Just What I Needed
| "Just What I Needed" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Cars | ||||
| from the album The Cars | ||||
| Released | May 29, 1978 | |||
| Recorded | AIR Studios, London, February 1978 | |||
| Genre | Rock, New Wave, power pop | |||
| Length | 3:46 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Writer(s) | Ric Ocasek | |||
| Producer | Roy Thomas Baker | |||
| The Cars singles chronology | ||||
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"Just What I Needed" is a song by the American rock band The Cars from their self-titled album in 1978 on Elektra Records. "Just What I Needed" is sung by The Cars' bass player Benjamin Orr. The song peaked at 17 in the UK and 27 in the US. This song first appeared in 1977 on a Boston radio station, WBCN, as a demo tape for The Cars. Shortly thereafter it became one of the station's most requested songs.[citation needed]
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[edit] Reception
Allmusic reviewer Donald A. Guarisco praised it as a "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."[1] The song has a minimalistic power pop sound, although has been described as having a hard rock punch by essential reference of rock's greatest guitarists when talking about the band's lead guitarist Elliot Easton, and his notoriety as a rock guitarist.[2]
[edit] Album appearances
- 1978: The Cars
- 1979: Over the Edge soundtrack
- 1985: Greatest Hits
- 1995: Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology
- 1999: 200 Cigarettes soundtrack
- 2002: Complete Greatest Hits
[edit] References
- ^ Guarisco, Donald A.. "The Cars: Just What I Needed". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/song/just-what-i-needed-t1540420. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
- ^ Pete Prown, Harvey P. Newquist, Jon F. Eiche. "The essential reference of rock's greatest guitarists". Books.Google.com. "In mid 1978 their first album, The Cars, was released and yielded the popular single 'Just What I Needed'. The song had just enough economy and melody along with hard rock punch to make it a radio staple - and the definitive prototype of the New Wave movement."
[edit] Cover versions
- Big Daddy - Big Daddy
- Caleigh Peters – Sky High soundtrack
- Sister Hazel – Lift
- Poison – Poison'd
- Bang Tango – Untied and live!
- The Insyderz – Fight Of My Life and Paradise CD Single
- Replicants – Replicants
- Scout Niblett – Just Do It/Dinosaur Egg EP (2007)
- Ghoti Hook
- Faber Drive
- Eric Martin - I'm Goin' Sane
- Ghost of the Robot
- Toshi Reagon - TOSHI
- The Stoneage Romeos - World keeps Turning
- Kim Wilde - Snapshots
- The Strokes and Jarvis Cocker - Reading Festival 2011
- No Ca$h - O.G. Demo Tape
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