Not pretty enough to date a supermodel, but it’ll get you where you wanna go.
Need a little extra vroom in your Monday? I hope you have The Nest as one of your presets on your car radio! This is the day we put the pedal to the metal and dig up another rusty song that just needs a new coat of paint out of that vast junkyard of lost hits we like to call the Dusty Vinyl Archive! DJ Scratchy’s got everything taken care of under the hood, while the Sponkies fight over who gets to ride shotgun. This song’s being played As Is, no warranty implied…
The Cars were one of the bands most responsible in America for bridging the gap between 70’s rock and 80’s new wave. They were also one of the first rock acts to fully embrace the music video era that was lifting off on MTV, and when you think of The Cars, undoubtedly one person comes to mind….
And they thought Sting was a creepy stalker.
Ric Ocasek was the clear frontman and face of the band who got all the attention and 19 year old Czech fashion models. He also sang lead on most of The Cars biggest hits, but not all of them. In fact, the biggest hit The Cars had in the US, 1984’s “Drive,” featured the light haired, more soft spoken bassist for the band behind the mic… one Benjamin Orzechowski, better known as Benjamin Orr. Ocasek and Orr both went solo during a hiatus by the band in the mid 80’s, and while Ric’s “Emotion in Motion” was a slightly bigger hit…. give me Orr’s “Stay the Night” any day of the week…
“Stay the Night” only got to #24 on the Hot 100 in 1987, maybe because it’s about as synth driven a song as you’d find at that time. Even groups known for their synth work like Human League were easing back on the electronic keyboards by this time…
Just stop it already! I need a nap…
The song’s still a winner in my book, even if it was a little behind in its time. Credit to Orr as well for “Drive,” a song which I always thought was the weak sister of all of The Cars’ Heartbeat City hits… but one I’ve really come to appreciate better over the last decade or so. Just goes to show you that you don’t need to look like a creepy dude in shades to give us just what we needed…
You might think I’ll have another lost hit next Monday, and you’d be right! Let’s go…
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
Ben was a great bass player and he sang lead on quite a few of the Cars songs. Let’s Go was my favorite and the song that first caught my ear and introduced me to the band. It was sometimes hard to tell his and Ocasek’s voices apart. Sadly Ben died way too young from cancer.
I was surprised to find out Ben was the singer on a few of The Cars’ older songs. I always knew he did “Drive,” but he does sound a lot like Ric in Let’s Go and Just What I Needed.
I loved loved LOVED this song… why no one saw or heard what a gem this is ? probably it was the year… there was drafi deutscher and his mixed emotions band… mixed emotions was what the people got as he had a gig totally plastered and flew through the music show like a ricochet… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TjUoHeAXhk
Good lord! The first thing I wondered when I watched that video is what in the hell is that woman wearing!?!?
This came just at the perfect time. I just got in from burying my calico kitty Gloria who passed over the Rainbow Bridge this morning. She was 18 and had a good life but I am still feeling crushed. I planted a camellia bush over her. Sigh. But it came just in time because The Cars are just about my favorite band – in the top three. On the top. They made the soundtrack of my life. Just what I needed. I love this song. Loved Benjamin Orr who passed away too soon and too young. I wish he had done more songs with The Cars and I’m glad he did his solo albums. Such a beautiful voice. He was also the most gorgeous man in music history. Hands down. Nobody comes near. Sigh. Yeah, I guess that is who Vlad would look like if I had my way. Thanks. xoxo
I’m sorry to hear about Gloria. I did think of you when I chose this song because you’ve raved on The Cars before…
I think “Drive” is the only song I know by these guys. I found this song quite drab and it seemed to just drone on and on…
Another victory for the Dusty Vinyl Archive of songs that drone on and on!
I pretty much always loved their music – it got me through some rough times and their “Hits” CD is what I listen to on road trips I make. A whole lot of talent in this group and Orr was amazing.
Pam
Another band I grew to love in the 80’s that I had no idea had a catalogue of much older music as well. Though I’m a much bigger fan of those mid-80’s songs than the 70’s/early 80’s hits…
What a great tune (even if it’s on Tuesday). It has an almost Foreigner flavour to it and that’s good in my books.