2-Minute Read: Ric Ocasek - An Appreciation

I was saddened by the news that Ric Ocasek, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for the Cars, was found dead in his New York City townhouse yesterday. Of all the so-called "new wave" bands that flourished in the late 70's and early 80's, the Cars were my favorite. I agree with Jon Pareles' assessment that "Mr. Ocasek...and the Cars merged a vision of romance, danger and nocturnal intrigue and the concision of new wave music with the sonic depth and ingenuity of radio-friendly rock." That odd yet strangely compelling blend of undeniably catchy pop hooks and darkly ironic lyrics was the band's "secret sauce" -- a unique formula that earned them millions of album sales and a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Take "Just What I Needed," the band's debut single from their 1978 self-titled debut album. The music is pure pop sugar, complete with savory vocal harmonies, a propulsive, head-bobbing beat, and an irresistible chorus. But Ocasek's lyrics are something else entirely: "I guess you're just what I needed/I needed someone to feed/I guess you're just what I needed/I needed someone to bleed." I'm not exactly sure what those lines mean, but they surely fly in the face of the bouncy, joyful melody that accompanies them. The result is like biting into a sweet candy with an unexpectedly sour center: not wholly unpleasant but a bit...unsettling.

"Bye Bye Love" is another example of the incongruities that characterized much of the Cars' recorded output. Once again, the music is buoyant and driving. Elliot Easton's searing guitar work features prominently, giving the song an undeniable rock edge that perfectly complements the darting synths and chugging bass. But those lyrics! "With your eyes of porcelain and blue/They shock me into sense/You think you're so illustrious/You call yourself intense." And that chorus: "It's an orangy sky/Always it's some other guy/It's just a broken lullaby/Bye bye love." It's that peculiar dissonance between the band's effervescent music and Ocasek's ambiguous, wry lyrics that created a singular pop music template for the ages, one that has been copied by many but never equaled.

Author Jodi Picoult wrote, "You couldn't have strength without weakness, you couldn't have light without dark, you couldn't have love without loss." It was precisely in these spaces -- at the nexus of day and twilight, joy and grief, pleasure and pain -- where Ric Ocasek and the Cars shone brightest.