Posted on 12/09/2020 3:29:37 PM PST by simpson96
Cars guitarist Ric Ocasek wrote this song, but their bass player Benjamin Orr sang lead.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
From “Candy-O” - a nearly flawless album.
It’s about Zola Budd.
I saw them in concert many moons ago. Love ‘em.
I like the nightlife, baby!
Ben Orr was the backbone of the Cars IMO.
To this day “Drive” can change my mood.
First tour out circa 1979 saw The Cars AND Boston in one show. I knew it was gonna be rock history and sure enough.
I saw them in 1979 in a small venue.
Their first album was flawless.
The problem I had with drive was the fact that the video was so damn annoying and Paulina couldn’t redeem it.
“Just What I Needed” is on my top ten list of greatest rock era singles of all time.
The Cars first album was one of the death knells for the Disco Era.
I always think of how messed up Guam was by their radio station. I have never heard of before or after a radio station play “Shoo Be Doo” as a stand alone song without “Candy O” right after it. They did.
It’s wierd, but I always liked the Orr songs. I didn’t realize Ocasek wrote them all.
Stumbled on them rehearsing in an empty storefront in a closed retail park (there were a lot of those thanks to Carter) just before their first opening tour in ‘78. The first single had just become a rock radio hit. They were pretty tight to my ears but were still trying to perfect the bridge in Bye Bye Love, kept going over and over it again and again. Cool to watch ‘em work (for free).
Blast from the past!
I was in a garage band in the 80’s and played covers for different venues. I played keyboard and backing vocals. Cars were always on the repertoire.
Fun times.
My dad saw them live too in the early 80’s in L.A. Said that was one of the few shows where the girls almost outnumbered the guys. The girls were obviously there to see Benjamin Orr.
Benjamin Orr was the hidden talent of The Cars. Most "kids" including myself thought Rick Ocasek sang all the songs, lol.
Anyway, The Cars were instrumental in the New Wave movement, along with Flock of Seagulls, New Order, Billy Idol, OMD, Devo, etc..! Sadly, Orr passed away from cancer back in 2014 or some such..
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