Customer Reviews

Complete Greatest Hits

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though starting out in the late 70's as part of the New Wave/pop sound, the Cars unique sound of running bass line, rhythm guitar, and prominent keyboards helped define the sound of the 1980's.

The ongoing bass pulse with guitar riffs defining their first single "Just What I Needed" gives the girl in the song a lackadaiscal, left-handed compliment as well as visual observations: "I don't mind you coming here, wasting all my time" and "it's not the perfume that you wear/it's not the ribbons in your hair."

The instrumentation and harmonies that accompany "Here she comes again when she's dancing underneath the starry sky" from "My Best Friend's Girl" is a sign of the sound that would explode into hit-mania in Heartbeat City. And "Let The Good Times Roll" with its layered backing vocals was another defining sound with the Cars.

Judging a group solely by the number of Top Forty or Top Ten hits isn't always a good barometer. The Cars didn't have many during their decade-long career, and only four of those hit the Top Ten. And it took till their fourth album, Shake It Up, to do so. The first one of those was "Shake It Up", whose pulsing racing synths and upbeat drums, and Ocasek's quirky voice, which to me is the epitomy of the Cars sound.

"You Might Think" with its pulsing keyboards, rhythm guitar, and heavy guitar, is my second favourite song, and a more produced sound is apparent here without sacrificing the usual Cars sound. I remember this from the video where Ric Ocasek turned into a flying insect. This came from their Heartbeat City, their masterpiece album produced by Mutt Lange. Also from there is my favourite Cars song, their highest charting one, the haunting and sombre Ben Orr-sung ballad "Drive" which got to #3 on the charts abetted by its multiple atmospheric synths. The girl in this song seems in need of a reality check or a fast lifestyle with that refrain "you can't go on thinking nothing's wrong/who's gonna drive you home tonight?" The verses consist of questions to this girl: "who's gonna pay attention to your dreams/who's gonna plug your ears when you scream?" A similar feel was later attained in Orr's solo single hit "Stay The Night."

The #7 "Tonight She Comes" was their fourth and last Top Ten single. The new song from their Greatest Hits, it was just as quick-tempoed as "You Might Think" with a cool guitar solo by Easton, but by 1985, the arrival of new groups and the novelty of New Wave was dying down.

With the exception of "Drive", they didn't seem to have much luck on their moodier songs such as "Since You're Gone" or the keyboard-oriented "I'm Not The One."

Of the other three singles from Heartbeat City, "Magic" scores great with its opening space-age sounds and the hard guitars even though the tempo's a bit slower than "You Might Think." "Hello Again" is good, but its #20 showing denoted that the album was selling more, and was "oversingled" by the time "Why Can't I Have You" was released.

As for their last Top Forty hit, "You Are The Girl", it was more of the same but more polished and programmed. The song itself is more musing and romantic, and lyrical, "why don't you flash that smile like you used to do?" and "You are the girl in my dreams", and I'm partial to it due to the crazy sci-fi/planet of alien women video it spawned.

A more budget-priced and hence hit-efficient compilation compared to the sprawling Just What I Needed anthology, Complete Greatest Hits has the essentials in one disc, with peak positions and release dates for the albums and singles included.

If you've ever thought their original "Greatest Hits" was too little, or that the 2-disc "Anthology" was too much, then I think you'll find the "Complete Greatest Hits" just right. It favors the debut and "Heartbeat City" albums, but everything essential is here. This 20 track disc includes the classics "My Best Friend's Girl", "Shake It Up", "You Might Think", and the ballad "Drive". Plus it has my favorite "Let's Go", and many others. Everything here belongs, but if I could throw on two more, it would be the song "Heartbeat City", and maybe something else from the "Door To Door" album. My advice would be to get this cd, put it in and push play, and let the "Good Times Roll".

This is certainly a killer collection of songs, and I envy anyone who is much younger and not familiar with the band, for they are in for a quirk-rock treat!
But, was 'All Mixed Up' never released as a single?
It's just a shame it's not on here, I think it's the best song in their catalog... the Red House Painters re-make really put into perspective what a great tune it is

I've written a lot of Amazon reviews - mostly movies, but a few CD's and books - and I thought today I would praise The Cars.

I *was" gonna say I already have the Greatest Hits which could easily have been a double album by sticking the Candy-O album (have it) on it and adding a few scattered goodies from other albums I recall, such as "Bye Bye Love", "Moving In Stereo", "You're All I've Got Tonight" and "Hello Again".

I'm not sure how you can leave "Heartbeat City" and "Candy-O" off a greatest hits, but I suppose you have to draw the line somewhere. I don't know "Why Can't I Have You" and "You Are The Girl" by name, so at least I have a couple new experiences ahead. I hope they are as good as the 2 "missing" songs.

And so here I am, buying a second GH album. But I'm not complaining at all - I can choose which to listen to based on the songs they don't have in common.

This is truely the first "REAL"-hits album ever done the right way. I wish that every band and record company could do a job great, like this album. THIS IS FIRST CLASS----done by pro's. SO LISTEN-UP MUSIC COMPANY's and learn from this album how a real "GREATEST HITS" album should be done. YOU LOSERS ! We,the music fans, are sick of your CRAPPY SO CALLED "HITS ALBUMS".

I am a big fan of the Cars and I was pleasantly surprised with this collection, which is the closest you can get to a complete collection of great songs on 1 CD. It features 7 more classic songs than the 1985 Greatest Hits collection. Besides the classic songs "Just What I Needed," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Good Times Roll," "Let's Go," "Shake It Up," "Touch and Go," "Drive," Magic," "You Might Think," it also includes songs like "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Bye Bye Love," "Moving in Stereo," "It's All I Can Do," "Dangerous Type," and "Hello Again," which are sorely missed in the 1985 collection. This collection also includes the song "You are the Girl" from the 1987 "Door to Door" album, and the songs "I'm' Not the One," "Tonight She Comes," and "Since You're Gone"(which are in the 1985 collection). The one song it doesn't have is "Heartbeat City" which is no great loss. If you're looking for a complete 1 CD collection of greatest hits from the Cars, this is definitely the one to own. Very highly recommended!

This is a real treat.Not really a Cars fan but this is music.They were a tremendous talent.Song after song rolls off this CD without a DUD. Remaster wise its a touch on the bright side but I'd give it 85% for recording and 95% for music. As far as I'm concerned today you cant get a lot better. I would like to see the Agitated reviewers thoughts on this one it would be interesting.

...the remix version of "I'm Not The One" should have been included instead of the original version, "Tonight She Comes" would have been a better closing track, and Rhino Records should have included a DVD with all of The Cars' video clips since they haven't been released on DVD yet. Here's what should be:

CD - COMPLETE GREATEST HITS
1. Just What I Needed
2. My Best Friend's Girl
3. Good Times Roll
4. You're All I've Got Tonight
5. Bye Bye Love
6. Moving In Stereo
7. Let's Go
8. It's All I Can Do
9. Dangerous Type
10. Touch And Go
11. Shake It Up
12. Since You're Gone
13. I'm Not The One (Remix)
14. You Might Think
15. Drive
16. Magic
17. Hello Again
18. Why Can't I Have You?
19. You Are The Girl
20. Tonight She Comes
DVD - THE VIDEOS
1. Panorama
2. Touch And Go
3. Shake It Up
4. Since You're Gone
5. You Might Think
6. Drive
7. Magic
8. Hello Again
9. Why Can't I Have You
10. Heartbeat City
11. Tonight She Comes
12. You Are The Girl
13. Strap Me In

But where are Heartbeat City (that even made Greatest Hits) and All Mixed Up (their best song and never on a compilation).

This compliation by the Cars is an excellent overview of the band's career which more than lives up to its title. Not only will you get all of the Cars' most well known hits ("You Might Think," "Magic," or "Good Times Roll" to name but a few) but you'll also get to hear some killer album cuts such as "You're All I've Got Tonight" and "Dangerous Type." This is by far the best introduction to the group for casual listeners. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the Cars much until I bought this CD recently, but lately I have really been digging many of the songs here, and I have discovered why the Cars were one of the most clever and idiosyncratic bands of the 80s. In fact, they were leagues above most (if not all) of the other mainstream bands of that era.

As for my favorite songs on this album, I like most of them, but I really get a big kick out of "Just What I Needed" and "Since You're Gone," which has to be my favorite Cars songs and one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. That lonely, haunting intro still gets me, and its desolate atmosphere makes me picture a lone man walking aimlessly down a deserted road while reflecting on something. I tend to go for walks when I'm thinking deeply. Anyway, I think "Since You're Gone" is an ideal song that you would listen to comfort yourself after breaking up with your girlfriend/boyfriend. I don't have a girlfriend, but if I did, I would definitely feel a resonance in this song after breaking up. The longing, the hurt, and the passion are all there, right in the space of three and a half minutes. Sorry to rant and rave on this one song, but it is so beautiful that I can't help but love it.

If you're looking to get into the Cars and don't want to spring for all of their albums, this is a great way to go. This is by far the most thorough introduction to the band, and I guarantee that the comprehensive liner notes and the extensive track selection will give you a very clear picture of what the Cars were all about after you finish listening. The Cars were really at their best as a singles band anyway, so to have a "greatest hits" CD with 20 tracks on it is really quite impressive. So anyway, look no further than this great CD. It will definitely turn out to be "just what you needed."