Candy-O

Last updated

Candy-O
The Cars - Candy-O.png
Studio album by
the Cars
ReleasedJune 2, 1979 (1979-06-02)
Recorded1979
Studio Cherokee (Hollywood, California)
Genre
Length36:25
Label Elektra
Producer Roy Thomas Baker
the Cars chronology
The Cars
(1978)		Candy-O
(1979)		 Panorama
(1980)
Singles from Candy-O
  1. "Let's Go"
    Released: June 12, 1979
  2. "It's All I Can Do"
    Released: September 25, 1979
  3. "Double Life"
    Released: December 12, 1979

Candy-O is the second studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on June 2, 1979, by Elektra Records.

Contents

Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album spawned two singles, "Let's Go" and "It's All I Can Do". The album outperformed the band's debut, peaking at number three on the US Billboard 200. The cover art was done by pin-up artist Alberto Vargas.

Background

Unlike the first album, Candy-O was created under a more democratic approach. Ric Ocasek said of this, "When one of my songs goes to the band in barest cassette form, we sit around and talk about it. If I'm outvoted, we don't do it. We almost didn't include 'Double Life' on the new album, it had been dropped. I think everybody in the Cars is open-minded and creative enough that they would do anything – nobody's holding anything back. Everybody appreciates the more radical, experimental kinds of music and likes it. But sometimes, when you're put together with five pieces, things are not as minimal as they could or should be. Everybody's developed a unique personal style, and we rely on their input. If they did it, it's good enough." [4]

Most of the songs on Candy-O were written after the release of The Cars, meaning that most of the leftovers from the first album (including the popular encore "Take What You Want") were scrapped; "Night Spots", a reject from the first album, was still included. [5]

For the album, the band once again worked with Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker. Ocasek said of their relationship with the producer, "Well, some of the things on that first album that we thought were a little slick, we toned down on the second, like on the background vocals. But if we were going to rely on the producer we had hired, there was no reason to try and change him. On the second album, it was easier to say, 'Roy, let's not do the multi-tracked harmonies this time.'" [4]

The band's label, Elektra, initially wanted to hold back the release of the album, but the band stood their ground. Ocasek said of this, "At first Elektra wanted to hold it back some, but we told them there was no way, because if they were going to hold that back, they were going to hold us back, and we can't just sit around and be held back." [4] Released as the follow-up to their 1978 debut album The Cars , Candy-O peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. The album re-entered the charts at number 179 in 1984. The record was also ranked number 82 on Billboard's "Top Albums of the Year" chart for 1979. [6]

Three singles were lifted from Candy-O: "Let's Go" reached number 14, making it the first top-20 Cars single, "It's All I Can Do" peaked at number 41, barely missing the top 40, [7] and "Double Life" failed to chart.

Cover art

The album cover was painted by artist Alberto Vargas, who was known for his paintings of pin-up girls that appeared in Esquire and Playboy magazines in the 1940s through the 1960s. The idea to hire Vargas came from drummer David Robinson, the band's artistic director and a collector of pin-ups. The 83-year-old Vargas had retired several years earlier but was persuaded to take the assignment by his niece, who was a fan of the Cars.[ citation needed ] The painting, depicting a woman sprawled across the hood of a Ferrari 365 GTC/4, [8] was based on a photo shoot directed by Robinson at a Ferrari dealership. [9] The model, coincidentally named Candy Moore, briefly dated Robinson afterward. [10]

Candy Moore

Candy Moore, a model and actress who appeared in the 1981 movie Lunch Wagon , is often confused with an actress of the same name who starred in The Lucy Show and married actor Paul Gleason. The case of incorrect identity is pervasive throughout the Internet, having the Lucy Show actress often linked to, and credited with, the work of the model found on the Cars' album. The Candy Moore from the cover of the Candy-O album can also be found wearing a red shirt on the cover of Rick James' album Street Songs , and on subsequent sleeves for his singles such as "Ghetto Life". Other shots of the model during the Candy-O cover shoot can be found in a video interview with David Robinson. [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
Smash Hits 8/10 [14]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 9/10 [15]
The Village Voice B+ [3]

Candy-O was positively received by critics. Harry Sumrall of The Washington Post praised the album as "invigorating and enlightening" and found that Ocasek's songs possessed a "certain adolescent charm" while avoiding "any direct allusions to '50s rock 'n' roll." [16] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau summarized the album as follows: "Cold and thin, shiny and hypnotic, it's what they do best—rock and roll that is definitely pop without a hint of cuteness". [3]

Rolling Stone writer Tom Carson was more reserved in his praise, writing, "It's almost inevitable that Candy-O, the Cars' second album, doesn't seem nearly as exciting as their first. The element of surprise is gone, and the band hasn't been able to come up with anything new to replace it. Candy-O is an elaborately constructed, lively, entertaining LP that's packed with good things. And it's got a wonderful title. But it's a little too disciplined, a shade too predictable." [17]

Retrospective reception

In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Greg Prato said that while Candy-O "was not as stellar" as The Cars, "it did contain several classics, resulting in another smash album that solidified the band's standing as one of the most promising new bands of the late '70s." [18] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Pitchfork wrote: "Take Candy-O, which followed their debut by almost exactly a year. Superficially, the album offers another dose of stylish, detached pop with hooks so finely honed, they may have come off an assembly line. Listen closely, though, and Candy-O boasts bolder production that emphasizes the band’s heavy attack and gives plenty of space for guitarist Elliot Easton to spin out composed solos. It sounds not just like new wave—the umbrella term for any pop-oriented counterculture music that arose in the wake of punk—but album rock." [1]

Hamish Champ, writer of The 100 Best-Selling Albums of the 70s, said: "With UK producer Roy Thomas Baker once again behind the decks, Ric Ocasek and his colleagues produced a follow-up to their hugely successful debut with more of the same quirky, offbeat songs that had caused such a stir the first time around." [19]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek

Side one
No.TitleVocalsLength
1."Let's Go" Benjamin Orr 3:32
2."Since I Held You"
  • Ocasek
  • Orr
3:16
3."It's All I Can Do"Orr3:46
4."Double Life"Ocasek4:11
5."Shoo Be Doo"Ocasek1:41
6."Candy-O"Orr2:37
Side two
No.TitleVocalsLength
7."Night Spots"Ocasek3:14
8."You Can't Hold On Too Long"Orr2:47
9."Lust for Kicks"Ocasek3:52
10."Got a Lot on My Head"Ocasek2:59
11."Dangerous Type"Ocasek4:30
2017 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleVocalsLength
12."Let's Go" (monitor mix)Orr3:33
13."Candy-O" (Northern Studios version)Orr2:35
14."Night Spots" (Northern Studios version)Ocasek3:43
15."Lust for Kicks" (monitor mix)Ocasek4:25
16."Dangerous Type" (Northern Studios version)Ocasek3:26
17."They Won't See You" (Northern Studios version)Ocasek3:49
18."That's It" (B-side of "Let's Go")Orr3:23

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Candy-O. [20]

The Cars

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Candy-O
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [31] 4× Platinum4,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cars</span> American pop-rock band

The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes (keyboards), and David Robinson (drums). Ocasek and Orr shared lead vocals, and Ocasek was the band's principal songwriter and leader.

<i>The Cars</i> (album) 1978 studio album by the Cars

The Cars is the debut studio album by American rock band the Cars, released June 6, 1978 by Elektra Records. The album was produced by longtime collaborator Roy Thomas Baker, and spawned several hit singles, including "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", and "Good Times Roll", as well as other radio and film hits such as "Bye Bye Love" and "Moving in Stereo". The Cars peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, and has been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Door to Door</i> (album) 1987 studio album by the Cars

Door to Door is the sixth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on August 25, 1987, by Elektra Records. The album was produced by frontman Ric Ocasek, with additional production by keyboardist Greg Hawkes. Three singles were released from the album, though only "You Are the Girl" reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 17. Door to Door became the Cars' lowest-charting studio album, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard 200, and within a year of its release the band would break up.

<i>Panorama</i> (The Cars album) 1980 studio album by the Cars

Panorama is the third studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on August 15, 1980, by Elektra Records. Like its predecessors, it was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and released on Elektra Records.

<i>Shake It Up</i> (The Cars album) 1981 studio album by the Cars

Shake It Up is the fourth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on November 6, 1981, by Elektra Records. It was the last Cars record to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker. A much more pop-oriented album than its predecessor, its title track became the band's first Billboard top-10 single. Spin magazine included it on their "50 Best Albums of 1981" list.

<i>Heartbeat City</i> 1984 studio album by the Cars

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on March 13, 1984, by Elektra Records. This marks the band's first album not produced by long-time producer Roy Thomas Baker, instead opting to produce with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Considered a "comeback" album for the Cars, Heartbeat City represented a return to the success of the band's self-titled debut album.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (The Cars album) 1985 greatest hits album by the Cars

Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock band the Cars, released on October 25, 1985, by Elektra Records. "Tonight She Comes", a previously unreleased song, and a remix of "I'm Not the One" were issued as singles to support the album. It was a commercial success, going six-times platinum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just What I Needed</span> 1978 single by The Cars

"Just What I Needed" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their self-titled debut album (1978). The song, which first achieved radio success as a demo, took inspiration from the Ohio Express and the Velvet Underground. The song is sung by bass player Benjamin Orr and was written by Ric Ocasek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shake It Up (The Cars song)</span> 1981 single by the Cars

"Shake It Up" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fourth studio album of the same name (1981). It was released on November 9, 1981, as the album's lead single. Although appearing for the first time in 1981, it was actually written years earlier by the band's songwriter and lead singer Ric Ocasek. The song became one of the Cars' most popular songs, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in early 1982. With the track "Cruiser" as its B-side, it reached number 14 on the Billboard Disco Top 80 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Go (The Cars song)</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Let's Go" is a song by American rock band the Cars, written by Ric Ocasek for the band's second studio album, Candy-O (1979). A new wave rock song, the song's hook was inspired by the Routers. The song's vocals are performed by bassist Benjamin Orr.

<i>Complete Greatest Hits</i> (The Cars album) 2002 greatest hits album by the Cars

Complete Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American rock band the Cars, released on February 19, 2002, by Elektra Records and Rhino Records. It contains 20 singles and notable album tracks in chronological order of their original release. Sales of the album reignited following Ric Ocasek's death in September 15, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Might Think</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"You Might Think" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Mutt Lange and the Cars, with Ocasek also providing the lead vocals.

The discography of the American rock band the Cars includes seven studio albums, eight compilation albums, four video albums and 26 singles. Originating in Boston in 1976, the band consisted of singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek, singer/bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson. The Cars sold over 23 million albums in the United States and had 13 singles that reached the Top 40. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times Roll</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band the Cars released as the first track from their 1978 debut album The Cars. Written by Ric Ocasek as a sarcastic comment on rock's idea of good times, the song features layered harmonies courtesy of producer Roy Thomas Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Magic" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on May 7, 1984, as the album's second single, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and the Cars. Ocasek sang lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Best Friend's Girl (song)</span> 1978 single by the Cars

"My Best Friend's Girl" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their 1978 self-titled debut album on Elektra Records, released on June 6 of that year. Written by Ocasek as a song about something that "probably ... happened to a lot of people," the track found radio success as a demo in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's All I Can Do</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"It's All I Can Do" is a song by the American rock band the Cars. It is the third track from their 1979 album Candy-O. It was written by the band's leader and songwriter Ric Ocasek, and features bassist Benjamin Orr on vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Are the Girl</span> 1987 single by the Cars

"You Are the Girl" is a 1987 song by the Cars, from their album Door to Door. It was released as a single in August 1987, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was the Cars' 13th and final Top 40 hit.

"Candy-O" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, the title track of their 1979 album Candy-O. Written by Ric Ocasek, the song was not based on a real person. The song features a prominent guitar solo by Elliot Easton and lead vocals by bassist Benjamin Orr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double Life (The Cars song)</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Double Life" is a single by the American rock band the Cars from their second album Candy-O. Written by Ric Ocasek, the song was almost left off the album. The song was released as the third single from the album in 1979, but did not chart.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (August 17, 2017). "The Cars: Candy-O / Panorama". Pitchfork . Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Sendra, Tim. "Candy-O – The Cars". AllMusic . Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Christgau, Robert (September 3, 1979). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Giles, Jeff (June 13, 2015). "Why the Cars Roughed Things Up on Their Second LP, 'Candy-O'". Ultimate Classic Rock . Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ Milano, Brett (1995). Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (liner notes). The Cars. Rhino Records. R2 73506.
  6. 1 2 "Top Albums of the Year". Billboard . Vol. 91, no. 51. December 22, 1979. p. TIA-12. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "The Cars Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. ↑ "The Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Home Page". 365gtc4.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  9. ↑ Angus, James (April 4, 2020). "Candy-O". The Cavender Diary. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  10. ↑ Scott, Grant; Miles, Barry; Morgan, Johnny (2005). The Greatest Album Covers of All Time. Collins & Brown. p. 96. ISBN   978-1843403012.
  11. ↑ "The Cars Candy-O Expanded Edition – Interview with David Robinson about cover artwork" . Retrieved December 29, 2021– via YouTube.
  12. ↑ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). "Cars". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). LOndon: Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  13. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "The Cars". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p.  140. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  14. ↑ Starr, Red (July 12–25, 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits . Vol. 1, no. 16. p. 25.
  15. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Cars". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 76–77. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  16. ↑ Sumrall, Harry (August 12, 1979). "Racy Cars and A Dutch Treat". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  17. ↑ Carson, Tom (August 23, 1979). "The Cars: Candy-O". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on November 24, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  18. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Candy-O – The Cars". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 6, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  19. ↑ Champ, Hamish (2004). The 100 Best-Selling Albums of the 70s. Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN   9780760756522.
  20. ↑ Candy-O (liner notes). The Cars. Elektra Records. 1979. 5E-507.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ↑ Kent 1993, p. 56.
  22. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4397a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Charts.nz – The Cars – Candy-O". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  25. ↑ "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  26. ↑ Kent 1993, p. 431.
  27. ↑ "1979 Top 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. December 22, 1979. ISSN   0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  28. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1979". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Albums". RPM. Vol. 34, no. 6. December 20, 1980. ISSN   0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1980". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  31. ↑ "American album certifications – The Cars – Candy-O". Recording Industry Association of America. November 15, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

Bibliography

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.