If this album had only one good song on it, and that song was 'Drive', it would still be a classic record belonging in every collection. It's one of the most beautiful, poignant ballads of the 1980's. Written by Rik Ocasek and sung by bass player Ben Orr, it's just one of 6 single releases from this 10 track album. There aren't many studio albums that have 60% of their tracks on regular airplay, much less all of those 6 charting somewhere in the world and two of them making #1 in the US. It's almost a 'Greatest Hits' collection without meaning to be.
It's also the soundtrack to my wife Tracy's lost summer of teenage angst and a love that might have been - but that's another story.
When I wrote recently about Dr. Hook I said people tend to get a mental picture of Ray Sawyer wearing an eyepatch. When people think of The Cars, Ric Okasek springs to mind as 'the face' of the group. Apart from being co-lead singer and major songwriter for the band (sometimes with keyboard player Greg Hawkes) he was also perhaps the most distinctive in appearance. Standing 6'4" tall, long face, large ears, gaunt look and often with dark glasses, he stood out in a crowd. As I mentioned, Ric was co-lead singer, sharing duties with his fellow founding member Ben Orr. They usually took solo lead on different songs and only rarely took lead duet. On this album, only one track, 'It's Not the Night' lists both of them out front.
First cab off the rank (nice little 'Car' reference there) from the album is 'Hello Again' - instantly identified from the opening with that "swooshing" intro to the word 'Hello'. It's worth looking for the music video of this track, it was produced by Andy Warhol and features him as a bartender. The song is supposedly about a guy who can't find happiness and ends up back where he came from. I don't get that at all, but, enjoy.
'Magic' is just that - a magically jaunty piece with another distinctive opening - almost like a 60's sci-fi effect. Singing about being with his girl, Ric Okasek uses phrases like "I see you under the midnight" which he described as "manipulated contradictions". Who knew.
'Drive' is nothing short of a perfect, beautiful melancholy song with electronics replacing violins to create that heart-wrenching backdrop. The song got a massive boost from the 1985 Live Aid broadcast, where not only did Ben Orr perform it from the Philadelphia stage, it was also used as the background soundtrack to clips of the Ethiopian famine, which of course was the whole reason for the event. Here's a couple of trivia bits - the official music video was produced by the actor Timothy Hutton when he was just 23 years old - and after Princess Diana was killed some songs were taken off radio XFM in the UK in case they upset people. One of those songs was 'Drive'.
Both 'Magic' and another track off this milestone album 'You Might Think' got to #1 on the US Rock charts with 'Drive' reaching #3. The title track 'Heartbeat City', 'Why Can't I Have You' and the previously mentioned 'Hello Again' rounded out the 6 charting singles.
After just one more major single 'Tonight She Comes' the band never really regained their star power. Through breakups, solo careers, brief reunitings and subsequently the passing of both lead singers, Benjamin Orr in 2000 and Ric Okasek in 2019, The Cars remain a late 70's - 80's band with a legacy of great music, unique videos and a lasting spot on any playlist worth it's salt.
On a personal note - and this is just because the sound is of it's time - whenever I hear The Cars my mind links to Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Roxy Music et al .. a paradox that sounds can be generic and unique at the same time.
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