Door to Door (album)
Door to Door | ||||
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Studio album by The Cars | ||||
Released | August 25, 1987 | |||
Recorded | April-May 1987 | |||
Genre | Pop, dance-rock, rock, punk rock, hard rock | |||
Length | 46:43 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Ric Ocasek, Greg Hawkes | |||
The Cars chronology | ||||
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Singles from Door to Door | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Door to Door is the sixth studio album by the American rock band The Cars. It was released in 1987 on Elektra Records.
Background
Door to Door was the group's last studio album before it disbanded in 1988. It was also the last Cars record to feature Benjamin Orr before his death in 2000. The band would not release another studio album until 2011's Move Like This.
Although by 1987 the Cars had reached the heights of superstardom, their last few albums had relied heavily on studio tricks and machines; this album was an attempt to move back to the group's original roots. For example, where the previous album, Heartbeat City, extensively used sampled and sequenced drums (a move that had somewhat alienated drummer David Robinson), this album returned to having Robinson performing the drums in the studio, often simultaneously with other members.
During a writing jam session, the band began to play "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo", a song from their earliest days together. It had never been recorded in the studio, except as a demo in 1977. They enjoyed the tune so much that the 1987 version of the song made it onto the album. The opening track, "Leave or Stay", also was originally a 1977 demo that was not properly recorded until Door to Door. Both tracks had their respective 1977 demo versions eventually issued on the 1995 compilation Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology.
While the original album bears the credit "Produced by Ric Ocasek", individual tracks from this record that appear on various Cars compilations bear the credit "Produced by Ric Ocasek and Greg Hawkes".
The lead single of the album "You Are the Girl" reached no #17 on the Billboard 100 as well as reaching number #2 on the rock charts. The follow up single "Strap Me In" only scraped into the top 100 peaking at #85 though it was much more successful on the rock charts where it reached #4. The final single released "Coming Up You" peaked at 74 on the charts and was also a moderate hit on the adult contemporary charts.
Track listing
All tracks written by Ric Ocasek except where noted.
Side one | |||
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No. | Title | Vocals | Length |
1. | "Leave or Stay" | Ocasek | 2:55 |
2. | "You Are the Girl" | Ocasek/Benjamin Orr | 3:52 |
3. | "Double Trouble" | Orr | 4:14 |
4. | "Fine Line" | Ocasek | 5:22 |
5. | "Everything You Say" | Orr | 4:52 |
6. | "Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" | Ocasek | 2:52 |
Side two | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Vocals | Length |
7. | "Strap Me In" | Ocasek | 4:22 |
8. | "Coming Up You" | Orr | 4:18 |
9. | "Wound Up on You" | Ocasek | 5:02 |
10. | "Go Away" (Greg Hawkes, Ocasek) | Orr | 4:38 |
11. | "Door to Door" | Ocasek | 3:17 |
Personnel
- Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, lead vocals on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11
- Elliot Easton – lead guitar, vocals
- Greg Hawkes – keyboards, vocals
- Benjamin Orr – bass, lead vocals on tracks 2, 3, 5, 8, 10
- David Robinson – drums
Production
- Arranged by The Cars
- Produced by Ric Ocasek; co-produced by Greg Hawkes
- Recorded, Engineered & Mixed by Joe Barbaria
- Second Engineer: Jamie Chaleff
- Additional Recording & Mix Engineering by Brian Sklarz, David Heglmeier & Tracy Wiener
- Mastered by Stephen Innocenzi (CD) & George Marino (LP)
Charts
Album
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1987-1988 | The Billboard 200 | 26[2] |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1987 | "Strap Me In" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 4 |
1987 | "Strap Me In" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 85 |
1987 | "You Are the Girl" | Adult Contemporary | 12 |
1987 | "You Are the Girl" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 2 |
1987 | "You Are the Girl" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 17 |
1987 | "Double Trouble" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 42 |
1988 | "Coming Up You" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 74 |
1988 | "Coming Up You" | Adult Contemporary | 37 |