How a haunting synth-pop ballad became a vehicle for global charity
In short: In 1984, The Cars released a song that felt like a departure from their usual sound. It was a somber, electronic ballad that captured a relationship in decay, yet it would eventually transcend its melancholic lyrics to become a landmark moment in humanitarian music history.
Released on July 23, 1984, as the third single from the album Heartbeat City, "Drive" was a significant stylistic shift for The Cars. Written by Ric Ocasek and performed by bassist Benjamin Orr, the track was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Unlike the band's more upbeat hits, "Drive" utilized a nearly entirely electronic arrangement. Greg Hawkes provided synthesizers while Elliot Easton contributed guitar to create a "haunting" atmosphere. Critics have noted that the song's "super gloss" production, while some find it dated, successfully frames Orr's poignant delivery of lyrics concerning a deteriorating relationship. The song's visual identity was shaped by actor Timothy Hutton, who directed the music video after being impressed by the track while listening to the unreleased album. The video, featuring 19-year-old Paulina Porizkova, uses a surrealist approach, alternating between a disused nightclub filled with mannequins and a narrative of a relationship breakdown.
This artistic direction helped solidify the song's status as a high-charting success, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Contemporary chart in the United States. However, the song's most enduring legacy is tied to the July 1985 Live Aid event. While performed live in Philadelphia, it was also used as the background music for a CBC Television montage depicting the Ethiopian famine during the London event. This association with the Band Aid Trust was so significant that the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart in August 1985. The subsequent re-release raised nearly £160,000 for the charity, a sum Ocasek personally presented to trustee Midge Ure in November 1986.
The song's influence even reached beyond the synth-pop genre, with Paul McCartney citing it as a key influence on the sound of his 1986 album Press to Play. McCartney noted that "Drive" represented a specific "flavor" of the era that he wanted to incorporate into his own musical cooking.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Drive (The Cars song)
- Also: Wikidata — Drive · CC0
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