February Playlist: You're All I Got Tonight

You gotta love the music because they aren't exactly dreamy.

Oh, what to say about The Cars!? They were one of the bands I just LOVED when I was a tween. Back before MTV, Nickelodeon's "Nick at Nite" would show stuff for older kids and I recall vividly watching a concert video of the band on a teeny stage where a sawed off sports car took up half the space.

A recent facebook conversation revealed that while Dave and I have the band on our bucket list to see in concert, those that have recommend not wasting our time, as they are moving twice as fast in the still picture above than they do in real life. That's the whole joke behind their last album being called "Move Like This" after all.

As a band, they get lumped into the classic rock genre, the debut album routinely showing up on "best" lists. But their pop stuff gets them radio play on soft rock stations as well as 80s stations, and even some of the edgier stuff gets them airplay on the college radio "wayback playback" shows.

What other band successfully balances having two lead singers?!

And big props to drummer David Robinson, artistic director of the band. His choice of art for the album covers have become iconic, from Candy-o's Vargas to the use of the 1972 Peter Phillips "Art-o-matic Loop de Loop" for Heartbeat City. His own work for the debut album, Panorama and Shake it Up are strong visuals that most any rock enthusiast can pinpoint immediately.

Good Times Roll - The Classic Rock blog routinely does their own top 10 feature on an artist and for The Cars, they said, "you could list every track from the debut album and call it good. It's just that solid." GTR opens that album, and this 1978 introduction sounds fresh in 2014.

Best Friend's Girl - That sly bas riff with the hand claps open a joyful bit of noise about a gal who has moved on. The subject matter sounds like it should be sadder, but Ric is pretty "oh well" about the whole thing. Here she comes again...

You're All I've Got Tonight - This is one cleverly orchestrated song that uses all the band members oh so awesomely. You can love me just 'bout anywhere.

Moving in Stereo - Badass. Most boys coming of age who are also fans of the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High would agree, albeit for different reasons.

Let's Go - Listening puts me so distinctly in 1979, it's scary. Our next door neighbor's grandson Andy was my buddy, and we LOVED The Cars. We made it our goal in life (we were 10 after all) to go to the concert together when we were old enough. *sigh* It never happened, although it almost did in 1985.

Candy-O - Cold and creepy, new wave leanings with amazing drum fills and guitar solos from Elliott Easton. At that time in popular music, no one sounded like them.

Panorama - Diving even deeper into the new wave sound, this song is confusing, erratic and oddly awesome.

Touch and Go - I placed this song on their Heartbeat City album, and was totally wrong. They were ahead of even themselves. Listening to this now, I can see where they were the blueprint for all those bands with a singer and a keyboard.

Shake it Up - Oh hello classic days of MTV. This video in hindsight was awful, but the song was everywhere in '81 and '82. I asked for and received the vinyl for my birthday. Anyone reading will see a pattern when it comes to my birthday. (I think I got Freeze Frame too...)

Since You're Gone - The video was otherworldly and cool, starting a pattern of lead singer Ric stalking beautiful women. Does anyone remember the rubbery fried egg suddenly disappearing? Yuck. I just loved this song.

Cruiser - Heavy guitar riffs, heavy hand claps, it's a great tune. I like to think of this song and Flamethrower by J. Geils Band as complimentary bookends to 1982.

Hello Again - part of the soundtrack to adolescence for me. Video directed by Andy Warhol. Well played David Robinson.

Magic - Oh this song always makes me smile, and I would say it is my favorite Cars song. I used it as my "background" music sophomore year in high school when I had to give a presentation in speech class on how to make iced tea in a sun jar. I wore cut off jeans and a pink camp shirt and a couple of boys looked at me different after that day. The video is funny but seriously? We could all see the platform in the pool.

Drive - the song most everyone else would say is their favorite Cars song. Ben's sadness, Paulina losing her marbles.

Why Can't I Have You? - Good breakup song. I recall listening to it a little too much back in the day. To paraphrase a thought by Margaret Atwood, adolescents love angst, and at the time, I'm sure I had yet to exhaust the possibilities.

Strangers Eyes - it is SO 80s it hurts. You beat the hell outta that keyboard Greg Hawkes!

You Might Think - first video to win Video of the Year at the MTV Awards. Ric frolicking with a model through a series of scenarios. The band playing on a bar of soap! Ric as a tube of lipstick! A case for the medium becoming almost, if not more, important than the music.

You Are the Girl - The band was starting to get a little *too* soft at this point, and the accompanying video was a retread of You Might Think. Still cute.

Door to Door - This song contradicts the entire direction of the Door to Door album, and is an intense sonic rock blast.

Sad Song - Many miles later, The Cars reunited (minus Ben Orr, who died in 2000) to release an album that sounded straight out of the 80s. And for many critics, that was a welcomed change from the current state of music. It earned them a spot as a headliner at Lalapalooza. Missed opportunities...