Heartbeat City
| Heartbeat City | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by The Cars | ||||
| Released | March 13, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | July 1983-January 1984 | |||
| Genre | New wave, Poprock, Soft rock | |||
| Length | 38:41 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | The Cars & Robert John "Mutt" Lange | |||
| The Cars chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | (B+) [2] |
| Rolling Stone |  [3] |
Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American rock band The Cars, released in 1984.
Heartbeat City contains a total of five American Top 40 singles, two of which ("Drive" and "You Might Think") were Top 10 as well, reaching #3 and #7, respectively. A number of songs from the album gained significant radio and TV exposure, notably "You Might Think", which had a memorable music video in heavy rotation on MTV in 1984 and 1985. Another hit single frequently seen on MTV was "Magic", in which singer/songwriter Ric Ocasek walked on water—that is, the water in a swimming pool at a backyard barbecue party. This song reached #12 in the U.S.
The lead vocal on "Drive" was performed by bassist Benjamin Orr. The song's video was directed by actor Timothy Hutton. It featured Ocasek arguing with a troubled young woman played by model Paulina Porizkova, whom Ocasek would later marry. "Hello Again" had a video directed by the legendary Andy Warhol, who also appeared onscreen. The song "Stranger Eyes" was used in the theatrical trailer of the 1986 film Top Gun, but it never made it into the soundtrack. "Looking for Love" was later covered by Austrian singer Falco as "Munich Girls" on his 1985 album Falco 3.
When The Cars performed at Live Aid, they played three songs from the album ("You Might Think" and "Drive", plus the album's title track) alongside the fan favorite "Just What I Needed".
The album was produced by acclaimed producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange. His commitment to the Cars album meant that he wasn't able to work on the forthcoming Def Leppard album, Hysteria. (However, due to delays in that album's recording, Lange was eventually able to produce the album.)
Contents |
[edit] Cover art
The cover art (including an image of a 1971 Plymouth Duster 340) is from a 1972 piece by Peter Phillips called "Art-O-Matic Loop di Loop."[4]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Ric Ocasek except as noted. (All Songs Copyright Lido Music)
- "Hello Again" – 3:47
- "Looking for Love" – 3:52
- "Magic" – 3:57
- "Drive" – 3:55
- "Stranger Eyes" – 4:26
- "You Might Think" – 3:04
- "It's Not the Night" (Greg Hawkes, Ocasek) – 3:49
- "Why Can't I Have You" – 4:04
- "I Refuse" – 3:16
- "Heartbeat City" – 4:31
Original pressing of the U.S. vinyl and cassette versions listed the final track (Heartbeat City) as "Jacki."
[edit] Personnel
[edit] The Cars
- Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, synthesiser, lead vocals on 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10
- Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Greg Hawkes – keyboards, Fairlight programming, backing vocals
- Benjamin Orr – bass guitar, lead vocals on 4, 5, 7
- David Robinson – drums, percussion, Fairlight programming
[edit] Additional musicians
- Andy Topeka: Additional Fairlight programming
[edit] Production
- Arranged by The Cars
- Produced By The Cars & Robert John "Mutt" Lange
- Recorded & Engineered By Nigel Green
- Mixed By Mike Shipley
- Mastered By George Marino
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Billboard 200 | 3 |
| 1984 | UK Album Chart | 25 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | "You Might Think" | Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| 1984 | "It's Not the Night" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 31 |
| 1984 | "Magic" | Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| 1984 | "Drive" | Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| 1984 | "Drive" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 9 |
| 1984 | "Drive" | Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| 1984 | "Hello Again" | Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 8 |
| 1984 | "Hello Again" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |
| 1984 | "Hello Again" | Billboard Hot 100 | 20 |
| 1985 | "Why Can't I Have You" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 11 |
| 1985 | "Why Can't I Have You" | Billboard Hot 100 | 33 |
[edit] Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – United States | 4x Platinum | December 17, 2001 |
[edit] Reissues
| Year | Label | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Audio Fidelity | 24 Karat Gold HDCD |
The Audio Fidelity version has standard banding between each song unlike the original LP and CD. It is reported, however, remastered from the first generation mastertapes. Reportedly the regular CD was created from a higher generation master where cross fades were created. As a result it has a slightly different running time when compared to the regular CD and album.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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