Top 10 The Cars Songs
The Cars, known primarily for their music released in the late seventies and early eighties, were a new wave, pop-rock, and proto-punk band formed in Boston in 1976. Consisting of Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, and David Robinson, the group is one of the most influential experimental bands of their time, mixing familiar rock sounds with 50s rhythms and being one of the first bands to popularize what would evolve into the punk genre. With five original albums and one revival album, there’s quite a large catalog to cover, but here is The Lamron’s list of the top 10 The Cars songs.
Ten: “You Might Think” from Heartbeat City
One of the band’s four Top 10 hits, it’s unlikely you’ve never heard this song before. Focusing primarily on pop, the song was an instant hit and won the first ever Video of the Year Award at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, solidifying its place in 80s pop culture.
Nine: “Let’s Go” from Candy-O
In a prime example of the band’s ability to mix genres, “Let’s Go” takes directly from classic rock with its repeating claps and edgy lyrics about “the night life.” The blend creates a perfect song for an interactive live performance.
Eight: “Bye Bye Love” from The Cars
With a softer presence in the discography than the last two songs, “Bye Bye Love” focuses more on proto-punk with its consistent bass line while also mixing in the band’s famous synths. Coming from their first album, the song helped usher in this new sound into popular music.
Seven: “Why Can’t I Have You” from Heartbeat City
From my personal favorite of the band’s album, “Why Can’t I Have You” exemplifies the album’s perfect thematic development. With a backing that ebbs and flows, punctuating the pain of the narrator, the song creates that nighttime cityscape setting that the album so perfectly encapsulates.
Six: “Just What I Needed” from The Cars
Perhaps the band’s most famous song from their debut, “Just What I Needed” hones in on the band’s rock aesthetic to deliver one of the catchiest pop songs of all time, each instrument being slowly added together to create a symphony. Despite being from a debut, “Just What I Needed” peaked at 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Five: “Hello Again” from Heartbeat City
“Hello Again” is, in my opinion, the best experimental piece the band ever produced. Composed of a number of different instruments both electronic and real as well as a number of sound effects from a variety of locations, the song is a jam all the way around and shows that The Cars succeed in categories that many others would never even think of.
Four: “Stranger Eyes” from Heartbeat City
Likely the least-known song to appear on this list, “Stranger Eyes” deserves just as much recognition and stands out as one of Ric Ocasek’s best vocal performances. The band builds up the main chorus, “Will you ride me high, stranger eyes?” in a brilliant way, with much less emphasis on the instruments and instead focusing on Ocasek’s voice.
Three: “My Best Friend’s Girl” from The Cars
Another genre The Cars often fall under (or are credited with popularizing) is “garage rock.” It’s hard to explain, but everyone knows it when they hear it—amateurish composition, likely with low production value and catchy lyrics. “My Best Friend’s Girl” is a perfect example of garage rock, telling a simple story with memorable instrumentals, and added clapping effects so that the audience feels connected to the song at every step.
Two: “Moving In Stereo” from The Cars
After Ric Ocasek’s death in 2019, “Moving In Stereo” received a substantial influx of popularity, many citing that as something like the “theme song” of the band, and it’s easy to see why. Punk, pop, rock, experimental, all together in a somewhat longer song than many expected from the band. The listener goes through a journey as the song plays, one instrument playing in the right ear as Ocasek’s voice plays in the left, slowly moving to the other side and then back. It may seem predictable today, but that kind of production was new at the time; a chance that not only paid off but became what many know the band for today.
One: “Drive” from Heartbeat City
Peaking at No. 3 in the U.S. upon release, “Drive” quickly became the band’s most popular song and remained so over the last four decades—for good reason. Perhaps it’s a bit cliche to have it at number one, but “Drive” succeeds by defying expectations. It isn’t particularly experimental, it doesn’t fall too far outside the realm of what was known at the time…it is simply near-perfect in every way. From the main riff to the backing vocals, from the soft drums to the incredible inflection in Orr’s voice, “Drive” remains not only one of the band’s best songs, not only one of the best breakup songs, but one of the best songs of all time.