"Just What I Needed" | ||||
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Single by the Cars | ||||
from the album The Cars | ||||
B-side | "I'm in Touch with Your World" | |||
Released | May 29, 1978 | |||
Recorded | February 1978 | |||
Studio | AIR (London, UK) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:44 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ric Ocasek | |||
Producer(s) | Roy Thomas Baker | |||
The Cars singles chronology | ||||
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The Cars track listing | ||||
9 tracks | ||||
Audio | ||||
"Just What I Needed" on YouTube |
"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.
"Just What I Needed" was released as the band's first single in 1978,reaching number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting in several other countries. Appearing on numerous compilation albums,it has become one of the band's most popular songs and has been received positively by critics.
Like several other tracks on the album The Cars ,"Just What I Needed" originated as a demo tape recorded by the band in 1977. [3] [4] Ocasek had originally written the song in the basement of the commune he lived in at the time. [5] Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes recalled the first time he heard the song in an interview,saying,"I remember hearing 'Just What I Needed,' thinking ... 'Wow,that's pretty cool. It's got something sort of unique about it,it's,like,nice and concise and ... fairly short pop song format' ... so I still remember hearing that for the first time." [6]
The song first appeared in 1977 on Boston radio stations WCOZ and WBCN from the demo tape,along with its future follow-up single "My Best Friend's Girl". [3] DJ Maxanne Sartori,who was given the tapes of these songs by Ocasek,recalled,"I began playing the demos of 'Just What I Needed' and 'My Best Friend's Girl' in March during my weekday slot,from 2 to 6 p.m. Calls poured in with positive comments." [7] Shortly thereafter,it became one of the stations' most requested songs. [8]
Guitarist Elliot Easton has since named "Just What I Needed" as the band's signature song. When asked what his favorite Cars song was,Easton commented,"On some level I think I'd pick 'Just What I Needed' as our [overall] best. It's our song. You expect the Beatles to perform 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' and you expect the Cars to play 'Just What I Needed.'" [9]
"Just What I Needed" is a new wave and power pop song, [10] [11] described as having a "hard rock punch". [12] The song's opening riff was borrowed from "Yummy Yummy Yummy" by the Ohio Express. [3] It also features a prominent keyboard riff performed by Greg Hawkes. [4] The lyric "wasting all my time-time" is a reference to "Sister Ray" by the Velvet Underground,a band Ocasek credited as one of his favorites. [13] The song was sung by the Cars' bassist Benjamin Orr,in a performance that Ultimate Classic Rock described as "perfect." [14]
Classic Rock History critic Emily Fagan described the lyrics as exploring "themes of romantic indifference and attraction through its catchy,somewhat ironic chorus:'I guess you’re just what I needed,I needed someone to bleed.'" [15] Fagan felt that the lyrics are relatable to listeners because they "convey a sense of ennui and detachment,yet they’re delivered with a palpable sense of engagement." [15]
In 2003,pop rock band Fountains of Wayne would in turn copy the Cars' take on the riff for their song "Stacy's Mom". [16] This prompted Ric Ocasek to say the opening was a sample; [17] however,the band has insisted they "got it right".
The cover has the same photo as the cover of The Cars ,though cropped differently,and features singer and model Nataliya Medvedeva. [18]
"Just What I Needed" was released as a single in 1978 prior to the release of The Cars,backed with "I'm in Touch with Your World". The song peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, [19] [20] as well as number 38 in New Zealand. [21] The single was the Cars' most successful of the songs on The Cars in the United States,with follow-up singles "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Good Times Roll" charting at numbers 35 and 41,respectively. [19]
"Just What I Needed" appeared on multiple compilation albums,among them being Greatest Hits , Just What I Needed:The Cars Anthology , Shake It Up &Other Hits , Complete Greatest Hits , The Essentials ,and Classic Tracks. It appeared on the soundtracks for the films Boys Don’t Cry, Over the Edge and 200 Cigarettes . The song was also featured in an advertising campaign by Circuit City in 2004. [22] "Just What I Needed" has since been covered by several artists,including by the Strokes with Jarvis Cocker in 2011, [23] the Killers in 2018, [24] and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2019. [25]
AllMusic reviewer Donald A. Guarisco praised it as "a clever pop song",commenting that "Elliot Easton's fiery guitar leads duel with Greg Hawkes' icy synth lines over a throbbing pop/rock backbeat while Benjamin Orr lays down a fey,detached vocal that captures the sarcastic edge of the lyrics with skill." [26] Billboard said that it was energized by a "driving,propulsive beat" and enhanced by "feisty rock guitar lines" and "a winning harmonic vocal style." [27] Cash Box said that "the ticking guitar opening is reminiscent of Tommy James &The Shondells and that "the tight-lick guitar work and excellent singing" make it likely to go to the top of pop music playlists. [28] Record World said that "Roy Thomas Baker's production and the group's lively vocals makes the record a standout." [29] Rolling Stone named the song one of Ocasek's "essential songs",praising the "chugging eighth-note guitars marching along in crisp perfection" in the song. [5]
Ultimate Classic Rock named the song the best Cars song as well as the best Benjamin Orr Cars song,saying "On a near-perfect debut album,the Roy Thomas Baker-produced "Just What I Needed" was a near-perfect song." [30] [14] The site also ranked it the 35th best classic rock song of all time. [23] Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as the Cars' 2nd greatest song,describing it as "a combination of Benjamin Orr’s original-sounding voice,Greg Hawkes’fascinating keyboards,Elliot Easton’s sparkling guitar,and that rock meets dance meets punk groove set up so perfectly in the rhythm section of Benjamin Orr and David Robinson." [31] Fagan rated it as the Cars best song sung by Orr,praising Orr's "effortlessly cool and quintessentially rock 'n' roll" vocal delivery. [15] The song was also ranked among the band and Ocasek's best by The New York Times , NME , Esquire ,and Inquisitr . [32] [33] [34] [35]
In 2021, Rolling Stone added "Just What I Needed" to their list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time," ranking it at 369 and writing that the song "defined [the band's] mix of precision-tuned sleekness and creepy mystery." [36]
Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo singled out the song as the reason for selecting Ocasek to be the band's producer for their debut album,recalling,"One day I was in the grocery store and I heard 'Just What I Needed'. I was like,'Yeah that's kind of what I want the Weezer record to sound like. So let's get that guy." [37]
Australian solo artist Aodhan notably covered this song on Triple J's 'Like a Version' in 2021.
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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.
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).
Richard Theodore Otcasek, known as Ric Ocasek, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the American new wave band the Cars. In addition to his work with the Cars, Ocasek recorded seven solo albums, and his song "Emotion in Motion" was a top 20 hit in the United States in 1986.
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.
Benjamin Orr was an American musician. He was best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their hits, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "Moving in Stereo", and "Drive". He also had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".
"Drive" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on July 23, 1984, as the album's third single. Written by Ric Ocasek, the track was sung by bassist Benjamin Orr and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange with the band. Upon its release, "Drive" became the Cars' highest-charting single in most territories. In the United States, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached number five in the United Kingdom, number four in West Germany, number six in Canada and number three in Ireland.
"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.
"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.
Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology is a two-disc, career-spanning compilation album of songs by the American new wave rock band the Cars. It features most of the band's singles, as well as many album tracks, non-album B-sides and unreleased songs.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Dangerous Type" is a 1979 song by the Cars from their second studio album, Candy-O. It was written by Ric Ocasek.
"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.
"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.
"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.
Move Like This is the seventh and final studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on May 10, 2011. It was their first since 1987's Door to Door, and the only one without bassist and vocalist Benjamin Orr, who had died of pancreatic cancer in 2000.
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"I'm in Touch with Your World" is a song by the American rock band The Cars, from their debut album, The Cars. It was written by Ric Ocasek.
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