Moving In Stereo The Cars

Moving in Stereo Album: The Cars (1978)
by The Cars

With lead vocals by Cars bass player Benjamin Orr, this song uses various studio production techniques to explore the stereo spectrum as the sound goes back and forth between the speakers. While it was never released as a single, the song was popular on rock radio stations and known as a great one to listen to through headphones.
The song draws parallels between manipulating a stereo recording and moving through life. It's a rare song where the word "tremolo" appears, which means manipulating a single note.

This was written by Cars singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek and keyboard player Greg Hawkes. It's one of the few songs Hawkes received songwriter credit on.
This was featured in the 1982 movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High during an unforgettable erotic scene where the actress Phoebe Cates gets out a swimming pool while actor Judge Reinhold "fulfills" his fantasy. Incidentally, this song is not included on the music soundtrack available for the film.

Although not released as a single, "Moving in Stereo" received airplay on album-oriented rock radio stations in the United States, often coupled with the song "All Mixed Up" which it segues into on the album. The song continues to receive airplay on classic rock radio stations.

Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic described the song as "one of the Cars' finest experimental tracks," noting that it "sounds like a new wave update of Eno-era Roxy Music.

An instrumental portion of "Moving in Stereo" was used prominently in the 1982 feature film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, in which it accompanies Judge Reinhold's character's fantasy of Phoebe Cates's character removing her bikini top while embracing him. Although the song was popularized in the movie, it was not included on the soundtrack album.

This song is often used to reference the famous Fast Times At Ridgemont High scene in which it appears. TV series that have paid homage to this scene and song include:

Family Guy in the 2001 episode "The Kiss Seen Round the World," when Meg fantasizes about newscaster Tom Tucker.

One Tree Hill in the 2009 episode "I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight" when Clay sees Sara getting out of his pool.

Stranger Things in the 2019 episode "Suzie, Do You Copy?" when a group of women ogle a male lifeguard at the pool. Later in the episode, Dustin says his girlfriend is like Phoebe Cates, "only hotter."

The song has also appeared in episodes of Parenthood, Scrubs, Alias and The Sopranos.

Life's the same, I'm moving in stereo
Life's the same except for my shoes
Life's the same, you're shakin' like tremolo
Life's the same, it's all inside you

It's so easy to blow up your problems
It's so easy to play up your breakdown
It's so easy to fly through a window
It's so easy to fool with the sound

It's so tough to get up
It's so tough
It's so tough to live up
It's so tough on you

Life's the same, I'm moving in stereo
Life's the same except for my shoes
Life's the same, you're shakin' like tremolo
Life's the same, it's all inside you

Life's the same, I'm moving in stereo
Life's the same except for my shoes
Life's the same, you're shakin' like tremolo
Life's the same, it's all inside you