Candy-O - The Cars | The Midnight Special

[@johnpecoraro1720]

Elliot Easton is so bad ass!

[@marcillioficino4663]

Very tasty guitar licks.

[@ShadesOClarity]

@@marcillioficino4663 Super underrated. I agree. His licks were super tasty.

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

E square 🎸 immaculate solos

[@ShadesOClarity]

@@JAMESGANG-f5u They really were. "Just What I Needed" is my favorite.

[@theedge9174]

You got that right!

[@mnoir8888]

Yes, Benjamin has a “great voice.” But as a lifelong singer, this is only half of the equation. His SKILL made him a great singer. He knew how to use and manipulate his high baritone luciousness.

[@colusaboy]

and his high cheekbones dude was the complete package. I loved the cars. They were MY BAND.

[@HoursaDay]

Benjamin Orr was so 🤘💃

[@chrisnemec5644]

RIP Ben Orr.

[@vap0rland]

if debbie harry had been a dude . . .

[@theedge9174]

True rock star!

[@fumanchu1977]

Cars and Blondie - the bands that invented the 80's

[@22tango79]

Love 'em...and the Beatles' *tomorrow never knows*..., Roxy Music, ...etc...

[@ericlee2931]

You all absolutely right 100%.... I might add the Pretenders, The Police ... These bands created the entire template of what was the 80s. they laid the blueprint and foundations of what was to come. In 1977 I was jamming to bands like Aerosmith, Zepplin, Rush, Queen ect. Then the Cars, Blondie, Police and Pretenders began showing up on the Radio around 1977

[@jasonb68754]

Until MTV era ruined it.

[@anthonyrowland9072]

@@jasonb68754 1978 to 1982 was really the peak of rock.

[@zimmy4868]

And Talking Heads

[@chuckt4558]

Elliot is such a beast on guitar.

[@mikeberg5003]

Completely underrated

[@terribryant2901]

Omygosh he has fun! This is a great performance 👏

[@jynxclover]

Totally underrated

[@boataxe4605]

As a younger person who loved long guitar solos (and still do) I underestimated how good and how tasteful Elliot was. I get it now.

[@ldenorio]

i agree

[@pc2414]

@@ldenorio He was a beast!!

[@ttrcyttrcy1662]

I wish this solo was longer.

[@Retroearthling]

like right? Every solo was like a song in itself never a note that didn't make sense. I noticed it when i was 15. And btw i see lots of notes wasted even with the likes of Eddie Van halen...but with Elliot? Never

[@edwardhassick5768]

so, so true.

[@jtmichaelson]

As much as I love Heartbeat City, Shake It Up and Door to Door, those first three albums were raw and more energetic. Candy-O, to me at least, is as powerful and amazing as the first album.

[@mournblade1066]

The Cars are probably my favorite band of all time, but _Panorama_ is the only album of theirs I don't care for. ("Touch and Go" is the really only standout track, in my opinion.) But yeah, _Candy-O_ is an absolutely stellar second album.

[@Walker_Bulldog]

Candy-O is my favorite Cars album. There was magic on the radio in those days.

[@sixbladeknife44]

@@Walker_BulldogAs superb as the first album is, the second had an even better flow…also my favorite.

[@goobfilmcast4239]

@@mournblade1066 Gimme Some Slack is a great driving tune....and all their stuff sounds great on a decent set of modern headphones driven by a quality DAC/Amp. However, I do think they lost their edge at Heartbeat City and fell off with Door to Door. It must have hard for the Cars to keep being The Cars when so many mid-80s band "became" The Cars. Anyway, I hope young, budding musicians and songwriters look back and take inspiration from that era. I may be an old man yelling at clouds but modern pop is just horrible boiled-down pablum.................with a very few exceptions.

[@Bdubbin305]

​@goobfilmcast4239 I would add Up and Down, Running To You, Getting Through, and Down Boys to the list of songs off Panorama that are solid. But for me Candy O and their debut album are their best albums for me. Heartbeat City was more commercial, still some quality songs but it lacks the rock energy and rawness of their earlier stuff.

[@Ibrian8888]

His voice is mind boggling

[@jennbaronas6766]

💯. Fantastic band but Ben’s voice puts this one over the top, IMO.

[@kelseymariel2127]

The rest of him ain’t bad either

[@mnoir8888]

He’s the complete package, imo.

[@misterwirez7731]

Ben Orr was a baritone like Jim Morrison, but Ben could hit the high ones too. Fantastic range.

[@floyd6545]

Kinda has a Bowie sound.

[@planomathandscience]

Orr sang all their best stuff.

[@pretzellogic101]

Yeah. I remember that Ric once said something like "If it's a good song, I sing it. If it's a great song, Ben sings it.

[@ForceWinds3]

🎯

[@ForceWinds3]

🎯

[@billholdenjr9661]

Not true. You're entitled to your opinion but Ric sang many of their best tunes. It was a great vocal duo that not many bands have replicated. I agree Ben had the better voice and range but they each applied their best attributes to each song they sang.

[@WolfRun59]

Such an original and exciting band. Can’t believe Ric and Benjamin are gone. Will treasure memories of seeing them live twice in concert forever.

[@mikeberg5003]

They opened for Styx in L.A. in 1978. The ONLY reason we went was to see the Cars.

[@MusicZombieGirl]

Scream....... Goosebumps! Ben is killing it! Elliot is killing it! Thank you Midnight Special! Candy-O... OH

[@amazingronaldo9656]

Ben Orr's voice was so smooth! He had a great voice!! And it never seemed like much effort for him either! Just so good. This has to be my favorite song of theirs and this album was my favorite. Glad to see another old live version on the YT!

[@RealBkay45]

Awesome! Candy-O paired with the Shoo-Be-Doo lead in on the album is my favorite Cars tune.

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

They used to open their set this way when I saw them Panorama and Shake it Up tours. They changed it up though with Heatbeat City on their next tour in support of that album.

[@RealBkay45]

@@curtisphilumalee1447 I'm envious! I never managed to see The Cars live.

[@MalcolmDesigns]

Candy O was an incredible album, I almost wore that record out I played it so many times as a 16yo...

[@Bdubbin305]

It's my favorite album, amazing stuff

[@christineanderson8864]

❤ Just what my insomnia needed- now I’ll never get to sleep. 😉

[@KittyGrizGriz]

You’ll definitely have “sweet Benjamin” dreams now, eh??

[@christineanderson8864]

@@KittyGrizGriz Absolutely! 😊😍

[@mnoir8888]

3 o’clock in the morning : Benny-O I need you so-o

[@thekenzosh]

How does this only have 148k views. This is genius and a peek into great step in music history.

[@gregoryduncan3067]

"The Dangerous Type" is the only one left, I think. Wow, that was fast 😮.

[@StephanieJeanne]

Noooo!!😛

[@smb7647]

They were so tight, absolute perfection live, Elliot is amazing to watch

[@Jreb1865]

Ben playin that Ric bass is pure fire...

[@ApostleofLoveMedjugorie]

The Cars were in a category of their very own...not exactly rock or New Wave..entrancing hip rhythmic beats...definitely my top 5 favorite of all time!!🎵❤️🙏🎶

[@RodeWerk-Rw]

Another amazing song by The Cars. Thank you, The Midnight Special.

[@mikedrown2721]

I turned 32 years old in 1978😊

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

Loved this band and this upload. Raised my daughters on The Cars albums and gave them my Panorama and Shake it Up tour tee shirts. Makes me smile when I see one of them wearing one.

[@themidnightspecialtvshow]

Rock on!

[@that70sgirl90]

It was such an honor to have experienced these great bands that graced our stages! Happy Thursday... thank you for sharing! 💖 Happy Holidays! 🎄✨️🎁🦌🎅🤶🧑‍🎄

[@williamwagner557]

Pre MTV Cars were my favorite ❤️

[@KittyGrizGriz]

“ Can you help me “ IN?? “. No one ever brings up that line~lyric so there…I did it… Sexy lil’ ditty there Ric,- what a great songwriter he was. Whew Benjamin’s smokin’ 🥵!

[@MusicZombieGirl]

I love it. And Ben moaning OH "Candy-O...OH" wow

[@kelseymariel2127]

Haha he was smokin’ Kitty 🔥

[@DP-wi6hm]

Long live the Cars. RIP Rik & Ben, Thanks for all the great music. Such great musicians, the entire band.

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

When I was about 9-11 years old and my sister about 6-8 years old (so around 1982-85) Our mom kept The Cars cassette in the old Volvo while she’d drag us around town to garage sales, yard sales, flea markets, estate sales, thrift shops... and to her numerous women friends homes who were also into that whole scene. But those Cars tapes (first 3 albums I believe) were on HEAVY rotation through those days. Enough that to this day my sis and I still know all of the lyrics to all of those great songs. I also recall her playing The Beatles, The Doors, Blondie, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, The Moody Blues. But The Cars were (still are) my favorite amongst those groups/artists. Our dad usually had The Stones... -Sticky Fingers -Tattoo You -Hot Rocks 1964-71 Each of our parents (born 1951-52) had massive (1,000+) album collections. They were late 60s-Early 70s Hippies so their albums were of that era -Beatles -Stones -The Who -Cream -Hendrix -Zeppelin -Dylan -CSNY -Grand Funk RR -The Faces -The Yardbirds -Santana -Johnny Winter -Canned Heat -Chicago -T. Rex -Bowie -ABB -Skynyrd -Waylon -Fleetwood Mac(P.Green Years) And on and on and on.... my sister and I are extremely grateful for receiving that heavy exposure to the best era of Rock music there’s ever been and probably ever will be.

[@pra4snw]

If you've never listened to this album, you are missing something BIG. Best 36:25 you can spend - every song is a gem. It will forever live in the shadow of that first great album, but it is my personal favorite by the band. The sound quality and engineering on the vinyl in great, so even a 40+ year old version sounds great.

[@Adoptpets833]

Saw Candy-O & the album cover popped into my mind. Brought me back in time. Thank you!

[@curtisphilumalee1447]

Vargas was the artist

[@scottamori3188]

Album art and liner notes are another thing sadly lost to time and digital music. This is a great video.

[@Jeff-fx1zy]

Some of the best live renditions ever. When live sounds as good as the record on the radio, you know all that you've been hearing/expecting was the real deal.

[@ronaldpauze9260]

Candy O is one of my favorite Cars albums

[@markco61]

The Cars were such a great sounding, smooth and tight band. One of the all-time best. Ben and Ric were geniuses. They are truly missed.

[@lisamccall3258]

Ben orr a mysterious talented guy, he rocked

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Excellent. Thanks for the time travel back to 1979.

[@kevinmuzerMetalMind64]

RIP Ric and Benjamin 🙏 CARS 🎶 🎵

[@jossyknight2083]

Thank you The Midnight Special!!! Another great, great, great performance by The Cars, I just can't have enough for this amazing band!!! I love them!!!!! Thanks!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@Jetsamification]

The perfect intersection of Rock, New Wave, and Power Pop. Brilliant band. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@pentegarn1]

Coolest band ever. I so remember playing Dungeons and Dragons in then 80s with The Cars on the radio.

[@bastidface]

"Candy-O" is my personal favorite Cars album. It rocks like the first album, but with a bit more edge. "Panorama" was a bit out there, but still interesting and well-produced. But the first two albums are solid gold.

[@eshepley]

I had to live my teenage years in the 80s. Thankfully there were the Cars.....

[@dougg1075]

I bet this song is nearly impossible to cover. His phrasing … forget it. Awesome tune

[@cdncitizen4700]

The Cars' members quirkiness, each layered with unique timing, sounds and vocal inflections, creating crafty rock masterpieces... could never be replicated as brilliantly as the original.

[@rebeccawagner4167]

I love the Midnight Special, cause it was a way to watch your favorite rock groups and enjoy the music 🎶 🎵 you loved to hear. I'm grateful for growing up in this amazing time.

[@Washington-Dreaming]

The older I get the harder it is to get out of bed. I did get up at 5AM to feed the cats though. But it’s also the case that the older I get the more I like “The Cars.” Luckily they continued to drive themselves until the end and didn’t go autonomous. I fear for new bands when AI takes over and they have nothing to do except install firmware updates on their instruments.

[@mekugi]

Awesome! Just what I needed.

[@smb7647]

No, that's the other song😅..just kidding 😅

[@jjohnson8977]

Saw Ben Orr solo years ago several years before he passed. Thanks I got to see him.

[@Tiger-ip1me]

One of THE COOLEST SONGS EVER. Great Lead Guitar Solo. Love The Vocals and most importantly I LOVE CANDY O. 😁 ❤

[@robyoung9968]

I wish they hadn’t broken up so early. They were a great band .. They were innovative and ahead of their time.

[@stevedanos9866]

The Cars first 2 Albums are BOMB!!!! was a Kid in Jr. High when they came out and worn those albums out! Absolutely love the Cars!!!!

[@rippy4freedom]

Tight

[@christianeidsmoe4772]

When I was in 8th grade in 1979 this was the absolute shizzum! I stlll have my original vinyl I bought in L.A. at Soundsations on Sepulveda.

[@RoberttAvro]

What a great musical moment that was. The studio version too. Impressive.

[@ABdancers]

Fun video to watch of this live Cars performance. It really takes you back to that 1979 vibe which I remember well. Elliot Easton with his sunglasses cool look was an underrated guitar player.

[@TuckerSP2011]

He really is a great guitarist. The whole band was awesome.

[@maria.fernanda277]

I guess you just what I needed ❤ other song of The Cars😊

[@BobGeogeo]

What a time capsule!😂

[@dvswia1831]

What a tune!

[@craigphillips6308]

My god Elliot Easton was such an amazingly creative guitar player 🎸 and very underrated 🎸

[@mizzury54]

This is one of my all time favorites of any band. Great song.

[@DaveMar-w6r]

Thank God someone cares about propagating talented people. Thank you Burt and co.

[@NileKelly]

This was and still is badass stuff. As the saying goes, "They don't make em like they used to."

[@jkmsaturn]

The Cars wrote their ticket into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this evening on The Midnight Special. It just took a few years for the award to be created & for the powers that notice what was obvious to us.

[@davemoyer505]

My girls never disappointed. Been this old man’s fantasy for damn near, but not quite 50 years! Love Heart!!❤️❤️

[@davemoyer505]

This comment was being written during the Heart clip. Then the videos switched from Heart to the Cars. Stupid phone!😂 I like the Cars too.🇺🇸❤️

[@NBlue809]

Ah. I thought you were being homo erotic (he's a little androgynous looking) 😂

[@ilovegaga11]

Thought you’d maybe done a typo, I mean look at Ben 😍😂

[@tomdecuca3627]

Never trust a cell phone!!

[@StephanieJeanne]

Fire alarm Thursday! 🚒🔥 Whew! Such a great song, great band and performance! 😍💜

[@DrummingMan1]

oh you old softy! Tell us how ya really feel ha ha ha ha ha

[@jaredbracci3529]

The Cars were just COOLER than any other band 😊

[@dhmig88]

Great band, I always love groups that have two or more singers that bring there own style to the music.

[@Merylstreep1949]

Kick ass

[@cindywall685]

Oh I miss Benjamin 😢

[@animemanganet]

At least we have videos! : )

[@moona7744]

Candy O on 8-track. I remember it well. 🎸✌️

[@FleagleSangria]

Fantastic stuff! Such a talented band. I dont think they got recognized as the great musicianship they displayed. Lead guitar smokes. New wave pop electronic rock quirk masters. Them a Talking Heads 💯

[@highschoolbigshot]

Crowd clapping keeping perfect 4/4time.

[@gogoyubari366]

Guitar solo sends shivers down my spine!

[@LarryTanenbaum-w2n]

So glad i got to see my all-time fav band live twice...Candy-O + Panorama tours at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, NY. 💙

[@DrummingMan1]

I love this organization! But the clap track I mean, come on!

[@mnoir8888]

It’s the audience, damn them

[@animemanganet]

@@mnoir8888 How dare they enjoy the performance! ~shakes fist at them~

[@whywatchitman]

Lucky to see them on September 20th 1979 in Portland Oregon at the Paramount theater. They were great, Ben had this hair color. Saw lots of great bands there, including Pat Benatar on November 23, 1979. Those were the times!

[@luanamedeiros3556]

Love this performance! ❤ The Cars ❤

[@Skynyrdforever]

The Cars drove us into the stratosphere!

[@OrdoSanctiBenedictus]

most underrated band ever

[@MichaelWood-d7s]

Elliott Easton Rocks 🎸

[@ZombiiDog]

Ahhh. My parents hated me listening to these guys. Made me listen even more❤❤❤

[@LaurieMarieValdezRNCCRN]

❤❤BOSTON🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@jct300m]

Nothing at all today could come close..............

[@lovebuzz1979]

Elliot Eastman!! Enough said❤

[@ellab8897]

You're probably a victim of autocorrect: *Easton

[@dandydon3834]

The voice, smoldering smile and base playing ❤

[@markusaurelius777]

Bass

[@feltongailey8987]

What a gorgeous album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@samuelgates5935]

One of favorite bands🎶🎶🎶🥰

[@richalderson6069]

Judging from the two separate performances The Cars did for the Midnight Special, I can't figure out if Ben Orr's is either a natural blonde or brunette! But he was without doubt an exceptional vocalist and bass player who left us far too soon.

[@kelseymariel2127]

Brunette.

[@richalderson6069]

@@kelseymariel2127 OK!

[@animemanganet]

He was talented and hot either way :D

[@richalderson6069]

@@animemanganet Goes without saying....

[@InsignificantNick]

Ben Orr was hot as hell, and he knew it. The Cars were just magic.

[@philipgeraci9253]

These guys are too damn cool

[@KelleyHerrmann-w1s]

Benjamin Orr broke the mold

[@Scottocaster6668]

Elliott playing lefty just makes him even cooler!

[@richardcolemanrock]

Candy- O. A classic 🖤🔥 🚗 🚙

[@nicksahadi5696]

My absolute favorite Cars tune! 🍭💁‍♀️

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

I cannot get over how tight this band was. By “tight” I’m talking about obvious countless hours of practice and rehearsals. 5 guys all in tune with their instruments as well as with one another. It’s honestly not all that common to see a band this tight. To name a few that I am aware of.... -Steely Dan -Allman Bros -Boston -Original (Real) Skynyrd -The Beatles -Early Zeppelin

[@MrMrdlegend]

Rush

[@deborahpaley21]

great live version, feel like i was there

[@dennis3351]

Clap yo hands 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@curlyfries5095]

Lead singer playing bass guitar, Ben Orr rocks!

[@tonyowens6802]

100% LIVE!! Take that modern music…

[@Washington-Dreaming]

Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr were so cool that, when they went swimming in the ocean, they reduced Global Warming by two degrees.

[@greta3315]

❤❤

[@robbuildt8284]

2:02

[@Mankind_-]

Elliot Eastman on guitar was pretty cool too.😎

[@josefinagarza241]

Too cool 😎 Elliot yes

[@MrWaldbums]

No such thing as Global Warming

[@MoscowPhotog]

The cross-star filters on the cameras are classic!

[@Janine-x1j]

Benjamin Orr was totally the CHIT..SO HOT, SO COOL, SUCH A SMOKING VOICE.....❤❤❤❤