The Cars - "Just What I Needed" | 2018 Induction 

you are right. they WERE the new wave for several years, before others caught up

Epic classic to this day my favorite rock song. I'm 73 and been through every era! Bravo Cars!!

Late 70’s - because that early 80’s “sound” started in 78 - notably with The Cars and a few other acts

Facts.

He has some of the most iconic and memorable solos ever.

Yes, beautiful way to remember Ben. Back when this song hit the airwaves, most everyone only saw Ric as the singing front man. Many assumed it was Ric (myself included) for years until MTV, and the Midnight show set us all straight that it was indeed Ben all along. Their voices had a slight similarity, and Ben chose to sing it in the Ric, voice throttle up, and down fashion. Sure miss Ben, and his voice.

@@adrianreyes4702 Lovely analogy. I'm not American. We did not have MTV. We had our own music shows that played vids. Funny, the only vids that come to mind were Ben singing lead...but absolutely, Ric was the oddly looking, standout frontman.

who else but ric could sing this song almost as well as Ben, Ben really is the most underrated vocalist in rock history, i had thought i was a long time Cars fan but only this year realized Ben sings all the best Cars songs.

@@herchelleonwood7463 Oh yes, you're exactly right! Even though Rik was the "Odd-Looking-Front-Man" it was HIS TOTAL DECISION to have BEN be featured on the lion share of songs that were picked to be released as hit singles...and he was right on with that! "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go" & "Drive", the latter taking it all the way to #1 on Casey Kasem's AMERICAN TOP 40 program, based upon BILLBOARD MAGAZINE! Rik was a quirky sounding front man, but HE wanted BEN, to sing all their big notable, never-to-be-forgotten, best CAR'S compositions. BCRadio

@@BolsaChicaRadio was a good thing Casey Kasem back in the 70s...used to look forward to the American top 40 back in New Zealand

And his Gorgeous looks! He had beautiful eyes! When he sings Drive as he looks in the camera, no words!!!❤️

Rick writing every song, what a potent combo

Sadly Rick is with Ben now R.I.P. ..Such a great band and I’m glad they were huge part of my youth 🙌🥰👍🏻✌️

What a great plan!

@pgamezp2112.. He was also one of only a handful of bass playing front men- although my top list only includes two... Benjamin Orr and Phil Lynott.

exactly. as a sixteen year old, i want to go back to the 80s as a teen so freaking bad.

@@gdwwt8303 being the same age, I wish I was born in 1970 so this stuff was coming out in my teen years

@@tutlemaster7097 I was born in 1970 and started listening to music seriously right around 1981, also the same year MTV came out, and it was a glorious time of music and movies and TV, and the Cars where everywhere then, especially on MTV and Radio and they owned the mid 80's when that Heartbeat City album came out. It's too bad that a lot of that music is disappearing into the vortex of time as many of the musicians are starting to die off now, and other forms of music are starting to take over as the most popular, (thats even more sad to me, that rock is not as big as it once was) but it will always be alive in our hearts and on our stereos when we drive our cars and listen to the great tunes and keep the Rock alive.

Yeah, I loved that era.

Cranking the Cars on my 8 track at Lynn Beach as a teenager. Life was great!!!!

I sincerely believe they are the most underrated unappreciated rock band ever.

They are all good in their own way to make it a kickass band!

@@StupidBeagle FINALLY! Somebody else says what I’ve been thinking for years! The Cars is so freaking underrated man. It’s a shame, I honestly think they should be looked at on the same level of, say, Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2.

I wish I could have seen them live too. My favorite song of theirs is Let’s Go, best song featuring Ben on vocals imo. My favorite song with Ric on vocals is probably You Might Think

​@adriantomlin2902 Exactly, one the few bands who actually sound as good or better live than their records.

The second time hits harder than the first

I had a Mini Korg synth like that when I was a teen. I'm glad he pulled out the old original for this performance.

I hear ya. It’s the synthesizers that set this band apart. I definitely miss Ben. He was GORGEOUS and had a beautiful voice!!! Their unique look and Rick’s unique vocals. They were like an English band and I thought they were for many years. Altogether a unique sound that I grew up to. One of my favorites for sure ❤️

I have heard over the years the hook was from keyboardist Todd Anderson. An original member of Captin Swing with Ben, Elliot and Rick.

I love it as my first job was full of old heads and this was 1 of the songs playing all the time.

ur a teen ager during the late 70's?

@@Boykukok. ; Are you $Tup!D???

I agree about the vocals, but their musicianship has always been tight. It is a huge element in their songs except for Drive. RIP Ben&Ric.

Well said, man.

Ric wrote all of these songs

And also Ric is like 100 years old here 😂, ben rocks but people don’t give enough credit to ric

@@thomaslee2585 Well , yes and no, as Ric was the bands primary songwriter, ,yes all those songs Ben sang on? Were written by Ric Ocasek,as he felt the Ben looked and acted , and sounded like the prototypical rock star! So Ric had enough smarts to know that certain songs(some of the bands biggest hits) were more suited to him, including their only #1 hit Drive!

Elliot has kept up his guitar chops well still ! 👍👌

@@jimmyk2616 Sounds great! Still sounds engaged and interested.

Yes ! He's always been very talented & stayed in the game ever since ! One of the best southpaw guitar masters for sure 👍⚡🎸🎸

@@jimmyk2616 absolutely

Adam Kushner Legends never ever die

Benjamin’s spirit lives on

😢☝#1 in New Wave music. ALWAYS were and ALWAYS will be.

@@ashe984 and so does Ric's, Requiescat in Pace to the both of them. One of the best vocal duos of all time, two true legends, they are missed.

David and Greg doing a great job too.

He gave it all he had...

He wrote the song. He can sing it anyway he likes.

Ric did do really good with this in my opinion, but Benjamin sings it better probably because he was the one singing it in the actual studio recording so we just got used to that

Elliott's Jackie Mason wig is ridiculous.

That solo was a wake up call!

Elliot don't mess around!

I heard some little things in it that Im missing when I play it, damn, someday I'll get it perfect.

Elliot is truly a great guitarist. One of the most underrated players in rock.

@@joejones9520 no one cares.

No nonsense musicianship - perform your craft to your best ability every time

THE CARS are a 70s band ,,, ENOUGH SAID ,, THIS WAS FROM 1978

right!! i remember seeing the post about it from his wife. i was shocked it happened so soon after this. we are lucky we got to see them like this in the band and Ben’s honor ❤️

It's actually from 1978, but they were hip to be there ahead of the decade.

​@@markcarrillo2445agree, the song is 5 years or so ahead. It's so sad The Cars are so little known today here (Germany, probably Europe).

Unless Ric weaseled his way in - Ben would mostly acquiesce and move back a bit - I always wanted him to stay put but that wasn't Ben's way

Ric was the key writer, don’t forget that.

And Rick was 74 here...and passed away within a year.

Yep

Yup! Look closely, you can see some small, over the decades "dings, dongs & scratches" around the corners & all, when really zooming in on that beauty of a super nostalgic keyboard. No doubt Greg brought out his "original gun" to play that song. NOTE: At the VERY LAST NOTE OF THE SONG, Greg with one of his fingers, presses down on what it looks like to be a sustaining oscillator hard switch, to give that last moog note, that classic, one of a kind, "warbly" end-off lick!!! Just like it was recorded on the record, back in 19, friggin', 78...!! BCRadio

Yeah, I have always LOVED Bye Bye Love❤️ 💔 RIP Ben and Ric🕊️

Bye Bye Love .. best song .. fabulous lyrics .. sung by the best .. Benjamin Orr RIP 💔

Have you listened to weezer? Ric produced their albums blue, green, and everything will be alright in the end.

He was a talented dude. He could have gotten acting roles too. Whenever he was asked if he wanted to do a part in TV shows, the band was on tour so he couldn't commit.

@@barackobama5304 oh didn't know that. thanks for the nice comment. such a great guy he was

@@goldblatalex7516 If I remember correctly one of the shows that wanted to use him was Miami Vice but that was right at the time they were playing the Live Aid concert. I think he would have been great on TV.

@@barackobama5304 thats true! he could be amazing on TV!!

@@barackobama5304 I have had that passing thought recently that Ben would have been great on Miami Vice. But I didn’t know he actually had the opportunity. Thanks for sharing the info!

RIP Ben and RIC 🙏🙏

We will try to not hold that against you.

One of the greatest guitar solos of all time.

Yes they felt that!