Cars (song)
Encyclopedia
Fear Factory
, an American industrial metal
band, recorded a version of "Cars" and released it as the second single
from their third studio album
, Obsolete
. The song was only included as a bonus track
on the limited edition digipak re-release of Obsolete and would be instrumental in breaking Fear Factory into the mainstream. In their rendition, Gary Numan performs a duet with frontman Burton C. Bell
.
at European concerts. Word spread that Fear Factory was performing the song which put them in contact with Gary Numan's manager. Upon request, Numan's management flew him out to the Vancouver
studio for a three-day span to record vocals on "Cars." The band also asked Numan to record a spoken word
piece for the introduction of Obsolete.
Numan had a long-standing paranoia of being associated with dated music of the 1980s, and this initially made him apprehensive of working with Fear Factory until realizing "there was a chance that it could introduce me to a new generation of people who didn’t know my history. And that can be useful, because my music’s got a lot heavier and darker anyway." The result would be highly satisfactory for both parties, and Numan praised the band as "brilliant, really easy to work with. They didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone."
The uncharacteristically bouncy and bright rendition somewhat contrasts with Fear Factory's reputation for intense metal, while the heavy use of synthesizer
and other electronic elements corresponds with the band's industrial style. Drummer Raymond Herrera described the cover as "basically like a blueprint of a futuristic car." He added that, while other songs were considered, the band chose "Cars" because all the band members knew and appreciated it and because the keyboards suited Fear Factory's sound. Herrera later noted that the group initially wanted to record U2
's "New Year's Day
" but chose "Cars" because they were fortunate enough to have Numan participate. Fear Factory would later cover a different U2 song, "I Will Follow
," in 2005.
, London
to much enthusiasm.
After the radio trade publication R&R
listed "Cars" as the most added track on both active rock and mainstream rock in May 1999, the song earned "Breaker" status and continued to surge up the chart. "Cars" debuted and peaked at No. 57 in the UK Singles Chart
on August 10.
music video
, directed by John S. Bartley and filmed in Vancouver
, which debuted in June 1999. Bell enthusiastically described the ambitious video as having a "Stanley Kubrick
-type of vibe to it":
such as the Freddy Got Fingered
soundtrack, GT2: Music at the Speed of Sound
, Kerrang!
Vol. 2: The Album, and Monsters of Rock
and in the video game Test Drive 6
in October 1999. A version known as "Cars (MPH Mix)" appeared on NASCAR: Crank It Up
in 2002.
The track was included on The Best of Fear Factory
in 2006. "Cars (Numanoid Mix)," a version containing only Numan's vocals, appeared on the Hatefiles
rarities compilation in April 2003.
played "Cars" during some live shows, but sang the lyrics to his song "In France" instead of the original ones. When "In France" was released on his 1984 album Them or Us
, it got its own blues
background instead. Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo released their own hip-hop version of "Cars" on their debut Road to the Riches
album in 1989. "Cars" was covered
by the Judybats
on the 1991 single "Daylight" and by Shampoo
on the "Girl Power" single in 1995. Dave Clarke
performed the song on the Random tribute album in 1997. Nine Inch Nails
performed "Cars" several times during their Wave Goodbye Tour
in 2009, featuring Numan on vocals.
The song was also heavily sampled in the 2000 song "Koochy
" by Armand Van Helden
, reaching #4 in the UK Singles Chart
. The beat was later used for the song "Hot Wheels" by the hip-hop group Jim Crow. The 2009 songs "Hiding All The Stars
" by Chicane
and "Trucks" by J Dilla
both sample "Cars." The song "New Car" by Cledus T. Judd
used the instrumental portion of "Cars" after each chorus, partially performed with car horns. The song was remixed with "Technologic
" by Daft Punk
and with "Here Comes My DJ" by Grandmaster Flash
which is featured as a playable track in DJ Hero
.
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, an American industrial metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band, recorded a version of "Cars" and released it as the second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their third studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Obsolete
Obsolete (album)
Obsolete is the third studio album by American industrial metal band Fear Factory, released on July 28, 1998. Conceptually, it is a sequel to 1995's Demanufacture...
. The song was only included as a bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
on the limited edition digipak re-release of Obsolete and would be instrumental in breaking Fear Factory into the mainstream. In their rendition, Gary Numan performs a duet with frontman Burton C. Bell
Burton C. Bell
Burton Christopher Bell is an American musician. Bell is best known as the frontman of the metal band Fear Factory where he is the only consistent member. His singing style mixes clean vocals with death growls.-Fear Factory:...
.
Background and recording
According to Bell, around 1996, the band started performing "Cars" as an encoreEncore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
at European concerts. Word spread that Fear Factory was performing the song which put them in contact with Gary Numan's manager. Upon request, Numan's management flew him out to the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
studio for a three-day span to record vocals on "Cars." The band also asked Numan to record a spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
piece for the introduction of Obsolete.
Numan had a long-standing paranoia of being associated with dated music of the 1980s, and this initially made him apprehensive of working with Fear Factory until realizing "there was a chance that it could introduce me to a new generation of people who didn’t know my history. And that can be useful, because my music’s got a lot heavier and darker anyway." The result would be highly satisfactory for both parties, and Numan praised the band as "brilliant, really easy to work with. They didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone."
The uncharacteristically bouncy and bright rendition somewhat contrasts with Fear Factory's reputation for intense metal, while the heavy use of synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
and other electronic elements corresponds with the band's industrial style. Drummer Raymond Herrera described the cover as "basically like a blueprint of a futuristic car." He added that, while other songs were considered, the band chose "Cars" because all the band members knew and appreciated it and because the keyboards suited Fear Factory's sound. Herrera later noted that the group initially wanted to record U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's "New Year's Day
New Year's Day (song)
"New Year's Day" is a song by rock band U2. It is on their 1983 album War and it was released as the album's lead single in January 1983. Written about the Polish Solidarity movement, "New Year's Day" is driven by Adam Clayton's distinctive bassline and The Edge's keyboard playing...
" but chose "Cars" because they were fortunate enough to have Numan participate. Fear Factory would later cover a different U2 song, "I Will Follow
I Will Follow
"I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, Boy, and it was released as the album's second single, in October 1980. Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mother who died when he was 14 years old."I Will Follow" is the only song...
," in 2005.
Reception
"Cars" played a significant part in Obsoletes status as Fear Factory's highest-selling album. By 2001, it had sold over 750,000 copies. According to Herrera, the cover received greater enthusiasm in the UK than in the band's native US, which was validated by its chart status. During the song's promotion, Gary Numan joined the band for a concert performance in BrixtonBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to much enthusiasm.
After the radio trade publication R&R
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
listed "Cars" as the most added track on both active rock and mainstream rock in May 1999, the song earned "Breaker" status and continued to surge up the chart. "Cars" debuted and peaked at No. 57 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on August 10.
Music video
Numan also appears in the sci-fiScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by John S. Bartley and filmed in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, which debuted in June 1999. Bell enthusiastically described the ambitious video as having a "Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
-type of vibe to it":
- "[Bartley] put Gary and I into harnessHarnessA harness is a looped restraint or support. It can also be referred to as an "hitcharness", especially by the Jordanian Armed Forces. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types:* Bondage harness* Child harness* Climbing harness...
es and we had to simulate floating in spaceWeightlessnessWeightlessness is the condition that exists for an object or person when they experience little or no acceleration except the acceleration that defines their inertial trajectory, or the trajectory of pure free-fall...
. We were floating around this junked out '79 Trans AmPontiac FirebirdThe Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro...
that he had as this car in space, and we're coming up to it. They had another '70 Trans Am that was turned into a spaceship, and that's what we're driving in. It was just wicked. It was unbelievable. It was like a dream come true."
Appearances
The song appeared on compilationsCompilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
such as the Freddy Got Fingered
Freddy Got Fingered
Freddy Got Fingered is a 2001 American comedy film directed, co-written by and starring Tom Green. Some of the scenes feature similar antics to those seen in his own The Tom Green Show and scenes in Road Trip. It is largely built around gross-out and shock humor...
soundtrack, GT2: Music at the Speed of Sound
Gran Turismo 2
is a driving simulator / racing game for the Sony PlayStation. Gran Turismo 2 was developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1999. The games serves as a sequel to Gran Turismo...
, Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Vol. 2: The Album, and Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
and in the video game Test Drive 6
Test Drive 6
Test Drive 6 is a cross-platform racing game, first released in 1999. It is the sixth entry in the Test Drive series. Test Drive 6 is available for PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast and Windows.-Game modes:...
in October 1999. A version known as "Cars (MPH Mix)" appeared on NASCAR: Crank It Up
NASCAR: Crank It Up
NASCAR: Crank It Up is a compilation album released in 2002, following the release of NASCAR Full Throttle a year earlier.- Track listing :#NASCAR on Fox Theme#p.e. - "Crosstown Traffic"...
in 2002.
The track was included on The Best of Fear Factory
The Best of Fear Factory
-Credits:*Burton C. Bell − vocals*Dino Cazares − guitar, bass on tracks 1-3, audio mixing*Christian Olde Wolbers − bass on tracks 4-12*Raymond Herrera − drums*Monte Conner − compilation*Joseph Cultice − photography...
in 2006. "Cars (Numanoid Mix)," a version containing only Numan's vocals, appeared on the Hatefiles
Hatefiles
-Credits:*John Aguto - Mixing*Duane Baron - Engineer*John Bechdel - Keyboards, Programming*Burton C. Bell - vocals*Dino Cazares - Guitar, Mixing*Monte Conner - Compilation, Song Notes*Fear Factory - Producer...
rarities compilation in April 2003.
Track listing
- "Cars" (remix) – 3:39
- "Descent" (Falling Deeper Mix) – 4:38
- "Edgecrusher" (Urban Assault Mix) – 4:33
Other covers, live performances and samples
In 1980, Frank ZappaFrank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
played "Cars" during some live shows, but sang the lyrics to his song "In France" instead of the original ones. When "In France" was released on his 1984 album Them or Us
Them or Us
Them or Us is an album by Frank Zappa, released in October 1984. Its opening and closing tracks are covers: "The Closer You Are", which was written by Earl Lewis and Morgan Robinson and originally released by The Channels; and "Whippin' Post", originally recorded by The Allman Brothers Band. ...
, it got its own blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
background instead. Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo released their own hip-hop version of "Cars" on their debut Road to the Riches
Road To The Riches
Road to the Riches is the debut album by hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, which was released in 1989 on then-prominent hip hop label Cold Chillin' Records...
album in 1989. "Cars" was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the Judybats
Judybats
Judybats were an alternative rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee, active primarily in the late 1980s and early 1990s. First formed in 1988 by vocalist Jeff Heiskell and guitarists Johnny Sughrue and Ed Winters when the three were students at the University of Tennessee, the band subsequently added...
on the 1991 single "Daylight" and by Shampoo
Shampoo (band)
Shampoo were a British all-girl band in the 1990s, formed by Jacqui Blake and Caroline "Carrie" Askew. They were most famous for their hit song, "Trouble".-History:...
on the "Girl Power" single in 1995. Dave Clarke
Dave Clarke
Dave Clarke is an English techno producer and DJ, often given the title, 'The Baron of Techno'.-Life and career:...
performed the song on the Random tribute album in 1997. Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
performed "Cars" several times during their Wave Goodbye Tour
Wave Goodbye Tour
Wave Goodbye Tour was a 2009 concert tour by industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails.-Tour dates:* 1'^ Headline show; non-festival appearance....
in 2009, featuring Numan on vocals.
The song was also heavily sampled in the 2000 song "Koochy
Koochy
"Koochy" is the first single to be lifted from Armand Van Helden's album Killing Puritans. It heavily samples Gary Numan's 1979 single "Cars".-Charts:...
" by Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden is a record producer, DJ and remixer whose biggest commercial successes came from his remixes of the 1996 Tori Amos song "Professional Widow" , which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997, and his own track "U Don't Know Me ", which went to number 1...
, reaching #4 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The beat was later used for the song "Hot Wheels" by the hip-hop group Jim Crow. The 2009 songs "Hiding All The Stars
Hiding All The Stars
"Hiding All The Stars" is a song by British electronic dance music artist Chicane featuring vocals by natasha Andrews. The song, which features a sample from "Cars" by Gary Numan, was released on 18 October 2009 in the United Kingdom....
" by Chicane
Chicane (recording artist)
Chicane is a British electronic dance music act, and the guise of British musician, composer, songwriter and record producer, Nicholas Bracegirdle....
and "Trucks" by J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
both sample "Cars." The song "New Car" by Cledus T. Judd
Cledus T. Judd
Barry Poole is an American country music artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country music songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies...
used the instrumental portion of "Cars" after each chorus, partially performed with car horns. The song was remixed with "Technologic
Technologic
"Technologic" is a song by French duo Daft Punk from the album Human After All. It was released as the second single on June 14, 2005. The music video for "Technologic" was directed by Daft Punk.-Composition:...
" by Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
and with "Here Comes My DJ" by Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
which is featured as a playable track in DJ Hero
DJ Hero
DJ Hero is a music video game, developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision as a rhythm game spin-off of the Guitar Hero franchise. It was released on October 27, 2009 in North America and on October 29, 2009 in Europe...
.
In popular culture
- The song is featured in several episodes of the first season of the UK comedy series The Mighty BooshThe Mighty BooshThe Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six episode radio series, it has since spawned a total of twenty television episodes for BBC Three and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the...
(Numan himself appeared in one episode during the series' third season). - The song was featured in the film Freddy Got FingeredFreddy Got FingeredFreddy Got Fingered is a 2001 American comedy film directed, co-written by and starring Tom Green. Some of the scenes feature similar antics to those seen in his own The Tom Green Show and scenes in Road Trip. It is largely built around gross-out and shock humor...
along with Fear Factory's cover. - The song is featured in the 2002 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
as part of the new waveNew Wave musicNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
radio station Wave 103. - It appears in 1994 film Speed.
- The Fear Factory cover appears in the video game Test Drive 6Test Drive 6Test Drive 6 is a cross-platform racing game, first released in 1999. It is the sixth entry in the Test Drive series. Test Drive 6 is available for PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast and Windows.-Game modes:...
; the music video by Fear FactoryFear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
is also accessible in the options menu. - Homer SimpsonHomer SimpsonHomer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
performs a parody of the song in The Simpsons episode "Diatribe of a Mad HousewifeDiatribe of a Mad Housewife"Diatribe of a Mad Housewife" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired January 25, 2004. Marge is inspired to write a romance novel, though after Homer hears rumors that Marge is secretly in love with Ned Flanders due to the storyline of the novel, he grows...
". - Its music video was used in an episode of Beavis and Butthead.
- The song has been used in several episodes of the television drama Nip/TuckNip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
. - The song featured at the end of the Family Guy episode "Whistle While Your Wife WorksWhistle While Your Wife Works"Whistle While Your Wife Works" is the fifth episode of season five of Family Guy. The show originally aired on November 12, 2006. The plot follows Peter losing his fingers after an accident while holding fireworks. Behind on his work and threatened with the possibility of dismissal, he asks Lois...
", with new lyrics performed by StewieStewie GriffinStewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
. - The song has been used in advertisements for the Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's Future Car program, American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
on ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, CarlingCarlingCarling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.Carling Black Label is the name of a brand of Canadian lager in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and South Africa...
beer, FolksamFolksamFolksam is one of the largest insurance companies in Sweden. The company headquarters are located in Stockholm. Folksam consists of the two mutual insurance companies Folksam sak and Folksam liv...
, Little Debbie, Nissan AltimaNissan AltimaThe Nissan Altima is a mid-size automobile manufactured by Nissan, and is arguably a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line, which began in 1957. It has historically been larger, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Nissan Sentra but less so than the Nissan Maxima. The Altima is available...
and the Oldsmobile AleroOldsmobile AleroThe Oldsmobile Alero was a compact car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1999 to 2004.The Alero was introduced in spring 1998 as a 1999 model to replace the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero went into production on April 6, 1998. All Aleros were built in Lansing, Michigan...
, as well as the "Go Greener" campaign in Scotland. - In the South Park episode "Pandemic 2: The Startling", it can be heard being played by the Peruvian flute players near the end of the episode when Craig is narrating.
- On his Bewilderness DVD, Bill BaileyBill BaileyBill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
demonstrates how West Country dialectsWest Country dialectsThe West Country dialects and West Country accents are generic terms applied to any of several English dialects and accents used by much of the indigenous population of South West England, the area popularly known as the West Country....
are unsuited to great rock and pop music by performing a short West Country-themed version of "Cars", beginning with the line "'Ere in moi carr...". Also, in his Dandelion Mind DVD he performs the song in French and with horns. - In the episode "Hello, I Am Alan Cousteau" of Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, Alan Harper sings and hums the song as he puts together model cars. - This song was named number 11 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s and number 93 on the same channel's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s.
- According to the premiere episodeSeries 1: Episode 1 (Life on Mars)The first episode of the first series of the British time travel police procedural television series, Life on Mars, was first broadcast on 9 January 2006. The episode, known erroneously as "The Crash", was produced by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One....
of Life on Mars, "Cars" was the first record that Sam TylerSam TylerDCI/DI Sam Tyler is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars.In the original British version of Life on Mars, Tyler is played by John Simm and in the American version he is played by Jason O'Mara....
purchased. He bought it at a fictional ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
record store, Vinyl Heaven.