Why Can't I Have You

Last updated
"Why Can't I Have You"
Why Can't I Have You.jpg
Single by the Cars
from the album Heartbeat City
B-side "Breakaway"
ReleasedJanuary 7, 1985 (1985-01-07)
Recorded1983–1984
Studio Battery, London
Genre New wave
Length4:04
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) Ric Ocasek
Producer(s)
The Cars singles chronology
"Hello Again"
(1984)
"Why Can't I Have You"
(1985)
"Heartbeat City"
(1985)
Music video
"Why Can't I Have You" on YouTube

"Why Can't I Have You" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on January 7, 1985, as the album's fifth single. Written by Ric Ocasek, the song is a lush ballad. [1]

Contents

Release

Cash Box reviewed the single, saying that "this moody piece of peculiarly American synth-pop is pure Ric Ocasek: broken romance lyrics, angular musical backing and a handful of melodic hooks." [2]

Although it did not reach the top 20 like its four predecessors, "Why Can't I Have You" managed to reach number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as number 11 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. [3] The song was the final single from Heartbeat City released in the United States; in the United Kingdom, however, a sixth single, "Heartbeat City", was released after "Why Can't I Have You".

It was also the final Heartbeat City video, and achieved Power Rotation on MTV. [4]

B-side

The B-side of "Why Can't I Have You" was the non-album track "Breakaway", described as having "Euro-disco undertones" in the liner notes of Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (1995). [1]

Charts

Chart performance for "Why Can't I Have You"
Chart (1985)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [5] 90
US Billboard Hot 100 [6] 33
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [7] 11
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles [8] 34

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cars</span> American pop-rock band

The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes (keyboards), and David Robinson (drums). Ocasek and Orr shared lead vocals, and Ocasek was the band's principal songwriter and leader.

<i>Door to Door</i> (album) 1987 studio album by the Cars

Door to Door is the sixth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on August 25, 1987, by Elektra Records. The album was produced by frontman Ric Ocasek, with additional production by keyboardist Greg Hawkes. Three singles were released from the album, though only "You Are the Girl" reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 17. Door to Door became the Cars' lowest-charting studio album, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard 200, and within a year of its release the band would break up.

<i>Heartbeat City</i> 1984 studio album by the Cars

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on March 13, 1984, by Elektra Records. This marks the band's first album not produced by long-time producer Roy Thomas Baker, instead opting to produce with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Considered a "comeback" album for the Cars, Heartbeat City represented a return to the success of the band's self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just What I Needed</span> 1978 single by The Cars

"Just What I Needed" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their self-titled debut album (1978). The song, which first achieved radio success as a demo, took inspiration from the Ohio Express and the Velvet Underground. The song is sung by bass player Benjamin Orr and was written by Ric Ocasek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Drive" is a song by American rock band The Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on July 23, 1984, as the album's third single. Written by Ric Ocasek, the track was sung by bassist Benjamin Orr and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange with the band. Upon its release, "Drive" became the Cars' highest-charting single in most territories. In the United States, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached number five in the United Kingdom, number four in West Germany, number six in Canada and number three in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shake It Up (The Cars song)</span> 1981 single by the Cars

"Shake It Up" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fourth studio album of the same name (1981). It was released on November 9, 1981, as the album's lead single. Although appearing for the first time in 1981, it was actually written years earlier by the band's songwriter and lead singer Ric Ocasek. The song became one of the Cars' most popular songs, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in early 1982. With the track "Cruiser" as its B-side, it reached number 14 on the Billboard Disco Top 80 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Go (The Cars song)</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Let's Go" is a song by American rock band the Cars, written by Ric Ocasek for the band's second studio album, Candy-O (1979). A new wave rock song, the song's hook was inspired by the Routers. The song's vocals are performed by bassist Benjamin Orr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Might Think</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"You Might Think" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Mutt Lange and the Cars, with Ocasek also providing the lead vocals.

The discography of the American rock band the Cars includes seven studio albums, eight compilation albums, four video albums and 26 singles. Originating in Boston in 1976, the band consisted of singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek, singer/bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson. The Cars sold over 23 million albums in the United States and had 13 singles that reached the Top 40. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times Roll</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band the Cars released as the first track from their 1978 debut album The Cars. Written by Ric Ocasek as a sarcastic comment on rock's idea of good times, the song features layered harmonies courtesy of producer Roy Thomas Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Magic" is a song by American rock band The Cars from their fifth studio album, Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on May 7, 1984, as the album's second single, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart. The track was written by Ric Ocasek and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and the Cars. Ocasek sang lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello Again (The Cars song)</span> 1984 single by the Cars

"Hello Again" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their album Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on October 15, 1984 as the album's fourth single. The song was the fourth top-20 entry from the album, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also reached number eight on the Hot Dance/Disco chart and number 22 on the Top Rock Tracks chart. Ric Ocasek sings lead vocals on the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Best Friend's Girl (song)</span> 1978 single by the Cars

"My Best Friend's Girl" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their 1978 self-titled debut album on Elektra Records, released on June 6 of that year. Written by Ocasek as a song about something that "probably ... happened to a lot of people," the track found radio success as a demo in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's All I Can Do</span> 1979 single by the Cars

"It's All I Can Do" is a song by the American rock band the Cars. It is the third track from their 1979 album Candy-O. It was written by the band's leader and songwriter Ric Ocasek, and features bassist Benjamin Orr on vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonight She Comes</span> 1985 single by the Cars

"Tonight She Comes" is a 1985 song by American rock band the Cars from their Greatest Hits album. It was released as a single in October 1985, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1986. The song reached number one on the Top Rock Tracks chart, where it stayed for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Are the Girl</span> 1987 single by the Cars

"You Are the Girl" is a 1987 song by the Cars, from their album Door to Door. It was released as a single in August 1987, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number 12 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was the Cars' 13th and final Top 40 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Not the One</span> 1986 single by the Cars

"I'm Not the One" is a song by the American rock band the Cars, from their fourth album, Shake It Up. It features Ric Ocasek on lead vocals, Benjamin Orr singing the 'you know why' phrase, and the whole group repeating "going round and round" as backing vocals throughout the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Since You're Gone</span> 1982 single by the Cars

"Since You're Gone" is a song by the American rock band the Cars. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Shake It Up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strap Me In</span> 1987 single by the Cars

"Strap Me In" is a 1987 song by the Cars, appearing on their sixth studio album Door to Door.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coming Up You</span> Single by The Cars

"Coming Up You" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their sixth studio album, Door to Door (1987). It was written by Ric Ocasek and sung by Benjamin Orr.

References

  1. 1 2 Milano, Brett (1995). Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (liner notes). The Cars. Elektra Traditions/Rhino Records. R2 73506.
  2. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 26, 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  3. "The Cars – Billboard Singles". AllMusic . Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  4. Billboard, MTV Programming, February 23, 1985
  5. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0502." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  6. "The Cars Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  7. "The Cars Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  8. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending March 23, 1985". Cash Box . Retrieved February 26, 2020.