orr was their best lead singer.
Even Ric Ocasec knew as much when he asked him to sing the song Drive. A song he wrote about something personal in his life last I checked.
@@thesonicslasher75 Ocasec had more style. It's like John Bonham. He wasn't the most technical or talented drummer ever, but his influence is incalculable.
@@delphi-moochymaker62
Ocasek was a better singer for the harder Cars songs, and Orr better for their slower stuff.
As for John Henry Bonham, he is the GOAT... hands down. He did stuff most drummers couldn't imagine.
@@delphi-moochymaker62 I mean I do agree he was a great songwriter and singer in the cars as well. but I know at some point Ocasec said in an interview that he wanted Benjamin Orr to sing the most personal song he had written at the time which was the song drive. and in his words asked him to sing it cuz he felt he couldn't do the song justice. that just tells me that Orr was the better singer. even if he wasn't the main guy behind the band, doing most of the work, or the fan favorite.
@@thesonicslasher75 "Better" is such a loose subjective description. Example. Frank Sinatra called Tony Bennett "the best singer he has heard". So then by definition, you could say that Bennett is a "better" singer than Sinatra...yes? No. Style counts for much. Ask Lady Gaga. I could show you a more technically adept singer than David Bowie. So then you could say "he is a better singer" correct? No. The comment is too generalized. Better in what way specifically? Not universally better as the comment suggests.
Gents - it’s great to see these older videos as a reminder/marker of how much progress you’ve made in your craft over the last year, both with your set and with your approach to how you analyze the songs. I love all the growth you’ve made!
Ben Orr vocals and bass was indeed swaggy. Great record. In the words of vinyl, side two is a masterpiece.
Glad you came back to the Cars.
"Let's Go" is a must listen. It will end up on your road trip playlist😎
The drummer was with the Modern Lovers before this. You need to do Modern Lovers, Roadrunner. Pablo Picasso, Government Center.
Spent a bunch of my late-1970s college years exactly doing the Roadrunner thing, with a couple of friends and their beater car - we'd get on Route 128 late at night, blow some weed, slap the Modern Lovers tape in the cassette deck, and sing along with Roadrunner.
Yes! Check out those three songs
I agree, especially "Roadrunner".
This was such a new, totally different sound when it came out. We were listening to stuff like Zeppelin, Who, Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, Boston, Journey, Springsteen, Steve Miller Band, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd ... and this just came out of nowhere. So refreshing. A great album.
I LOVED this band!! RIP: Ric Ocasek... This first album doesn't have a bad song on it!
Thats Because its from the 70s ,
Benjamin Orr: definition of "cool." That particular synth sound was new to us during that time period and gave the Cars their quirky style. Always a tight band and is a staple of mine in most situations.
Noooo, ... Stacy's Mom sounds like this! 😄
The Cars were the go-to good times music. Everyone danced by hopping and shrugging. 😄
Ric Ocasek (known for his long face) went on to produce videos and other bands. In fact, his You Might Think video spawned awards and recognition for the craft.
Good analysis, and thanks for the bonus track!
Cheers! 🥃💥🥃👍❤
OMG dudes - I wore this album out! Got in on vinyl when I was 18 years old (when it was first released) and drove my parents crazy blasting it every day after classes. Yeah, memories rushing back! lol I'm with you - I love Ben Orr's voice.
More power pop! 😁 Go All The Way by The Raspberries is a must!
Love that song🎵
@@johndef5075 Love it! My junior high days! The Raspberries and Badfinger!
Originally the song was called I Needed Somewhere To Skeet.
If you haven't listened to "Drive" or "Moving In Stereo" from the Cars, you might want to check them out because those were pretty big hit back then.
I'm surprised they didn't comment on the reverse drum pattern (snare-bass-snare-bass) in the verse that follows the guitar solo. It's quite unique and distinctive.
One of my all-time favorite bands, and not just because I'm from Boston. The Cars just oozed detached cool and helped bridge the punk/New Wave scenes.
"My Best Friend's Girl", "You Might Think", "You're All I've Got Tonight", or "Dangerous Type" all have that oozing "Cool" that The Cars just emit. Just excellent sound production, and a very upbeat moodiness...I really dig all of their recognizable synth flair. 70's and 80's All The Way!
This song marked the beginning of “the 80s sound“ in my estimation.
The Eighties only sound like the Eighties because of this album.
@@Thyrwyn truth
BUT ITS NOT 80s is it ?
The way 70s kids look at it Its 70s songs going threw the 80s
It's about as close as you can get to a perfect song.
The 70s were the most diverse decade ever, musically.
Moving In Stereo, Strap Me In, Heartbeat City, Double Life, any Cars song
I go shoot pool almost every Friday night at a small bar in Wisconsin because they have free jukebox night and I always play "The Cars" (by the way, I caught covid-19 there) 😷😳 but I still go there post covid.
Moving Stereo and It’s All Mixed Up are MUST listen to songs on that amazing album!
Surprise surprise, but I ever since I saw the episode of Bob’s Burgers where Tina sings this, I haven’t been able to stop thinking of it whenever I hear this.
Late boomers, raised on "rock", we're told this was "punk", or something other than just rock. It is interesting how this song now sounds like "classic rock".
A little cultural context: When this came out arena rock was being challenged from many directions. Disco was huge still, punk was a force that railed against traditional rock and we saw the beginnings of New Wave. I believe some bands wanted very much to avoid being lumped in with the "dinosaur" bands, aka the ones I loved most. The Cars created songs with undeniable hooks. I believe they could have done them as straight-ahead rock songs and they would be classics just like they became, but they put some very creative spin on them instrumentally, rhythmically and lyrically. The unnatural synth sound was kind of a New Wave calling card that helped them avoid a rock label but I think gives an unfortunate dated element to their songs.
There are too many bands to list that followed a similar pattern of New Waving-up songs that at their core were solid, traditional good songs. The Cars were genius at it. I can recommend anything of theirs up to Heartbeat City where they drown in their own overkill.
“Your all I’ve got tonight” is a banger! Lots of great songs from The Cars! Moving in Stereo/All Mixed Up is a unique song pairing. Can’t wait to hear you guys review them.
Drummer for this band was also in Modern Lovers. You should listen to Roadrunner by Modern Lovers. They were ahead of their time.
Absolutely!
The Cars have such a distinctive sound, like no one else, just you hear an opening and your response is "Aw man , The Cars!"
An often overlooked GREAT debut album. Up there with Van Halen 1 in my opinion. Timeless classic.
Bostons BOSTON Lp was there 1st LP , It was A very big seller from 1976
@@larryronkq586 yep! Another great debut album.
The Cars were the first mainstream New Wave band and brought the genre to an entirely new level with their debut release. They got progressively popier and more commercial though, as the years went on. Candy-O (sophmore effort) is their best album, hands down. The hits were 'Let's Go,' and 'It's All I Can Do,' but you can't go wrong with the title track, 'Dangerous Type,' 'Night Spots, or 'Since I Held You.' You guys would not regret doing the whole album on Patreon!
Pretty sure Circuit City used this song in ads about 10 years ago. Circuit City is gone now but the song endures. Lol
That's right...I could not remember what commercial it was from but knew it was from a commercial because that is how my kids knew the song...plus the classic rock radio I used to play in the car.
@@anmana7 having classic rock on for the kids is just good parenting.
1st 3 albums with some of the most perfectly crafted rock song's....period. This was no cookie cutter band. The song's were filled with character and integrity. These guys rehearsed and played live very very well. A tight band that took pride in their art. Over 20 million can't be wrong.
Our Program Director declared the death of new wave when The Cars broke up.
Thanks guys! Always love to hear the cars.