Shake IT Up (The Cars Song)

Shake It Up (The Cars Song)

"Shake It Up" is a song and title track by American Rock band The Cars from their 1981 album of the same name. Although appearing for the first time in 1981, it was actually written years earlier by Ric Ocasek, who composed the vast majority of the band's music. The song would go on to become The Cars' most popular party song (peaking at number two on the US mainstream rock chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1982). With the track, "Cruiser" as its b-side, it hit number fourteen on the US dance chart and continues to be a staple of dance parties. In the music video for it, some of the models crossdress. The song is primarily reliant on dance-pop as its main genre, with pop rock elements audible. Elliot Easton's chorus guitar stabs and the guitar solo relate pop rock elements. Add to these keyboardist Greg Hawkes synthesizer lines, the associated instrument of bands labeled "New Wave" at the time, and it is a prime example of The Cars genre blending. The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered this song for the 1985 TV special A Chipmunk Reunion.