Favorite "Car" Songs #5 - "Black Cars"

@teamfreak16 (43421)
Denver, Colorado
September 8, 2016 7:59am CST
We're at #5 in my Favorite "Car" Songs series. The midpoint distinction belongs to Canadian vocalist Gino Vanelli and his 1984 song "Black Cars." Gino Vanelli, who also plays drums and percussion, has been at it since 1973, and is still going strong. Vanelli is probably best known for his ballad's such as "I Just Wanna Stop" and "Living Inside Myself." He is a multiple Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent to the Grammy's) winner, and, according to Wikipedia, was one one of the few white singer to appear on Soul Train, joining esteemed artists David Bowie and Elton John (thanks @FourWalls!) (Another Wikipedia Fun Fact: Vanelli waited outside of Herb Alpert's gate hoping the trumpeter/record exec would listen to his demo. Alpert signed Vanelli three days later.) Schmaltzy as those hit ballads might have been, Vanelli adapted well to the 80's with his 1984 album Black Cars, the title track of which was a danceable piece of synth-pop that fit right in to the music of that decade. "Black Cars" did well in Canada, landing at #4 in Canada, and performed modestly here in the States, stalling at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. The energetic song is definitely dated, it's easily identified as an 80's tune, and probably surprised a lot of people only familiar with Vanelli's hit ballads. Vanelli was on to something. Black cars do look better in the shade. Don't they?
Gino Vanelli - Black Cars 1985 Under the cover of night She crawls into sight Her skin is cold china white She's a dark angel wearing dark glasses Dark shado...
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3 responses
@FourWalls (62161)
• United States
8 Sep 16
It probably didn't do all that well in the US because it doesn't sound like "I Just Wanna Stop" and "Living Inside Myself." BTW, Gino was not the second Caucasian on Soul Train (unless there's a Canadian equivalent). The first two whites on Soul Train were David Bowie (1974) and Elton John (1975).
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
9 Sep 16
Damn Wikipedia. It's let me down.
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@FourWalls (62161)
• United States
9 Sep 16
@teamfreak16 -- ah, they can't be expected to get everything right.
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@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
9 Sep 16
@FourWalls - I'm going to edit.
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@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Sep 16
He was fairly big at one time. I considered him sort of mainstream.
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@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
26 Sep 16
Definitely mainstream. I like his 80's stuff better.
@Ronrybs (17844)
• London, England
12 Sep 16
Not heard of him or any of his songs, but the video looked very'80s'
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@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
12 Sep 16
Oh, it's total 80's. It even sounds 80's.
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