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In the early '80s, "new wave dance-pop" was a sub genre of popular music...pretty much personified by today's Great Song of 1982: "Shake It Up" by the Cars.
And yet, the song almost never saw the light of day. Cars' front man Rick Oscasek had written it several years earlier, but the group was never happy with it.
They tried to record it several times but it never sounded right... .until the day, they decided to start over from scratch and tinker with it--rhythms, tempos, instrumentation--everything.
Suddenly, it fell into place!
Now they liked it so much, they named their fourth studio album "Shake It Up," and released the song as the initial single.
Most music critics praised the song from the get-go, using words like "mesmerizing," and the charts certainly reflected its popularity with fans and radio listeners: #2 on Billboard's Top Tracks Chart and #4 on the Hot 100.
According to Cars bassist Benjamin Orr, they key to its success was existential: Although the song mentions dances, hairstyles and having fun, it also promotes the importance "making your own mark" in life.
In other words: "Shake It Up!" It's a Great Song of 1982! The Cars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3SA5Z-cbC8
Tomorrow: Dionne & The Bee Gees
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