"Dangerous Type" is a 1979 song by
the Cars
The Cars were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the New wave music, new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek (rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (lead guitar), ...
from their second studio album, ''
Candy-O
''Candy-O'' is the second studio album by American rock band the Cars, released on June 13, 1979 by Elektra Records. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album spawned two singles, "Let's Go" (number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100) and " It's Al ...
.'' It was written by
Ric Ocasek
Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock ...
.
Background
The core guitar riff that "Dangerous Type" is centered on resembles the
T. Rex
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' liv ...
song, "
Bang a Gong".
The song features
Ric Ocasek
Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock ...
on lead vocals.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
critic Tom Maginnis compared the song to "
All Mixed Up", a track on The Cars'
self-titled debut album, as they both were the final track on their respective albums, with both tracks "vamping on an upsweep of grand chord changes as the group's entire sonic palette eventually fills the tape to capacity for the big finish."
Although "Dangerous Type" never was released as a single, the song has since become a fan favorite. It has appeared on numerous compilation albums, among them ''
Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology'' and ''
Complete Greatest Hits''.
Reception
"Dangerous Type" has received positive reception from music critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
critic Greg Prato said it was one of the "plenty of other standouts
Let's Go
Let's Go may refer to:
Film
* ''Let's Go'' (1918 film), a 1918 comedy short starring Harold Lloyd
* ''Let's Go'' (1923 film), a silent film written by Keene Thompson
* ''Let's Go!'' (film), a 2011 Hong Kong action film
Music Albums
* ''Let's ...
" on ''Candy-O'' that] can be found" and cited the track as a highlight from ''Candy-O''.
Tom Maginnis said, "'Dangerous Type' is the Cars' idea of a musical epic", and went on to say, "After the impossibly infectious leadoff single 'Let's Go,' 'Dangerous Type' would become the album's second-biggest hit."
In the ''Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology'' liner notes, Brett Milano said, "'Let's Go' and 'Dangerous Type'
toodout as the best of
icOcasek's enigmatic-woman songs."
Covers
*In 1996,
Letters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo is an American alternative rock band originating from Boston, Massachusetts, best known for the 1994 single, "Here & Now", from their full-length debut album, ''Aurora Gory Alice''. The band's members are Kay Hanley, Greg Mc ...
recorded a cover of "Dangerous Type" for the movie, ''
The Craft''.
*The song was covered by Johnny Monaco for the tribute album ''
Substitution Mass Confusion: A Tribute to The Cars''.
Personnel
*
Ric Ocasek
Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock ...
:
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guita ...
,
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of th ...
*
Benjamin Orr
Benjamin Orzechowski (September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000), known professionally as Benjamin Orr, was an American musician best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the rock band The Cars. He sang lead vocals on sever ...
:
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...
, backing vocals
*
Elliot Easton
Elliot Easton (born Elliot Steinberg, December 18, 1953) is an American guitarist. He played lead guitar and sang backing vocals for The Cars, and his guitar solos are an integral part of the band's music. Easton has also recorded music as a so ...
: lead
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
, backing vocals
*
Greg Hawkes
Gregory A. Hawkes (born October 22, 1952) is an American musician best known as the keyboardist for the rock band The Cars.
Hawkes, a native of Fulton, Maryland, United States, attended Atholton High School where he played in a band called Teet ...
:
keyboards, backing vocals
*
David Robinson
David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003, and minority owner of the Spurs. Nicknamed ...
:
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dangerous Type
The Cars songs
Songs written by Ric Ocasek
Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker
1979 songs