Moving in Stereo

Last updated
"Moving in Stereo"
Song by the Cars
from the album The Cars
ReleasedJune 6, 1978 (1978-06-06)
RecordedFebruary 1978
Studio AIR Studios, London
Genre New wave
Length4:43
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes
Producer(s) Roy Thomas Baker
The Cars track listing
Audio
"Moving in Stereo" on YouTube

"Moving in Stereo" is a song by the American rock band The Cars. It appeared on their first album, The Cars , released in 1978. It was co-written by Ric Ocasek and the band's keyboard player Greg Hawkes, and sung by bassist Benjamin Orr.

Contents

Reception

Although not released as a single, "Moving in Stereo" received airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations in the United States, often coupled with the song "All Mixed Up" which it segues into on the album. [1] The song continues to receive airplay on classic rock radio stations. [2]

Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic described the song as "one of the Cars' finest experimental tracks," noting that it "sounds like a new wave update of Eno-era Roxy Music." [3]

A demo version recorded in 1977, featuring only Ocasek and Hawkes, was released on The Cars: Deluxe Edition in 1999.

Cover versions

In other media

An instrumental portion of "Moving in Stereo" was used prominently in the 1982 feature film Fast Times at Ridgemont High , in which it accompanies Judge Reinhold's character's fantasy of Phoebe Cates's character removing her bikini top while embracing him. [3] Although the song was popularized in the movie, it was not included on the soundtrack album. Moving In Stereo was one of the last 2 songs Nirvana played live. [5]

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 new wave band the Cars, released on June 6, 1978, by Elektra Records. The album was managed by longtime producer 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 albums chart, and has been certified six-times 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Orr</span> American musician (1947–2000)

Benjamin Orr was an American musician best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the new wave band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their best-known songs, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "Moving in Stereo", and "Drive". He also had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".

<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.

<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">Greg Hawkes</span> American musician

Gregory A. Hawkes is an American musician who is best known as the keyboardist and founding member of the American new wave band the Cars. Hawkes is credited with helping popularize new wave and synth-pop in American popular music as a member of the Cars.

<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.

<i>This Side of Paradise</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Ric Ocasek

This Side of Paradise is the second solo studio album released by Ric Ocasek, lead singer and songwriter of the Cars. It was released in 1986 by Geffen Records. Though it was a solo album, other members of the Cars played significant roles. Greg Hawkes plays keyboards and bass throughout the album, and also co-wrote "Hello Darkness". Benjamin Orr is on backing vocals for three songs. Along with Hawkes and Orr, the track "True To You" also features Elliot Easton on guitar. Both production and drumming were by Chris Hughes. Hughes had been the recent producer of Tears for Fears most popular two albums. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol's band plays guitar on over half of the album.

<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">All Mixed Up (The Cars song)</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"All Mixed Up" is a song by the Cars and the final track on their 1978 self-titled debut album. It was written by bandleader Ric Ocasek.

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

"Hello Again" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their album Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on October 15, 1984 as the album's fourth single. The song was the fourth top-20 entry from the album, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also reached number eight on the Hot Dance/Disco chart and number 22 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. Ric Ocasek sings lead vocals on the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're All I've Got Tonight</span> 1978 song by The Cars

"You're All I've Got Tonight" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, from their debut album, The Cars. Like "Bye Bye Love" and "Moving in Stereo", two other songs from the album, it continues to receive airplay on classic rock stations today despite never having been released as a single.

<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">Double Life (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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Not the One</span> 1986 single by the Cars

"I'm Not the One" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, from their fourth album, Shake It Up. It features Ric Ocasek on lead vocals, Benjamin Orr singing the 'you know why' phrase, and the whole group repeating "going round and round" as backing vocals throughout the song.

<i>Move Like This</i> 2011 studio album by the Cars

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Since You're Gone</span> 1982 single by the Cars

"Since You're Gone" is a song by the American rock band the Cars. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Shake It Up.

"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.

"Panorama" is a 1980 song by the Cars from their third studio album, Panorama. It was written by Ric Ocasek. Despite not being released as a single, the song has since become "a cult favorite".

References

  1. "Top FM Rotation" Cash Box September 23, 1978: 24
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Rock Tracks. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 325. ISBN   0-89820-153-5.
  3. 1 2 Guarisco, D.A. "Moving in Stereo". Allmusic . Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  4. "Byzantine - The Cicada Tree review". Blabbermouth . 29 July 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  5. gearspace.com 9 Jan 2012