Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Double Shot: The 22 Best Songs By The Cars




It’s always a question whether a band should continue on when they lose one of their integral members.  Every time you get a situation like AC/DC, who loses an icon like Bon Scott, then turns around and releases the best-selling rock album of all time with Back In Black….there’s a Lynyrd Skynyrd, who after losing their legendary leader, Ronnie Van Zandt, pushes on to play county fairs and farmer’s markets.  Blind Melon and Alice in Chains added singers that sound almost exactly like their predecessors to mixed reviews, though neither tarnished the band’s legacy, it left you wondering…why? 

I feel like the Cars took the smartest route, instead of taking a chance with messing with Benjamin Orr’s legacy, they respectfully left the vacancy there.  Luckily, the Cars are one of those few groups who can get away with it.  Since Ric and Benjamin split vocal duties, there were always two sides of the band.  So, in honor of the new album, I want to also pay respect to both sides.

For the first time ever, here’s a double-header list.  Two lists for the price of one.  Enjoy.



Here are the 11 Best Songs By Benjamin Orr:

1.  Just What I Needed (The Cars)
2.  Moving In Stereo (The Cars)
3.  Stranger Eyes (Heartbeat City) 
4.  Drive (Heartbeat City)
5.  It's All I Can Do (Candy-O)
6.  Go Away (Door To Door)
7.  All Mixed Up (The Cars) 
8.  Cruiser (Shake It Up)
9.  Bye Bye Love (The Cars)
10.  It's Not the Night (Heartbeat City)  
11.  Let's Go (Candy-O)


Here are the 11 Best Songs By Ric Ocasek:

1.  You Might Think (Heartbeat City)
2.  Gimme Some Slack (Panorama)
3.  You're All I've Got Tonight (The Cars)
4.  Don't Cha Stop (The Cars)
5.  Magic (Heartbeat City)
6.  Tonight She Comes (Greatest Hits)
7.  Heartbeat City (Heartbeat City)
8.  Strap Me Up (Door To Door)
9.  Shake It Up (Shake It Up)
10.  My Best Friend's Girl (The Cars)
11.  Hello Again (Heartbeat City)

Buy the new Cars album, Move Like This...now!!

1 comment:

SteveA said...

I love The Cars - I've been a fan since the 70's and especially seeing the exceent art work of Alex Vargos(?) on his painting on the cover of Candy - O.

My fave songs (regardless of Ric or Ben) is as follows:

5. I'm Not the One;
4. Just What I Needed;
3. All I Can Do
2. Candy-O; and
1. Let's Go

Check out a post I did which included the Cars:

http://longhairedboy.blogspot.com/2010/09/top-50-new-wave-artists-part-5-10-1.html