Touch and Go

"Touch and Go" is a song by American rock band The Cars from their 1980 album Panorama. It peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1980.

The song's verses feature the use of polymeter. The bass and drums are playing in a time signature of 5/4, while the vocals, keyboards, and guitar are playing in 4/4. For the lengthy pre-chorus and chorus, all instruments (and vocals) conform to the 4/4 signature. As with the guitar solo, only some sections are "stretched out" to give Elliot Easton more measures on Eminor, F, and G, to build his flashy, yet melodic, solo.

Release

"Touch and Go" was released as the debut single from Panorama. It peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1980, making it the highest-charting US single from Panorama. Its follow-up singles, "Don't Tell Me No" and "Gimme Some Slack" failed to chart.

"Touch and Go" has appeared on many of The Cars' compilation albums. These include Greatest Hits, Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology, Complete Greatest Hits, Shake It Up & Other Hits, and The Essentials. Aside from Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology, it is the only Panorama track to appear on said albums.