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.
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Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology | ||||
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Compilation album by The Cars | ||||
Released | November 7, 1995 | |||
Recorded | 1977–1987 | |||
Genre | New wave, pop rock, rock | |||
Length | 2:31:54 | |||
Label | Rhino | |||
Producer | The Cars, Roy Thomas Baker, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Mike Shipley, Ric Ocasek | |||
The Cars chronology | ||||
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Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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.
The following three songs are non-album single B-sides that were previously unreleased on CD:
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 two tracks were never re-recorded. All four songs were previously unreleased recordings.
The following previously unreleased song is an unfinished outtake from the band's first album, featuring only Ric Ocasek and Greg Hawkes. It was eventually re-recorded for 1979's Candy-O.
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.
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 Benjamin Orr, and were previously unreleased.
All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek, except where noted.
No. | Title | Origin | Length |
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1. | "Just What I Needed" | The Cars (1978) | 3:46 |
2. | "My Best Friend's Girl" | The Cars | 3:46 |
3. | "Good Times Roll" | The Cars | 3:48 |
4. | "You're All I've Got Tonight" | The Cars | 4:16 |
5. | "Don't Cha Stop" | The Cars | 3:05 |
6. | "Moving in Stereo" (Greg Hawkes, Ocasek) | The Cars | 4:47 |
7. | "Take Me Now" | Previously unreleased | 4:01 |
8. | "Cool Fool" (Elliot Easton, Ocasek) | Previously unreleased | 2:42 |
9. | "Let's Go" | Candy-O (1979) | 3:36 |
10. | "Candy-O" | Candy-O | 2:39 |
11. | "Dangerous Type" | Candy-O | 4:32 |
12. | "Double Life" | Candy-O | 4:26 |
13. | "Got a Lot on My Head" | Candy-O | 3:01 |
14. | "It's All I Can Do" | Candy-O | 3:47 |
15. | "Night Spots" (original demo version) | Previously unreleased; re-recorded for Candy-O | 3:09 |
16. | "Slipaway" | Previously unreleased | 3:43 |
17. | "That's It" | B-side of "Let's Go" (1979) | 3:24 |
18. | "Panorama" | Panorama (1980) | 5:46 |
19. | "Gimme Some Slack" | Panorama | 3:35 |
20. | "Don't Go to Pieces" (Hawkes, Ocasek) | B-side of "Don't Tell Me No" (1980)/"Gimme Some Slack" (1981) | 4:03 |
No. | Title | Origin | Length |
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1. | "Touch and Go" | Panorama | 4:58 |
2. | "Don't Tell Me No" | Panorama | 4:02 |
3. | "Shake It Up" | Shake It Up (1981) | 3:35 |
4. | "Since You're Gone" | Shake It Up | 3:33 |
5. | "I'm Not the One" | Shake It Up | 4:15 |
6. | "Cruiser" | Shake It Up | 4:58 |
7. | "The Little Black Egg" (Chuck Conlon) | Previously unreleased | 2:54 |
8. | "Funtime" (David Bowie, Iggy Pop) | Previously unreleased | 3:10 |
9. | "You Might Think" | Heartbeat City (1984) | 3:08 |
10. | "Drive" | Heartbeat City | 3:57 |
11. | "Magic" | Heartbeat City | 4:00 |
12. | "Hello Again" | Heartbeat City | 3:49 |
13. | "Why Can't I Have You" | Heartbeat City | 4:05 |
14. | "Breakaway" | B-side of "Why Can't I Have You" (1985) | 3:47 |
15. | "Tonight She Comes" | Greatest Hits (1985) | 3:57 |
16. | "You Are the Girl" | Door to Door (1987) | 3:56 |
17. | "Strap Me In" | Door to Door | 4:26 |
18. | "Door to Door" | Door to Door | 3:20 |
19. | "Leave or Stay" (1977 demo version) | Previously unreleased; re-recorded for Door to Door | 3:02 |
20. | "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" (1977 demo version) | Previously unreleased; re-recorded for Door to Door | 2:48 |
The Cars | |
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Studio albums | |
Other albums | |
Singles |
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Other songs | |
Concert tours |
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Related articles |
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The New Cars |
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