"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.
"Let's Go" was released in 1979 as the debut single from Candy-O on Elektra Records. The single was a chart success, reaching number 14 in the United States and charting in multiple other countries. It has since appeared on several compilation albums and has seen critical acclaim.
It was the 100th video to be played on the first day of MTV on August 1, 1981.
The song's signature hook is a series of claps followed by a shouted "Let's go!", which is derived from the 1962 song "Let's Go (Pony)" by the Routers,[2] as well as a simple synth melody played by Greg Hawkes, using the Sync II lead preset (or a slight variation of it) from a Prophet-5 synthesizer. The song tells the story of a 17-year-old girl and her budding interest in "the nightlife".
Release
"Let's Go" was released as the debut single from Candy-O in June 1979. The song's B-side is a non-album track titled "That's It" that features Benjamin Orr on lead vocals. The single peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US,[3] making it the first song by The Cars to reach the Billboard top 20. The song was an even bigger success elsewhere, hitting the top 10 in multiple countries. In Canada, the track reached #5, and remains the Cars' highest ever charting single in that country. Similarly, "Let's Go" peaked at #6 in Australia, where it remains The Cars' highest charted hit.
Two follow-up singles from Candy-O, "It's All I Can Do" and "Double Life", were released after "Let's Go". Although "It's All I Can Do" was a minor hit, "Double Life" failed to chart.
Reception
Rolling Stone critic Tom Carson described "Let's Go" as "the best cut on Candy-O, while the Billboard review of Candy-O listed the song as one of the "best cuts".[4]Billboard described the song as a "catchy midtempo number" with a guitar-driven "sassy rock sound."[5]Cash Box said it begins "with a crash, moving into a streamlined pop rocker, filled with a futuristic combination of synthesizer blips, handclaps and crunching guitar chording."[6]Record World said that "All the parts are geared for hit status on this fine-tuned mid-tempo rocker."[7] The Fort Worth Star Telegram rated it to be the 8th best single of 1979.[8]
William Ruhlmann, author of The All-Music Guide to Rock, said, "'Let's Go' (the Cars' biggest hit so far) became one of the summer songs of the year," and Hamish Champ, writer of The 100 Best-Selling Albums of the 70s, said the track (as well as its follow-up, "It's All I Can Do"), "give ample evidence of the band's range".[4]AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato said the song was "intensely fun".[9]
^Milano, Brett. Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology. Rhino.
^McMahon, James (18 September 2019). "The Cars' 10 Best Songs". New Musical Express. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
^Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 108.
^ ab"Candy-O album reviews". www.superseventies.com.
^"Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. June 23, 1979. p. 69. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
^"CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 23, 1979. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
^"Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 23, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
^Kaye, Roger (January 13, 1980). "The best albums, singles and concerts of 1979". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 1D, 10D. Retrieved 2022-06-18 – via newspapers.com.
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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 Let s Go Picture sleeve France Single by the Carsfrom the album Candy OB side That s It Candy O ReleasedJune 12 1979 1979 06 12 Recorded1979GenreRock new waveLength3 32LabelElektraSongwriter s Ric OcasekProducer s Roy Thomas BakerThe Cars singles chronology Good Times Roll 1979 Let s Go 1979 It s All I Can Do 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 Audio sample source source Let s Go filehelp Let s Go was released in 1979 as the debut single from Candy O on Elektra Records The single was a chart success reaching number 14 in the United States and charting in multiple other countries It has since appeared on several compilation albums and has seen critical acclaim It was the 100th video to be played on the first day of MTV on August 1 1981 Contents 1 Composition 2 Release 3 Reception 4 Charts 4 1 Weekly charts 4 2 Year end charts 5 References 6 External linksComposition Edit Let s Go was described by Brett Milano as another double edged anthem in the liner notes for Just What I Needed The Cars Anthology 1 The song s signature hook is a series of claps followed by a shouted Let s go which is derived from the 1962 song Let s Go Pony by the Routers 2 as well as a simple synth melody played by Greg Hawkes using the Sync II lead preset or a slight variation of it from a Prophet 5 synthesizer The song tells the story of a 17 year old girl and her budding interest in the nightlife Release Edit Let s Go was released as the debut single from Candy O in June 1979 The song s B side is a non album track titled That s It that features Benjamin Orr on lead vocals The single peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US 3 making it the first song by The Cars to reach the Billboard top 20 The song was an even bigger success elsewhere hitting the top 10 in multiple countries In Canada the track reached 5 and remains the Cars highest ever charting single in that country Similarly Let s Go peaked at 6 in Australia where it remains The Cars highest charted hit Two follow up singles from Candy O It s All I Can Do and Double Life were released after Let s Go Although It s All I Can Do was a minor hit Double Life failed to chart Reception EditRolling Stone critic Tom Carson described Let s Go as the best cut on Candy O while the Billboard review of Candy O listed the song as one of the best cuts 4 Billboard described the song as a catchy midtempo number with a guitar driven sassy rock sound 5 Cash Box said it begins with a crash moving into a streamlined pop rocker filled with a futuristic combination of synthesizer blips handclaps and crunching guitar chording 6 Record World said that All the parts are geared for hit status on this fine tuned mid tempo rocker 7 The Fort Worth Star Telegram rated it to be the 8th best single of 1979 8 William Ruhlmann author of The All Music Guide to Rock said Let s Go the Cars biggest hit so far became one of the summer songs of the year and Hamish Champ writer of The 100 Best Selling Albums of the 70s said the track as well as its follow up It s All I Can Do give ample evidence of the band s range 4 AllMusic reviewer Greg Prato said the song was intensely fun 9 Charts EditWeekly charts Edit Weekly chart performance for Let s Go Chart 1979 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 10 6Canada Top Singles RPM 11 5New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 12 40UK Singles OCC 13 51US Billboard Hot 100 14 14US Cash Box Top 100 Singles 15 14 Year end charts Edit Year end chart performance for Let s Go Chart 1979 PositionAustralia Kent Music Report 16 41Canada Top Singles RPM 17 49US Cash Box Top 100 Singles 18 96US Joel Whitburn s Pop Annual 19 102References Edit Milano Brett Just What I Needed The Cars Anthology Rhino McMahon James 18 September 2019 The Cars 10 Best Songs New Musical Express Retrieved 19 September 2019 Whitburn Joel 2004 The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits Eighth Edition Record Research p 108 a b Candy O album reviews www superseventies com Top Single Picks PDF Billboard Magazine June 23 1979 p 69 Retrieved 2020 07 08 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box June 23 1979 p 18 Retrieved 2022 01 01 Hits of the Week PDF Record World June 23 1979 p 1 Retrieved 2023 02 11 Kaye Roger January 13 1980 The best albums singles and concerts of 1979 Fort Worth Star Telegram pp 1D 10D Retrieved 2022 06 18 via newspapers com Prato Greg Candy O allmusic com Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Top RPM Singles Issue 6849a RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved October 15 2016 The Cars Let s Go Top 40 Singles Retrieved May 23 2021 Cars Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Retrieved May 23 2021 The Cars Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved May 23 2021 Cash Box Top 100 Singles Week ending September 8 1979 Cash Box Retrieved May 23 2021 National Top 100 Singles for 1979 Kent Music Report No 288 December 31 1979 via Imgur 1979 Top 200 Singles RPM Vol 32 no 13 December 22 1979 ISSN 0315 5994 via Library and Archives Canada The Cash Box Year End Charts 1979 Top 100 Pop Singles Cash Box December 29 1979 Retrieved April 12 2016 Whitburn Joel 2000 Pop Annual 1955 1999 Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research ISBN 0 89820 142 X SourcesWhitburn Joel 2004 The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits Eighth Edition Record Research Synthmania com Prophet 5 Classic polyphonic anaExternal links EditThe Cars Let s Go on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Let 27s Go The Cars song amp oldid 1148778664, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
