Here are two different music CDs with the same title. Shake It Up by The Cars is basically a collection of some of their early hits from 1981 rereleased in 2018…but most of these songs sound 40 years old even with remastering. “Shake It Up” still receives airplay on our local Oldies radio station.
Shake It Up: America Rocks is a dance music compilation with classics like C & C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat,” Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch’s “Good Vibrations,” and Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam.”
Do any of these songs shake it up for you? GRADE: B (for both)
TRACK LIST:
| A1 | Since You’re Gone | 3:30 | |
| A2 | Shake It Up | 3:32 | |
| A3 | I’m Not The One | 4:12 | |
| A4 | Victim Of Love | 4:24 | |
| A5 | Cruiser | 4:54 | |
| B1 | A Dream Away | 5:44 | |
| B2 | This Could Be Love | 4:26 | |
| B3 | Think It Over | 4:56 | |
| B4 | Maybe Baby | 5:04 | |
| C1 | Since You’re Gone (Early Version) | 5:58 | |
| C2 | Shake It Up (Demo) | 4:17 | |
| C3 | I’m Not The One (Remix) | 4:08 | |
| C4 | Cruiser (Early Version) | 5:09 | |
| D1 | Take It On The Run | 6:33 | |
| D2 | Coming Up You Again | 5:29 | |
| D3 | Little Black Egg | 2:54 | |
| D4 | Midnight Dancer | 4:20 |
TRACK LIST:
- C & C Music Fatctory — Gonna Make You Sweat 6:50
- Lil Louis — French Kiss 9:54
- Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch — Good Vibrations 4:25
- Snap — The Power 5:42
- Black Box — Everybody Everybody 5:20
- Technotronic — Pump Up the Jam 5:23
- AB Logic — The Hitman 4:03
- Digital Underground — The empty Dance 4:40
These are ok. I like the dance music, and I like The Cars—but I prefer “Let the Good Times Roll”, “Candy-O”, and “Heartbeat City” (my favorite Cars song).
I’d call that a fair assessment. Even the Cars’ hit, the eponymous track on their album, is not exactly the first thing I’d think of from them…nothing too great leaping out from the rest of the two menues.
Todd, “Shake It Up” is early music from The Cars. They went to be bigger hits and better songs.
Deb, The Cars had another decade of hits after “Shake It Up” and dance music remained popular through the Nineties.
Dance music of various sorts is always popular…though this selection is pretty slight on memorable work. Do you like it more than we have?
Todd, when I’m working in the basement sorting books and CDs dance music provides the perfect background sound to keep me moving!
Never had any use for dance music at all except for a few tracks from the Bee Gees and The Rolling Stones.. And though they weren’t a big favorite I always sorta liked The Cars. But except for “Shake it Up” most of the songs I remember from them aren’t on this collection.
Michael, I have compulsion to pick up remastered CDs like SHAKE IT UP. The sound is great, but the style of these songs is definitely early 1980s.
Basically, no. Though I do like hearing Martha Wash going, “Everybody dance now!” even though they robbed her of credit and royalties.
The Cars? I do hear a couple of theirs fairly often – “Just What I Needed” and “Drive” and occasionally “Shake It Up.”
Jeff, SHAKE IT UP was The Cars’s fourth album and sold well. I was saddened when I heard on September 15, 2019, Ocasek was found dead of natural causes in his home in New York at the age of 75.
And thank you for giving Martha Wash a shout-out for her iconic “Everybody dance now!”
Keep buying those thrift store CDs, George. I just saw this story this morning, and I immediately thought of you:
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/02/21/JFK-photo-thrift-store-CD-case-Ferris-texas/4181677014450/?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark
Deb, I confine my Thrift Store buying to books and CDs. But, I’ve been very successful finding wonderful books in great condition along with great music CDs for a pittance. Treasures abound! Plus, hunting and finding this stuff is half the fun!
Although I’m a fan of The Cars, neither of these albums look very appealing.
I’m mildly curious about Ocasek’s wife’s memoir.
Beth, I’m always curious about the lives of rock stars…and their Significant Others!
Paulina Porizkova is interesting in her own right…more so than Ocasek, by me (quite aside from remaining quite striking in aspect).
Todd, I think Ocasek is an underrated artist.
By the time they came along I was an adult and had no interest in their sound! I thibk they made one song I could listen to, but that’s about it!
Bob, The Cars had a string of hits in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Cars were definitely one of the IT bands in my teenage years, and I’ll still pull out the Heartbreak City album and listen to it on occasion as it was one I loved to listen to while cruising main street or driving around with my girlfriend of the time.
Carl, The Cars were big in the 1980s and I occasionally play their GREATEST HITS CD.