How I Became a Fan of The Cars

I am guessing it was about 1982 or close to it; that would make me about eleven years old. My friend Lenny, who I mentioned in last week's Music Mondays post, had his Aunt Joan move in with him and his family. She was recently divorced and had a young son named Jonathan who was one or two when they moved in. After a few months, Joan was ready to go out and get a job, which meant she needed a babysitter for Jonathan.

The babysitter, Eileen, who was about three years older than me, had blonde hair, blue eyes, and oh, did I mention she was a cheerleader? Anyway, I developed an almost instant crush on her, but what eleven year old boy wouldn't have?

I spent A LOT of time at Lenny's house, even before she came along. I slept over on weekends, sometimes both Friday and Saturday with a brief stop home Saturday morning at times. The route from our elementary school to my house included a walk right past his house. Many times I would stop there after school and sometimes stay for dinner before heading home.

Joan's job at the convenience store often meant she had to open up and leave very early in the morning on weekends. This led to Eileen also sleeping over quite a bit. Of course, with spending so much time there while she was there too, the crush only grew bigger.

Her favorite band was The Cars. I had never heard of them to that point. (This was before I started breaking into my brother George's room to listen to his music. Turns out he had every one of their albums though.) She would often put their music on at Lenny's house. I took a liking to them in what I think was an attempt to bond with her or to maybe get her to like me more. I mainly remember listening to their self-titled 1978 debut album and their "Shake It Up" album that came out in 1981.

My favorite song by them at the time was "Moving in Stereo," off that debut album. It was strange and different-sounding, and I liked it. Then of course I saw Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which uses the song for the famous Phoebe Cates topless scene. So basically it was a conspiracy to make me like the song even more.

Then in 1984, they released their biggest mainstream hit record, Heartbeat City, which was accompanied by inventive and different music videos. Eileen was no longer the babysitter, but I still liked The Cars. Of course she was also the sister of one of our other friends, so we did still see her from time to time for quite a few years. She was a senior when I was a freshman, so there was some contact at school too, but not nearly as much.

Here we are though, more than 30 years later, and I am still a big fan of The Cars. I actually loaded my Spotify to go through their music catalog as I have been writing this post. When I put my headphones in and open IHeartRadio, there are a select few channels that I have loaded. They change from time to time depending on the mood I am going for. While writing my Halloween trivia book, I would open the Rob Zombie channel to get his music and similar artists. For at least five or six months now, the four channels I open are Eddie Money, Ace Frehley, Huey Lewis & The News, and yes, The Cars.

Their Albums

The Cars (1978)

Good Times Roll
My Best Friend's Girlfriend
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

One thing about me is that many of my favorite artists have at least one "complete" album: an album that I like every song on -- an album with nothing but really good songs. This might have been one of the first albums I liked every song on. It is probably on the list of best debut albums for that reason I think. Not many debut albums are solid from start to finish; not many albums in general are, for that matter. Back in 1978 and even in the 1980's it was a new sort of sound, but even today it stands the test of time.

The album peaked at #18 in the U.S., but it has since sold over six million copies. Just two of the songs cracked the Top 40: "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girlfriend," with "Good Times Roll" just missing at #41.

Candy-O (1979)

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

For me, The Cars followup album Candy-O fell a bit flat. It was never going to live up to the previous album; it did, however, reach #3 on the album chart and produced the band's first Top 20 song, "Let's Go," which peaked at #14. The album has since broken the four million copies sold mark.

I can only say that I like four of the songs on this album: "Let's Go," "It's All I Can Do," "Got A Lot On My Head," and "Dangerous Type." That really isn't bad for an album, but my expectations were set higher by the debut album. Even though the album isn't high on my list, "Let's Go" and "Dangerous Type" are high on my list of favorites.

Panorama (1980)

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

Where Candy-O fell short of expectations, I think Panorama just simply crashed and burned. The only song on the album that I like is "Touch And Go," which was the only single released from the album; it hit #31 on the charts. The album somehow climbed to #5 on the charts. I do think a sign of how bad the album is overall is the fact that it hit platinum status with one million copies sold in 1980, the year the album was released, and it still hasn't reached double-platinum status.

Shake It Up (1981)

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

They rebounded nicely with Shake It Up, which was a more pop-sounding album. It had four Top 40 songs and a fifth, "Think It Over," hit #41. The album only reached #9, probably due to fans being disappointed with Panorama. The other hits were the title track, "Since You're Gone," "Cruiser," and "Victim Of Love." Personally, I prefer those first two and "I'm Not The One," but to each his own. 

1982 was a good year for the band; not only was "Moving in Stereo" used in Fast Times, but "Since You're Gone" and "Shake It Up" were both featured in another coming of age story, The Last American Virgin.

Heartbeat City (1984)

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

For those first four albums, the band worked with producer Roy Thomas Baker, who had previously gained fame working with Queen (among others). They parted ways with Baker after Shake It Up. For Heartbeat City, they worked with music genius Mutt Lange. He had been working with AC/DC on a few albums around that time, including Highway To Hell and Back In Black; he was also behind Foreigner - 4. Right before Heartbeat City he had finished working with Def Leppard on Pyromania. Imagine having Pyromania, Heartbeat City, and then Def Leppard's follow-up Hysteria as your consecutive projects. He did originally pass on Hysteria to do Heartbeat City, but due to the delays and tragic accident of Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen and his recovery, Lange would still get to do it as well.

This album was a monster success. It got a huge push from the heavy airplay of the creative and different music videos to go along with "You Might Think," "Magic," and "Drive." Two of those hit the Top 10 on the charts, with "Magic" peaking at #12 as well. "Hello Again," "Why Can't I Have You," and "It's Not The Night" also broke into the Top 40. The album peaked at #3 on the charts. Even with all of its success, it still has not topped the debut album in sales. It has only broken the four million copies sold mark, a full two million short.

It was nearly pushed to even higher heights when "Stranger Eyes" was used in the theatrical trailer for a little blockbuster film named Top Gun, but then it wasn't in the finished soundtrack.

Having six of the ten tracks break into the Top 40? Not too bad. I really do think "Looking For Love," "Stranger Eyes," "It's Not The Night," and "Why Can't I Have You" are actually underrated. Perhaps it is just that the others are so over-played that I get tired of them; I don't know. Even "I Refuse" and "Heartbeat City" are decent songs. They definitely came close to, if not achieved, another "complete" album.

Greatest Hits (1986)

Tonight She Comes
I'm Not The One (Remixed)

The band released a Greatest Hits album in 1986 which included the previously unreleased song "Tonight She Comes" and a remixed version of "I'm Not The One." The album would peak at #9 on the charts while "Tonight She Comes" topped out at #7, and the remix even broke into the Top 40 at #32. "Tonight She Comes" was a decent song, but got overplayed.

Door to Door (1987)

Leave or Stay
You Are The Girl
Double Trouble
Fine Line
Everything You Say
Ta Ta Wayo Wayo
Strap Me In
Coming Up You
Wound Up On You
Go Away
Door To Door

Door To Door took another big step back and was the final studio album before the band broke up. They wanted to return to their roots, even including two tracks that were originally demos for the debut album that didn't make the cut - "Leave or Stay" and "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo."

The chart success was almost non-existent with "You Are The Girl" hitting #17, while "Strap Me In" and "Coming Up You" barely cracked the Top 100. "You Are The Girl" and "Strap Me In" did, however, hit #2 and #4 on the Mainstream Rock Chart.

For me "Strap Me In" is #1 and "You Are The Girl" #2, while the rest of the album isn't that appealing.

Move Like This (2011)

Blue Tip
Too Late
Keep On Knocking
Soon
Sad Song
Free
Drag On Forever
Take Another Look?
It's Only
Hits Me

The band actually got back together for this 2011 album, with the exception of bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr, who had passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2000. The album actually peaked at #7 on the charts.

Honestly, I had heard about this album when it was getting ready to come out, but then never sought it out. However, when I started listening to my The Cars IHeartRadio station, I discovered "Sad Song" and "Blue Tip" and love them both. They are unusual and different and to me, that IS The Cars. Since then I have actually listened to the whole album. While I wouldn't call it a "complete" album, I at least sort of like every song on the album, especially the above two, "Keep On Knocking," and "Drag On Forever." Overall it definitely gives me a feeling of the classic Cars music.

The band decided to not replace Orr by bringing in another bassist. Instead, they either used a program to play bass or the other members played bass when needed. They said they didn't want to bring in an outsider. Also, with Orr gone, Ric Ocasek provided lead vocals on all the songs. In an interview, he said that he knows Orr would have sang half of the songs better than he did.

Interact With Me

Tell me what you think of The Cars. What are your favorite songs or albums by them? What do you think of my thoughts and opinions on the band and their music? When did you become a fan of the band? Have you ever started liking a band because a girl or a boy you liked listened to them?

Previous Music Monday Posts:

Music Mondays - Where do our musical influences begin?
I truly think everyone's musical influences begin at home with their families. Whether it be your mother singing in church leading you to love gospel music or with her sharing an awkward story about how you were conceived at a Grateful Dead or Def Leppard concert, it is the first musical influence you get. I know that for me, this is certainly the case.
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