This, That, and the Other

My theme for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge is classic rock songs. Each day during the month (except for the first four Sundays, I will post a classic rock song: a video from YouTube, along with a brief bit of background about the song and the recording artist(s).

This is much more difficult than I thought it would be. For every letter of the alphabet there are dozens of fantastic classic rock songs to choose from and picking just one song for each letter is maddening. But this is what I signed up for. My J song is “Just What I Needed” from the Cars.

“Just What I Needed” was a song by American rock band the Cars from their 1978 self-titled debut album. It was written by Ric Ocasek and lead singer on the song was Benjamin Orr. It was released as the band’s first single in 1978, reaching number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The Cars recorded a 2-track demo of the song that their manager brought to two popular Boston radio stations. The group had built a following in the area and the song was very radio-friendly. Both stations played it and listeners loved it. On one station it became the most-requested song by a local band in the history of the station.

With a song on the radio in a major market, the Cars signed a contract with Elektra Records, which had the band re-record the song and released it as their first single.

Ocasek wrote this song in a basement at a commune in Newton, Massachusetts, where he lived at the time. He said that it was not about anyone in particular. The songs seems to be a very sweet song where the guy is telling the girl that she’s just what he needed and letting her know he’s happy to have her wasting his time.

But then he tells her that he needed someone to feed, someone to bleed. Alrighty then. The guy is coming across more unhinged than sweet.

“Just What I Needed” keeps an energy going throughout the song, making it suitable for repeated listens. As a result, it has endured as a Cars favorite and a staple on classic rock radio stations.

Here are the lyrics to “Just What I Needed.”

I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time
'Cause when you're standin' oh so near
I kinda lose my mind

It's not the perfume that you wear
It's not the ribbons in your hair
And I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time

I don't mind you hangin' out
And talkin' in your sleep
It doesn't matter where you've been
As long as it was deep, yeah

You always knew to wear it well and
You look so fancy I can tell
And I don't mind you hangin' out
And talkin' in your sleep

I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to bleed

I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time, time
'Cause when you're standin' oh so near
I kinda lose my mind, yeah

It's not the perfume that you wear
It's not the ribbons in your hair
And I don't mind you comin' here
And wastin' all my time

I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to bleed

I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed (just what I needed)
I needed someone to bleed (yeah, yeah)

So bleed me

You're just what I needed
You're just what I needed
You're just what I needed
Yeah, yeah-yeah

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Previous 2023 A to Z posts: A B C D E F G H I