Just What I Needed

"Just What I Needed" is a song by the American rock band The Cars from their self-titled album in 1978 on Elektra Records. "Just What I Needed" is sung by The Cars' bass player Benjamin Orr. The song peaked at 17 in the UK and 27 in the US. This song first appeared in 1977 on a Boston radio station, WBCN, as a demo tape for The Cars. Shortly thereafter it became one of the station's most requested songs.

Reception

Allmusic reviewer Donald A. Guarisco praised it as a "a clever pop song", commenting that "Elliot Easton's fiery guitar leads duel with Greg Hawkes' icy synth lines over a throbbing pop/rock backbeat while Benjamin Orr lays down a fey, detached vocal that captures the sarcastic edge of the lyrics with skill."^[1] The song has a minimalistic power pop sound, although has been described as having a hard rock punch by essential reference of rock's greatest guitarists when talking about the band's lead guitarist Elliot Easton, and his notoriety as a rock guitarist.^[2]

Album appearances

• 1978: The Cars
• 1979: Over the Edge soundtrack
• 1985: Greatest Hits
• 1995: Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology
• 1999: 200 Cigarettes soundtrack
• 2002: Complete Greatest Hits

References

Cover versions

• Big Daddy - Big Daddy
• Caleigh Peters – Sky High soundtrack
• Sister Hazel – Lift
• Poison – Poison'd
• Bang Tango – Untied and live!
• The Insyderz – Fight Of My Life and Paradise CD Single
• Replicants – Replicants
• Scout Niblett – Just Do It/Dinosaur Egg EP (2007)
• Ghoti Hook
• Faber Drive
• Eric Martin - I'm Goin' Sane
• Ghost of the Robot
• Toshi Reagon - TOSHI
• The Stoneage Romeos - World keeps Turning
• Kim Wilde - Snapshots
• The Strokes and Jarvis Cocker - Reading Festival 2011
• No Ca$h - O.G. Demo Tape