Customer Reviews

Cars - Complete Greatest Hits

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Though starting out in the late 70's as part of the New Wave/pop sound, the Cars unique sound of running bass line, rhythm guitar, and prominent keyboards helped define the sound of the 1980's.

The ongoing bass pulse with guitar riffs defining their first single "Just What I Needed" gives the girl in the song a lackadaiscal, left-handed compliment as well as visual observations: "I don't mind you coming here, wasting all my time" and "it's not the perfume that you wear/it's not the ribbons in your hair."

The instrumentation and harmonies that accompany "Here she comes again when she's dancing underneath the starry sky" from "My Best Friend's Girl" is a sign of the sound that would explode into hit-mania in Heartbeat City. And "Let The Good Times Roll" with its layered backing vocals was another defining sound with the Cars.

Judging a group solely by the number of Top Forty or Top Ten hits isn't always a good barometer. The Cars didn't have many during their decade-long career, and only four of those hit the Top Ten. And it took till their fourth album, Shake It Up, to do so. The first one of those was "Shake It Up", whose pulsing racing synths and upbeat drums, and Ocasek's quirky voice, which to me is the epitomy of the Cars sound.

"You Might Think" with its pulsing keyboards, rhythm guitar, and heavy guitar, is my second favourite song, and a more produced sound is apparent here without sacrificing the usual Cars sound. I remember this from the video where Ric Ocasek turned into a flying insect. This came from their Heartbeat City, their masterpiece album produced by Mutt Lange. Also from there is my favourite Cars song, their highest charting one, the haunting and sombre Ben Orr-sung ballad "Drive" which got to #3 on the charts abetted by its multiple atmospheric synths. The girl in this song seems in need of a reality check or a fast lifestyle with that refrain "you can't go on thinking nothing's wrong/who's gonna drive you home tonight?" The verses consist of questions to this girl: "who's gonna pay attention to your dreams/who's gonna plug your ears when you scream?" A similar feel was later attained in Orr's solo single hit "Stay The Night."

The #7 "Tonight She Comes" was their fourth and last Top Ten single. The new song from their Greatest Hits, it was just as quick-tempoed as "You Might Think" with a cool guitar solo by Easton, but by 1985, the arrival of new groups and the novelty of New Wave was dying down.

With the exception of "Drive", they didn't seem to have much luck on their moodier songs such as "Since You're Gone" or the keyboard-oriented "I'm Not The One."

Of the other three singles from Heartbeat City, "Magic" scores great with its opening space-age sounds and the hard guitars even though the tempo's a bit slower than "You Might Think." "Hello Again" is good, but its #20 showing denoted that the album was selling more, and was "oversingled" by the time "Why Can't I Have You" was released.

As for their last Top Forty hit, "You Are The Girl", it was more of the same but more polished and programmed. The song itself is more musing and romantic, and lyrical, "why don't you flash that smile like you used to do?" and "You are the girl in my dreams", and I'm partial to it due to the crazy sci-fi/planet of alien women video it spawned.

A more budget-priced and hence hit-efficient compilation compared to the sprawling Just What I Needed anthology, Complete Greatest Hits has the essentials in one disc, with peak positions and release dates for the albums and singles included.

This album is called the "Complete" Greatest Hits because it is an update of the previous Greatest Hits, released prior to their final album, Door To Door. Not only does the earlier release not cover the entire Cars catalog, it was released during the vinyl-era, when it was still common to release cd's containing only 40 to 50 minutes of music to corresponded to their vinyl counterparts. All of the tracks on the original Greatest Hits are here with the exception of the song "Heartbeat City", which seems to have been replaced in favor of "Why Can't I Have You" (why can't we have Heartbeat City is more like it!).

If you are a die-hard or just casual Cars fan considering this purchase, it is a very strong single disk compilation which is literally packed with over 79 minutes of music (the maximum). If you haven't already picked up the "Just What I Needed" 2CD Anthology, you can't go wrong. Everyone has their opinion of what should be on a compiliation album, but based on the wealth of material available, this collection would be hard to improve.

Another reviewer of this album wrote 'I could have done without "Tonight She Comes" and "You Are the Girl", both of which I consider inferior songs and which were not included in the original "Greatest Hits"'. Correction, "Tonight She Comes" was a new song released only on the original Greatest Hits and became a huge hit, while "You Are The Girl" (also a top-ten hit from Door to Door, 1987) was not even written at the time of the original Greatest Hits, 1985. It is unfortunate that "You Are the Girl" is the only inclusion from their final album, Door To Door. The title track or Ta Ta Wayo would have also been worthwhile additions, but there is no room for more!

The Cars were a group destined to be quickly forgotten in terms of who they were, for they lived professional lives that were marginal in the sense that they recorded and toured, but were hardly interested in the hard rock life style. Instead, it is the body of music that they left behind that will be remembered, for they were incredibly successful at turning out song after song, with each dancing its way all the way into the top ten hit list. From "Just What I Needed' to "Since You're Gone", from "You Might Think", from "Good Times Roll" to "Touch And Go", this is a collection of songs that make you want to hear more. And there is plenty more here for your listening enjoyment, from "Drive" to "Tonight She Comes", from "My Best Friend's Girl" to "Heartbeat City", from "let's Go" to "I'm Not The One". My personal favorites here are "Magic", and of course, the terrific "Shake It Up", but all of these songs are great. Enjoy!

This definitely improves on the 1985 release "The Cars Greatest Hits", and may appeal to casual fans a lot more than the excellent-but-sprawling "Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology". But it leaves out three favorites of mine - "Candy-O", "Don't Tell Me No", and "Gimme Some Slack". All three were singles, but all three appealed more to the band's New Wave fans than the Top 40 crowd. All three of them are available on JWIN, however, JWIN omits the excellent "Bye-Bye Love", which should rightly be there side-by-side with its companion piece "Moving In Stereo" like it is here on "The Complete Greatest Hits".

I own JWIN and the Cars' self-titled debut, so I'm as complete as I need to be. This would be an excellent CD for anyone who doesn't care about "Candy-O" or any of the other tracks I mentioned above.

Looking back, I sometimes think of the '80s as kind of a wasteland of rock music--dominated by Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears and the like, but an impulsive, successful Karaoke rendition of "Best Friend's Girl" inspired me to buy this compilation of the best songs by one of the best bands of that era--The Cars. The band had a great mix--just edgy enough not to be pop, but catchy enough to grab your attention, without the sledgehammer hooks of the contemporaneous Huey Lewis and the News. The accompanying CD book describes well the evolution of the band and their sound. Overall, there's nothing here that will save the world, but right now a good mix of singable tunes artfully arranged, played with spirit (like "Let's Go") and sold at a reasonable price is just what I needed.

This compliation by the Cars is an excellent overview of the band's career which more than lives up to its title. Not only will you get all of the Cars' most well known hits ("You Might Think," "Magic," or "Good Times Roll" to name but a few) but you'll also get to hear some killer album cuts such as "You're All I've Got Tonight" and "Dangerous Type." This is by far the best introduction to the group for casual listeners. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the Cars much until I bought this CD recently, but lately I have really been digging many of the songs here, and I have discovered why the Cars were one of the most clever and idiosyncratic bands of the 80s. In fact, they were leagues above most (if not all) of the other mainstream bands of that era.

As for my favorite songs on this album, I like most of them, but I really get a big kick out of "Just What I Needed" and "Since You're Gone," which has to be my favorite Cars songs and one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. That lonely, haunting intro still gets me, and its desolate atmosphere makes me picture a lone man walking aimlessly down a deserted road while reflecting on something. I tend to go for walks when I'm thinking deeply. Anyway, I think "Since You're Gone" is an ideal song that you would listen to comfort yourself after breaking up with your girlfriend/boyfriend. I don't have a girlfriend, but if I did, I would definitely feel a resonance in this song after breaking up. The longing, the hurt, and the passion are all there, right in the space of three and a half minutes. Sorry to rant and rave on this one song, but it is so beautiful that I can't help but love it.

If you're looking to get into the Cars and don't want to spring for all of their albums, this is a great way to go. This is by far the most thorough introduction to the band, and I guarantee that the comprehensive liner notes and the extensive track selection will give you a very clear picture of what the Cars were all about after you finish listening. The Cars were really at their best as a singles band anyway, so to have a "greatest hits" CD with 20 tracks on it is really quite impressive. So anyway, look no further than this great CD. It will definitely turn out to be "just what you needed."

Sit down...start your stereo...and cruise with The Cars ! Even owning the "anthology" two CD set...I recently bought this collection...and I like it better ! Other reviewers here cover details well...so I'll give you a general review of the CD.

First...once again...you can't go wrong with a Rhino release ! As with other artists and groups...the sound quality here is exceptional...pristine...even though The Cars origional production was very good in my opinion.

Secondly...if you like "extras" which we all do sometimes...get the 2 CD set...but for a smooth cruise through The Cars music history....everything you want is right here in this collection.

Finally...Rhino provides a very fine Cars story and song breakdown in a booklet that's interesting to read. Definitely get "The Cars Complete Greatest Hits"...you'll get great mileage with this ride !

I opted for this rather than the two-CD anthology. The Cars were clearly in the upper echelon of 80's bands. It occurred to me that I lean over and crank up the radio almost every time The Cars are played on the local FM station, so I was pleased to see this new CD compilation when I started looking. As with almost everything Rhino does, this is a solid product -- an intelligent, informative booklet; excellent sound quality; and a not-too-many, not-too-few selection of songs. At least 8-10 of these are true classics, and there isn't a real dud in the bunch. The Cars remind me of Blondie -- tunes so catchy that they'd be dismissed as bubble gum if it it weren't for the intelligence and quirky cleverness of the lyrics and the slightly weird, hip aura of Ric Ocasek (who seems like he would've fit right in with The Velvet Underground or some other artsy band). I'd say that this CD is an excellent choice if you want all The Cars' material that you're likely to remember from the 80's but don't want to take a chance on the anthology.

The Cars have long been in need of an upgraded best-of disc, and Rhino has just about nailed it here. The only clunker out of the 20 tracks here is the tepid "Why Can't I Have You", from _Heartbeat City_. It's tough to fathom including five songs from that album and only three from _Candy-O_ (the title cut or "Double Life" would've been a welcome substitution). Still, credit to the compilers - they had the good sense to include the original version of "I'm Not the One" instead of the hideous 1985 remix, and they included "Bye Bye Love", which was somehow left off that "definitive" anthology that so many other reviewers refer to.

It's difficult to call The Cars punk or new wave when looking backward from the new millennium. Their music sounds more like classic rock or pop than what we perceive to be punk or new wave. Of course, new wave has pretty much gone back to the primordial music sea, while punk has a meaning well removed from The Cars. Some places now call The Cars' music classic alternative, which is another word for music that was once cutting edge and is now closer to pop or classic rock than to anything we'd now recognize as cutting edge. Call it what you will, once upon a time this music pushed the boundaries of pop music to encompass new styles without being so far removed from the mainstream as to be unacceptable.

Pushing the envelope for the cars meant taking 70s rock, incorporating 50s rock and roll elements, and adding a dose of punk elements. The resulting mixture was often quirky, and nearly always upbeat and fun. "You Might Think," "Let's Go," "You're All I've Got Tonight," and "Magic," among others, all fit this mode. The Cars could also create molasses thick new wave as well, with a goodly dose of keyboards in songs such as "Moving in Stereo" and "Good Times Roll."

While The Cars were accomplished musicians, layering their sound heavily to create heavily orchestrated works, their lyrics were typically complex, and often surreal, nearly always poetic and often emotional, in spite of their often robotic presence in their videos. The Cars had some of the most creative lyrics of any group in the 80s, using words with paint brush dexterity to create colorful images of situations and emotions. Precision in their imagery was infrequent as they wrote with words that could evoke an image to fit the interpreter.

With their catchy, though complex, lyrics, and their new wave flavored music, The Cars were a perfect fit for the early 80s, and rode the crest of popular music until the new wave phenomenon began to wane in the late 80s. This CD captures a good cross-section of The Cars, including most of their biggest hits. Admittedly, there are some B-sides such as Candy-O that were not included, but there is at least one two CD collection that has more, and you can always buy the albums if you like what you hear on this one. This CD is great for casual fans and for those looking for a first sampler before buying more of The Cars catalog. It's also great for those of us that like The Cars and have yet to buy all their CDs.