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Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology

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Released
  
November 7, 1995

Length
  
2:31:54

Release date
  
7 November 1995

Recorded
  
1977–1987

Artist
  
The Cars

Label
  
Rhino Entertainment

Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb8

Producer
  
The Cars, Roy Thomas Baker, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Mike Shipley, Ric Ocasek

Just What I Needed The Cars Anthology (1995)
  
Shake It Up & Other Hits (2001)

Genres
  
Rock music, New wave, Pop rock

Similar
  
The Cars albums, New wave albums

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.

Contents

Background

Whereas the 1985 Greatest Hits album contained the band's most popular hit singles, Just What I Needed includes an album's worth of rarities and unreleased tracks, in addition to deeper album tracks and the requisite hits.

This album contains the original album version of "I'm Not the One" from 1980, while the rendition on Greatest Hits was a 1985 remix. "Heartbeat City" is the only song on Greatest Hits that was excluded from this album.

B-sides

The following three songs are non-album B-sides that were previously unreleased on CD:

  • "That's It" (previously released as the B-side of 1979's "Let's Go")
  • "Don't Go to Pieces" (previously released as the B-side of 1980's "Don't Tell Me No" and 1981's "Gimme Some Slack")
  • "Breakaway" (previously released as the B-side of 1985's "Why Can't I Have You")

    • 1977

    The following four songs were recorded as demos in 1977. "Leave or Stay" and "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" were eventually re-recorded for the band's 1987 album Door to Door; the other 2 tracks were never re-recorded. All four songs were previously unreleased recordings.

  • "Take Me Now"
  • "Cool Fool"
  • "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" (demo)
  • "Leave or Stay" (demo)

    • 1978

    The following previously unreleased song is an unfinished outtake from the band's first album, featuring only Ocasek and Hawkes. It was eventually re-recorded for 1979's Candy-O.

  • "Night Spots" (early version)

    • 1979

    The previously unreleased "Slipaway" was recorded as a 24-track demo by The Cars between their first and second albums. Rather than record a finished studio version, The Cars gave the song to Ian Lloyd, who issued his version later in 1979.

  • "Slipaway"

    • Previously unreleased cover songs

    The following two songs, both cover versions, were initially made as backing tracks for Bebe Buell to record vocals over for her 1981 EP Covers Girl. These versions feature lead vocals by Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr, and were previously unreleased.

  • "The Little Black Egg"
  • "Funtime"

    • Track listing

    All tracks written by Ric Ocasek, except where noted.

    Personnel

  • Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Hawkes – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, lead vocals on disc one tracks: 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19; disc two tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
  • Benjamin Orr – bass guitar, lead vocals on disc one tracks: 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 20; disc two tracks: 2, 6, 8, 10
  • David Robinson – drums, percussion

    • Songs

    1Just What I Needed3:45
    2My Best Friend's Girl3:44
    3Good Times Roll3:45

    References

    Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA