"Cars" is the debut solo single by English musician Gary Numan. It was rele… Read Full Bio ↴"Cars" is the debut solo single by English musician Gary Numan. It was released on 21 August 1979 and is from his debut studio album, The Pleasure Principle. The song reached the top of the charts in several countries and was considered one of the first big new wave hits. Today, Numan is considered as an early pioneer of the genre.

The song was the first release credited solely to Gary Numan after he dropped the band name Tubeway Army. Musically, the new song was somewhat lighter and more pop-oriented than its predecessors, Numan later conceding that he had chart success in mind: "This was the first time I had written a song with the intention of 'maybe it could be a hit single'; I was writing this before 'Are "Friends" Electric?' happened." He has since described "Cars" as "a pretty average song". According to Numan, the song's lyrics were inspired by an incident of road rage: "I was in traffic in London once and had a problem with some people in front. They tried to beat me up and get me out of the car. I locked the doors and eventually drove up on the pavement and got away from them. It's kind of to do with that. It explains how you can feel safe inside a car in the modern world... When you're in it, your whole mentality is different... It's like your own little personal empire with four wheels on it."

The music video featured Numan's then-current backing band, including Billy Currie from the band Ultravox, though he had not actually played on the recording of "Cars". It is perhaps notable that the video for "Cars" depicts no images of actual cars. At 2:43 in the video, five Gary Numans appear to be "driving" (in a standing position, holding an imaginary steering wheel) along a Polymoog keyboard.

In the UK charts, it reached number 1 in 1979, and in 1980 hit number 1 in Canada two weeks running on the RPM national singles chart (29 weeks in the top 100). It was his only single to chart there. It rose to #4 on the US Cash Box Top 100 and #9 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Though Numan had a string of hits in the UK, "Cars" was his only song in the American Pop charts.

Cars
Gary Numan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It's the only way to live in cars

Here in my car
I can only receive
I can listen to you

It keeps me stable for days in cars

Here in my car
Where the image breaks down
Will you visit me please
If I open my door in cars?

Here in my car
I know I've started to think

About leaving tonight
Although nothing seems right in cars

Overall Meaning

Gary Numan's song Cars has been interpreted in many ways over the years. At its core, the song is about the safety and comfort that a car can provide. The first verse talks about the safety of being in a car, with its ability to lock doors and keep things out. The second verse focuses on the ability to receive, such as listening to music or talking to someone on the phone, which can provide stability. The third verse talks about the potential breakdown of the car's image and the need for someone to visit and provide comfort. Finally, the last verse talks about the desire to leave, to break free from the safety and comfort of the car despite nothing feeling right.

One interpretation of the song is that it is a commentary on the separation and isolation that cars can create. The safety and comfort that a car provides can also create a sense of separation from the world outside, leading to a disconnected feeling. The desire to leave the car can represent a desire to connect with the world and break down the barriers that the car represents.

Another interpretation is that the song is a metaphor for human relationships. The car represents the safety and comfort of a relationship, but also the potential for isolation and disconnection. The desire to leave can represent a desire to break free from a stagnant or unfulfilling relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Here in my car
I am currently inside my car

I feel safest of all
My car provides me with a sense of security above all other things

I can lock all my doors
I have the ability to lock every door in my car

It's the only way to live in cars
Locking my doors is the necessary way to live inside a car

I can only receive
My car's audio system only allows me to receive information

I can listen to you
I am able to hear what you are saying through my car's audio system

It keeps me stable for days in cars
Listening to you through my car's audio system provides me with emotional stability that can last for days

Where the image breaks down
At a place where everything appears to fall apart

Will you visit me please
Would you be willing to come see me?

If I open my door in cars?
Am I to assume you will visit me if I open my car door?

I know I've started to think
I have already begun to consider