"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.
"It's All I Can Do" is a new wave influenced pop rocksong.[1] According to Brett Milano, writer of the Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology album notes "'It's All I Can Do' was an affecting, straight-ahead piece of romantic pop, give or take a line like 'When I was crazy, I thought you were great.'"[2] The track was described as "gentle" by AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato, while Hamish Champ, writer of The 100 Best-Selling Albums of the 70s called the song "laidback".[3]
The bass lines and the G major guitar riffs have a major rock feel, but the song is softened down with Benjamin Orr's vocals and Greg Hawkes keyboard and synth lines.
Releaseedit
"It's All I Can Do" was released as the follow-up to the "Let's Go" single on September 25, 1979, backed with "Got a Lot on My Head" in the U.S. and Canada, and with "Candy-O" in Britain. Although the song did not reach the Top 20 standard of its predecessor, it reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] A third and final single from Candy-O, "Double Life", failed to chart.
Receptionedit
"It's All I Can Do" has generally received positive reception from critics. Prato said that "'It's All I Can Do' ... deserved to be a hit," while Champ said the track (as well as its predecessor, "Let's Go,") "give ample evidence of the band's range."[3] William Ruhlmann, author of The All-Music Guide to Rock, said "'It's All I Can Do' hit as well [as 'Let's Go']", and in the Billboard review of Candy-O, the song was chosen as one of the "best cuts".[3] In a negative review, Tom Carson of Rolling Stone said, "'It's All I Can Do' calculatedly recycles the 'Just What I Needed' hook but to less-telling effect. It's simply cold."[3]Billboard felt "It's All I Can Do" was less "dynamic and catchy" than "Just What I Needed" and "Let's Go," describing it as a "rocker with a simple melody line and spare instrumentation."[5]Cash Box said it is "more subdued but equally intriguing" compared with "Let's Go" and said it has "infectious rhythms" and "sparse yet effective electronics."[6]
B-sideedit
The B-side of "It's All I Can Do" is "Got a Lot on My Head", another track from Candy-O. In a review of Candy-O, AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato says the band "rocks out on 'Got a Lot on My Head' and 'Night Spots'".[7]
Other appearancesedit
"It's All I Can Do" was featured in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer, and included on the film's second soundtrack, titled Wedding Singer 2.[8]
^"The Cars Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
^"Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 24, 1979". Cash Box. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
^"1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. December 22, 1979. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
October 28, 2023
anne, murray, song, anne, murray, song, song, american, rock, band, cars, third, track, from, their, 1979, album, candy, written, band, leader, songwriter, ocasek, features, bassist, benjamin, vocals, single, carsfrom, album, candy, side, head, candy, released. For the Anne Murray song see It s All I Can Do Anne Murray song 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 It s All I Can Do Single by the Carsfrom the album Candy OB side Got a Lot on My Head Candy O UK ReleasedSeptember 25 1979 1979 09 25 GenreNew wave pop rockLength3 45LabelElektra 46546Songwriter s Ric OcasekProducer s Roy Thomas BakerThe Cars singles chronology Let s Go 1979 It s All I Can Do 1979 Double Life 1979 Candy O track listing11 tracksSide one Let s Go Since I Held You It s All I Can Do Double Life Shoo Be Doo Candy O Side two Night Spots You Can t Hold on Too Long Lust for Kicks Got a Lot on My Head Dangerous Type Contents 1 Sound and genre 2 Release 3 Reception 4 B side 5 Other appearances 6 Personnel 7 Charts 7 1 Weekly charts 7 2 Year end charts 8 ReferencesSound and genre edit It s All I Can Do is a new wave influenced pop rock song 1 According to Brett Milano writer of the Just What I Needed The Cars Anthology album notes It s All I Can Do was an affecting straight ahead piece of romantic pop give or take a line like When I was crazy I thought you were great 2 The track was described as gentle by AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato while Hamish Champ writer of The 100 Best Selling Albums of the 70s called the song laidback 3 The bass lines and the G major guitar riffs have a major rock feel but the song is softened down with Benjamin Orr s vocals and Greg Hawkes keyboard and synth lines Release edit It s All I Can Do was released as the follow up to the Let s Go single on September 25 1979 backed with Got a Lot on My Head in the U S and Canada and with Candy O in Britain Although the song did not reach the Top 20 standard of its predecessor it reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 4 A third and final single from Candy O Double Life failed to chart Reception edit It s All I Can Do has generally received positive reception from critics Prato said that It s All I Can Do deserved to be a hit while Champ said the track as well as its predecessor Let s Go give ample evidence of the band s range 3 William Ruhlmann author of The All Music Guide to Rock said It s All I Can Do hit as well as Let s Go and in the Billboard review of Candy O the song was chosen as one of the best cuts 3 In a negative review Tom Carson of Rolling Stone said It s All I Can Do calculatedly recycles the Just What I Needed hook but to less telling effect It s simply cold 3 Billboard felt It s All I Can Do was less dynamic and catchy than Just What I Needed and Let s Go describing it as a rocker with a simple melody line and spare instrumentation 5 Cash Box said it is more subdued but equally intriguing compared with Let s Go and said it has infectious rhythms and sparse yet effective electronics 6 B side editThe B side of It s All I Can Do is Got a Lot on My Head another track from Candy O In a review of Candy O AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato says the band rocks out on Got a Lot on My Head and Night Spots 7 Other appearances edit It s All I Can Do was featured in the 1998 film The Wedding Singer and included on the film s second soundtrack titled Wedding Singer 2 8 Electronic rock new wave revival band the Bravery covered the song in 2005 as the B side to their single Fearless Their cover was later included in Substitution Mass Confusion A Tribute to The Cars a 2005 multi artist collaborative album distributed by Not Lame Recordings 9 Personnel editBenjamin Orr Lead vocals bass guitar Ric Ocasek Rhythm guitar Elliot Easton Lead guitar Greg Hawkes Keyboard synthesizer David Robinson DrumsCharts editWeekly charts edit Weekly chart performance for It s All I Can Do Chart 1979 PeakpositionCanada Top Singles RPM 10 17US Billboard Hot 100 11 41US Cash Box Top 100 Singles 12 40 Year end charts edit Year end chart performance for It s All I Can Do Chart 1979 PositionCanada Top Singles RPM 13 131References edit Elliot Easton s guide to the Cars discography Milano Brett 1995 Just What I Needed The Cars Anthology Media notes The Cars Rhino Records a b c d Candy O album reviews Superseventies com Retrieved 2016 10 15 The Cars Charts amp Awards Billboard Singles allmusic Retrieved September 25 2010 Top Single Picks PDF Billboard October 6 1979 p 70 Retrieved 2020 07 07 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box October 6 1979 p 20 Retrieved 2022 01 01 Prato Greg The Cars Candy O Allmusic Retrieved May 29 2011 The Cars It s All I Can Do allmusic Retrieved September 25 2010 A Tribute to the Cars Substitution Mass Confusion Various Artists Songs Reviews Credits AllMusic 2005 02 08 Retrieved 2016 10 15 Top RPM Singles Issue 6912a RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved May 23 2021 The Cars Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved May 23 2021 Cash Box Top 100 Singles Week ending November 24 1979 Cash Box Retrieved May 23 2021 1979 Top 200 Singles RPM Vol 32 no 13 December 22 1979 ISSN 0315 5994 via Library and Archives Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title It 27s All I Can Do amp oldid 1138869081, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
