The Cars hold a special place in the hearts of pop, rock, and New Wave fans alike, as they were able to tiptoe the line effectively between those genres like few of their peers could manage. They emanated effortless cool with their stoic stage presence, to the extent that those who didn’t know their music might assume they were emotionless. Cars fans know better, however, as this was a band that could sneak up on you with knee-buckling ballads when you least expected them. Let’s count down five times The Cars shifted into lower gear…and still wowed us.
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5. “Soon” (from the album Move Like This, 2011)
The Cars always seemed like a long shot for an autumn-years reunion, in part because of the insistence on the part of singer Ric Ocasek that it wasn’t going to happen, and in part because the 2000 death of bassist/vocalist Ben Orr was such a devastating loss. That’s why Move Like This, released in 2011 and featuring all four surviving members taking on a fresh batch of Ocasek originals, was such a pleasant surprise.
They largely recaptured their classic sound on that album, and the atmospheric ballad “Soon” was one of the record’s finest moments. It’s got that bittersweet vibe like all the best Cars slow ones, but it also slyly comments on where they were in their lives as they made that record: The time will run / Away from us like time will do.
4. “I’m Not the One” (from the album Shake It Up, 1981)
Shake It Up is a bit of a forgotten record in The Cars’ catalog, perhaps because it saw them on the precipice of a major change. It would be their last album produced by Roy Thomas Baker, who helmed their first four records, and it preceded the massive smash Heartbeat City, which saw the band thriving in the MTV era.
The big hits from the album were the title track and “Since You’re Gone.” “I’m Not the One” wasn’t initially released as a single, but the band gave it a remix and included it as a single on their Greatest Hits album in 1986, when the song snuck into the Top 40. It’s full of cool vocal and instrumental effects (including Greg Hawkes’ hypnotic synth solo), and features Ocasek telling an ex that he can no longer be in her life, making it a sort of dry run for a certain massive hit song yet to come on this list.
3. “All Mixed Up” (from the album The Cars, 1978)
The Cars’ debut album looks like a greatest hits compilation when viewed now, so full it is with songs that would become signature tracks for the Boston quintet. If you listen to that album now, you’ll note how the first side is filled with punchy, uptempo tracks, while the second side is a bit more pensive and contemplative.
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The final three songs on the record, including album-closer “All Mixed Up,” are all sung by Ben Orr, who tended to thrive with that type of material. Sure enough, he’s brilliant on “All Mixed Up,” exuding subtle soulfulness while singing Ocasek’s striking character sketch of a girl beyond the narrator’s understanding yet no less captivating to him. Major points here also go to drummer David Robinson, who manages to bring some thunder even with the slower tempo.
2. “It’s All I Can Do” (from the album Candy-O, 1979)
Considering that it came quickly on the heels of their highly regarded debut album, Candy-O got short shrift when it arrived in 1979. It was a little bit darker and quirkier than the debut, for sure. But it’s also utterly compelling, demonstrating time and again how the band could build such thrilling drama within their bite-sized songs.
“It’s All I Can Do” backs off the pace to a stately mid-tempo and features a sneakily ingratiating melody from Ric Ocasek. It also sports a great set of lyrics, offers a killer Elliot Easton guitar solo (as if there were any other kind), and again features Ben Orr giving a vocal performance that lets some pent-up emotion sneak between the cracks of the band’s musical precision.
1. ”Drive” (from the album Heartbeat City, 1984)
Some Cars purists balk at the production sheen laid on Heartbeat City by producer Mutt Lange. But it’s hard to argue against the commercial results. And it’s also clear that his approach suited this ballad to a tee, as it’s not only the best of The Cars’ slow ones, but it’s also one of the all-time best slower rock songs.
Every element is in perfect harmony here. Ric Ocasek’s lyrics manage to be simple, clear-eyed, and sympathetic all at once. The musical touches are just right, especially Greg Hawkes’ benevolent wave of synths and the wordless backing vocals. And Ben Orr delivers a vocal for the ages to put a bow on everything, with his closing question remaining heartbreakingly unanswered no matter how many times we hear the song: Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
