The Cars' Best Song On Each Of Their Studio Albums

The Cars in 1980 Elektra Records publicity photo

Feature Photo: Lynn Goldsmith; Distributed by Elektra Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As I have written multiple times on this site, when I first heard The Cars on the radio back in 1978, I could have sworn the band was from Britain. The Cars just sounded so British to me. It really was in their vocal sound. As the band became popular quickly, we all learned they were from Boston. Ultimately, it didn’t matter because The Cars were a brand-new band with a very original sound fueled by some fantastic songs. Their first two albums remain two of my favorite albums of the 1970s. So, picking the best song from each album will be quite challenging. Nonetheless, it’s all in good fun.

The Cars – “Just What I Needed”

The chalk wins this one. Of course, it’s always cool to pick one of the deeper tracks as the best song, but it’s also important to stay honest. One factor I use when picking the best song for these album lists is how I felt the first time I heard them. “Just What I Needed” knocked me out. It still does. I have to admit, I was blown away by how good every other song was too. Other favorites include “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” and “Moving in Stereo.”

Candy-O – “Dangerous Type”

The Cars did not disappoint their fans with their follow-up album. Candy-O was a huge hit. The lead single, “Let’s Go,” was fabulous, as Benjamin Orr nailed the vocal on that one. The Cars released three singles from the album: “Let’s Go,” “It’s All I Can Do,” and “Double Life.” However, I thought the best song on the record was the album’s closing track, “Dangerous Type,” sung by Ric Ocasek. I love that keyboard line between verses, and the chorus is so killer.

Panorama – “Don’t Tell Me No”

Panorama has always been The Cars’ album that has not gotten a lot of love from the band’s fans. After their first two brilliant albums, there was bound to be a slight letdown. Yet the truth is, it’s not a bad album. The single “Touch and Go” had a catchy chorus, but it lacked that Cars new wave energy found on their first two albums. The choice here is Orr’s “Don’t Tell Me No.” I love how he sings with that attitude at the start of the song: “It’s my party, you can come…”

Shake It Up – “Since You’re Gone”

Surprisingly, by the time The Cars were set to release their fourth album, Shake It Up, they had never achieved a Top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100. That changed with the release of the Shake It Up album, as the lead single, which was also the title track, finally broke them into the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10. Nonetheless, the pick here is the album’s opening cut, “Since You’re Gone,” which also became the album’s second single release.

Heartbeat City – “Drive”

Heartbeat City was a massive success for The Cars. After Panorama and Shake It Up, I don’t think anybody was expecting an album like this. The band released six singles from this album: “You Might Think,” “Magic,” “Drive,” “Hello Again,” “Why Can’t I Have You,” and “Heartbeat City.” In the end, the pick goes to Benjamin Orr’s stunning performance on the captivating song “Drive.”

Door to Door – “Strap Me In”

The band’s final album with Benjamin Orr was released in 1987. After the massive success of Heartbeat City, Door to Door was a major disappointment across the board. The original band ended up with only about a ten-year run of releasing studio albums. The pick here is the rocking track “Strap Me In,” sung by Ric Ocasek. It was also the album’s second single release.

Move Like This – “Blue Tip”

After Benjamin Orr passed away, there was a strange offshoot called The New Cars, with Todd Rundgren as the lead singer, Prairie Prince on drums, and Kasim Sulton on bass. Only Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes participated from The Cars. No one ever expected the surviving original members of The Cars to get together again and record a new album. But that’s what Ric Ocasek, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, and David Robinson did. In the end, it was a pretty good record too. It would be the final Cars album ever, especially since Ric Ocasek passed away in 2019. It’s so sad that both Ric and Benjamin are gone. There were many good songs on this album, but my favorite was the album opener “Blue Tip.”