All Mixed Up by The Cars

All Mixed Up live 1978
Moving Stereo segueing into All Mixed Up from the Cars self titled debut album

The Cars 1978

       Lots of great bands have called the Boston area home.  Of course at the top of the heap is Aerosmith.  But the area seem's to historically spawn great artists like The Standells, who made the "River Charles" famous, Bela Fleck, Bell Biv Devoe, The Dropkick Murphy's, Extreme, Godsmack, Boston, Billy Squier, Susan Tedeschi, The J Giels Band, and of course The Cars.

Perhaps the most recognizable
cover shot ever

       In 1977 the Cars were jamming in the Boston night clubs and sending out recordings of themselves to the local radio stations.  The song Just What I needed broke the news of this great new band to eastern New England and suddenly every show was sold out and there was a loud clamor for more.  We didn't have to wait long.  In 1978 the band released their debut album self titled The Cars.  The cover featured a gorgeous girl with over ripe lips laughing away behind a translucent steering wheel, one arm thrown across her forehead. The cover shot is attention grabbing and soon became one of the most recognizable pictures in the history of rock and roll.

Ric Ocasek an eccentric genius

     The music was incredible.  The band came along at the start of the New Wave era and was one of it's defining acts.  They combined great guitar work with progressive keyboards and impressionist lyrics driven along with a practically mechanized putt-putt beat provided by under-rated drummer David Robinson.  Greg Hawkes played the keyboards and sax, with smart guitar leads from the left handed and talented Elliot Easton.  Ben Orr played the Bass and provided most of the lead vocals.  But the leader of the band and the primary songwriter was a tall skinny dude with a mullet and dark sunglasses named Ric Ocasek.  Personally I consider the guy a genius.

I love that dirty water...

      The album was a true trend setter and one of the strongest debut's ever for any band,.  It eventually went on to become a 6x platinum recording.  The first single Just What I Needed left Boston and quickly conquered the rock and roll world.   Very soon the Cars followed up with My Best Friends Girl and then Let The Good Times Roll.  Eventually every track on the record could be heard on the radio dominating 1978.  They followed this success with another smash record called Candy-O which had a much different vibe.  The first single off that one was Lets Go and it sailed into the top end of the charts starting Candy-O's drive to becoming a 4x platinum album.

Candy-O 4x Platinum album

      The last track of The Cars debut album was a very strong song called All Mixed Up.  The song was preceded by a charting single called Moving In Stereo which segued very smoothly into All Mixed Up.  Those two songs, but especially All Mixed up, pointed the way forward for the band. It featured much stronger harmonies, a more varied rhythm, a great transition bridge leading to a vocally stellar chorus.  The song has an air of mystery about it reminiscent of the Zombies She's Not There with the band telling us they would be back with even better music with the repeated ending lyric "If you leave it to me everything will be alright".
       The Cars debut album is on my list of must have albums and All Mixed Up is one of the best songs on and album full of best songs from top to bottom.  Give it a listen...

The Cars self titled debut album for sale at amazon.com