Shake It Up (The Cars album)

Shake It Up
Shake It Up
	Side A of the US stereo
Studio album by the Cars
Released	November 6, 1981
Recorded	1981
Studio	Syncro Sound, Boston
Genre	New wave; power pop; dance-rock;
Length	40:42
Label	Elektra
Producer	Roy Thomas Baker
the Cars chronology
Singles from Shake It Up
	"Shake It Up"; Released: November 9, 1981; "Since You're Gone"; Released: 1982; "Victim of Love"; Released: 1982; "Think It Over"; Released: 1982; "I'm Not the One"; Released: January 13, 1986;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Robert Christgau	B^[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	7/10^[7]

Shake It Up is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Cars, released in 1981. It was the last The Cars album to be produced by Roy Thomas Baker. A much more pop-oriented album than its predecessor, its title track became their first Billboard top ten hit.

Song appearances

"Shake It Up" and "Since You're Gone" appear on The Last American Virgin soundtrack album.

"I'm Not the One" was remixed upon its inclusion on their 1985 Greatest Hits album, with special attention paid to the electronic percussion and echo effects. This song is also featured in the Adam Sandler movie Billy Madison.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ric Ocasek, except where noted.

Side one
No.	Title	Vocals	Length
1.	"Since You're Gone"	Ocasek	3:30
2.	"Shake It Up"	Ocasek	3:32
3.	"I'm Not the One"	Ocasek	4:12
4.	"Victim of Love"	Ocasek	4:24
5.	"Cruiser"	Benjamin Orr	4:54

Side two
No.	Title	Vocals	Length
6.	"A Dream Away"	Ocasek	5:44
7.	"This Could Be Love" (Greg Hawkes, Ocasek)	Orr	4:26
8.	"Think It Over"	Orr	4:56
9.	"Maybe Baby"	Ocasek	5:04

Personnel

Ric Ocasek – rhythm guitar, vocals
Elliot Easton – lead guitar, backing vocals
Benjamin Orr – bass guitar, vocals
David Robinson – drums, percussion
Greg Hawkes – keyboards, backing vocals

Production

The Cars – arrangements
Roy Thomas Baker – producer
Ian Taylor – recording
Thom Moore – assistant engineer
Walter Turbitt – assistant engineer
George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
David Robinson – cover design
Clint Clemens – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for *Shake It Up*
Chart (1981–1982)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[8]	20
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[9]	7
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[10]	40
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[11]	12
US Billboard 200^[12]	9

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for *Shake It Up*
Chart (1982)	Position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[13]	86
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[14]	49
US Billboard 200^[15]	34

Certifications

Certifications for *Shake It Up*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[16]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^{^}
^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1 2 Athanasiadis, Dimitris (September 16, 2019). "Οι παράξενες στροφές από τη ζωή του Ric Ocasek των Cars". AthensVoice (in Greek). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
↑ Richard, Philippe (January 4, 2018). "Musique rééditions. The Cars, à la recherche de la pop trop parfaite". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved December 21, 2025.
↑ Shake It Up at AllMusic
↑ Robert Christgau rock critic
↑ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). "Cars". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
↑ Berger, Arion (2004). "The Cars". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 141 . ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
↑ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 76, 77.
↑ Kent 1993, p. 56.
↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0463". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Cars – Shake It Up" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
↑ "Charts.nz – The Cars – Shake It Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
↑ "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
↑ Kent 1993, p. 434.
↑ "Top 100 Albums 82". RPM. Vol. 37, no. 19. December 25, 1982. p. 19. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
↑ "American album certifications – The Cars – Shake It Up". Recording Industry Association of America. December 17, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[AV-1] 1 2 Athanasiadis, Dimitris (September 16, 2019). "Οι παράξενες στροφές από τη ζωή του Ric Ocasek των Cars". AthensVoice (in Greek). Retrieved December 21, 2025.

[2] Richard, Philippe (January 4, 2018). "Musique rééditions. The Cars, à la recherche de la pop trop parfaite". Ouest-France (in French). Retrieved December 21, 2025.

[allmusic-3] Shake It Up at AllMusic

[4] Robert Christgau rock critic

[5] Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). "Cars". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.

[Berger-6] Berger, Arion (2004). "The Cars". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 141 . ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.

[SP-7] Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 76, 77.

[FOOTNOTEKent199356-8] Kent 1993, p. 56.

[group=-9] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0463". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[ac_Netherlands_The_Cars-10] "Dutchcharts.nl – The Cars – Shake It Up" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[ac_New_Zealand_The_Cars-11] "Charts.nz – The Cars – Shake It Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[ac_Billboard200_The_Cars-12] "The Cars Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

[FOOTNOTEKent1993434-13] Kent 1993, p. 434.

[14] "Top 100 Albums 82". RPM. Vol. 37, no. 19. December 25, 1982. p. 19. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[15] "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[United_StatesThe_CarsShake_It_UpalbumCertRef-16] "American album certifications – The Cars – Shake It Up". Recording Industry Association of America. December 17, 2001. Retrieved September 19, 2019.

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The Cars
Elliot Easton Greg Hawkes Ric Ocasek Benjamin Orr David Robinson
Studio albums	The Cars Candy-O Panorama Shake It Up Heartbeat City Door to Door Move Like This
Other albums	Greatest Hits Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology Shake It Up & Other Hits Complete Greatest Hits The Essentials The Cars Unlocked: The Live Performances The Elektra Years 1978–1987
Singles	"Just What I Needed" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Good Times Roll" "Let's Go" "It's All I Can Do" "Double Life" "Touch and Go" "Don't Tell Me No" "Gimme Some Slack" "Shake It Up" "Since You're Gone" "Victim of Love" "Think It Over" "You Might Think" "Magic" "Drive" "Hello Again" "Why Can't I Have You" "Heartbeat City" "Tonight She Comes" "I'm Not the One" "You Are the Girl" "Strap Me In" "Coming Up You" "Sad Song"
Other songs	"I'm in Touch with Your World" "Don't Cha Stop" "You're All I've Got Tonight" "Bye Bye Love" "Moving in Stereo" "All Mixed Up" "Candy-O" "Night Spots" "Dangerous Type" "Panorama" "Cruiser" "Blue Tip"
Concert tours	Road Rage Tour North American Tour Spring 2011
Related articles	Discography Songs Substitution Mass Confusion: A Tribute to The Cars BrainDead Glamour Camp
The New Cars	Todd Rundgren Kasim Sulton Atom Ellis Prairie Prince It's Alive! Utopia
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