The Cars - Touch and Go - ABC's "Fridays"

Ric Ocasek and crew on ABC's answer to "Saturday Night Live". This was first broadcast Sept. 19, 1980 but I believe that I recorded this a few months later when the show was repeated.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The Cars
• Touch and Go
• Fridays
• ABC

[David76324]

THANK-YOU morrisonAV for saving and posting this great video. I was a HUGE Cars fan back then, and I still am today. This was a great performance and I liked that show "Fridays" better than SNL. You helped bring back a flood of memories of my college days. This was my favorite Cars song. I loved the way Elliot E. played the guitar, he really ripped into this song.

I really owe you for this great video and walk down memory lane during some of the best years of my life. Thank-you.

[morrisonAV]

@David76324

You're very welcome David. Glad you enjoyed it.

[littlesparks1970]

THIS is the video that turned me into a Cars nut when I first watched it here almost two years ago. I wanted to revisit some old songs that I loved and this was one of them. My world exploded that night. No kidding. Thank God for you, @morrisonav.

[morrisonAV]

@littlesparks1970

You've made my day, sparks! SO glad you found this clip and that it was so influential. I saved it for almost 30 years and was so happy to see how many people have found it here on YT. The one thing that really surprises me is when other YT members steal this clip and put THEIR name on it! Oh well, glad you enjoyed this.

[chanorsi]

Amazing gem! Thanks so much! I can't stop replaying this!! I watched this exact live broadcast in Clearwater Fl. when it aired. I had to sneak down after the 'rents had gone to bed to watch Fridays or SNL, which were my favorite shows.

The Fridays sound people got this RIGHT!! Elliot Easton's Strat sounds amazing and The Cars slam down a classic performance!

Touch and Go's odd rhythm and spatial chords hooked me and it became one of my top Cars tunes. How can this have been 31 YEARS AGO?!!

[morrisonAV]

@chanorsi

Glad you enjoyed the clip so much. As you could tell, I lived in the area too (New Port Richey) and collected a lot of pre-MTV clips off of the late-night video clip shows.

[acmecompany]

Touch And Go", a hit single by The Cars, has polymetric verses, with the drums and bass playing in 5/4, while the guitar, synthesizer, and vocals are in 4/4 (the choruses are entirely in 4/4) Very difficult to play and sync. The drum beat almost seems backwards.

[jamcofec]

Ocasek's dancing early in the piece is the most animated I've seen from the man! Obviously the man must be able to move to grab PP...

[ronyorellana226]

@DforDelinquent U MAD?

[DforDelinquent]

@ronyorellana226

Maybe you need a bowel movement?

[64mung]

Classic footage!!..I love it!!

Man..this brings back some great memories...I can't stop watching this lol:)

Thanks for posting!

64m >:-)

[chanorsi]

@bobernstHey Thanks for the clarification. I guess I didn't look closely enough. I saw the double cutaway and assumed it was a strat... Doh! I prefer a Tele, but I LOVE one of his Strats. It had a pictorial in guitar player mag in late 83 or early 84. I think it was a 59, but not sure now. I am sure of the color which is an amazing hue called Burgundy Purple Mist. in metallic. It was pristine with case and get this: It still had the original sale tag on the headstock! Cheers!

[ronyorellana226]

I was born 13 years before this was recorded. Anyways, everytime I lisen to this song, something inside of me moves and I get anxious...

[todtubetod]

and the video quality is so good and slick.....

[todtubetod]

I can't believe this is 1980. The music and their outfits look a little 'too 80s' for 1980.