Ocasek released his first solo album in 1982. Beatitude is a somewhat more experimental variation of The Cars' New Wave rock sound. A more synthesizer-heavy follow up, This Side Of Paradise, was released in 1986. A minor hit, "Emotion In Motion" accompanied the album.
The Cars split in 1987, and Ocasek disappeared from the public eye for several years, resurfacing in 1990 with Fireball Zone. One track, "Rockaway", enjoyed a brief stay on the charts, but his solo albums have seen disappointing sales, especially compared to his success with the Cars. He subsequently released other solo works throughout the decade, including 1993's Quick Change World, 1996's Getchertikitz (a collaboration with Suicide's Alan Vega), and 1997's Billy Corgan-produced Troublizing (which Ocasek supported with a very brief tour, his first since leaving the Cars). In 2005, Ocasek released another album, Nexterday, to little fanfare but positive reviews.
In 2010, Ocasek reunited with the surviving original members of The Cars to record their first album in 24 years, titled Move Like This, which came out on May 10, 2011.
Hello Darkness
Ric Ocasek Lyrics
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Hazel windows in velveteen Cadillac soul
In the city heat, jazzy silence at your feet
Hello darkness, goodbye sun, you're my only one
Holy clouds, playful light, so reluctant in silent flight
Fragile skin, stroking hands left in doubt with no demands
Devil cats, so black and sleek, walking down the alleyway
So hard to meet, sweet sensation, paradoxical dream
Curious creatures in between
Hello darkness, my last hotel
Sometimes it gets so hard to tell
In Ric Ocasek's song "Hello Darkness," the lyrics paint a picture of a perfect, dreamlike world, set against the backdrop of a jazzy, serene city heat. The opening lines describe a utopian image of a "perfect picture" and a "paper doll dream," evoking a sense of beauty and unattainability. The following lines portray a luxurious setting, with "hazel windows" in a "velveteen Cadillac soul." The juxtaposition of the serenity and the luxury of the scene creates an atmosphere of tension, which is enhanced by the sudden introduction of the titular darkness.
The chorus, "Hello darkness, goodbye sun, you're my only one," is a direct reference to the famous lyric from "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel. However, while that song's lyrics suggest that darkness is a negative force, Ocasek's lyrics suggest a comfort in darkness. The lines "Hello darkness, you are my friend, hold me till the end" indicate a sense of loneliness or desperation, and a willingness to accept darkness as a companion in this dream world. Finally, the song's closing lines, "Hello darkness, my last hotel/Sometimes it gets so hard to tell," suggest a weary resignation to the darkness, as if it has become a familiar and necessary part of the dream world.
Line by Line Meaning
The perfect picture, paper doll dream
The most flawless ideal, an image that seems too good to be true
Hazel windows in velveteen Cadillac soul
Glass panes filtering the light into a luxurious and pleasant car
In the city heat, jazzy silence at your feet
Despite the noise of the urban environment, there is still a calm and sophisticated ambiance
Hello darkness, goodbye sun, you're my only one
Addressing and welcoming an absence in the form of darkness, as the sun disappears and that darkness is the only companion
Holy clouds, playful light, so reluctant in silent flight
The entrancing and divine appearances of the clouds are contrasted with their fleeting nature
Fragile skin, stroking hands left in doubt with no demands
Delicate flesh yearning to be touched by hesitant hands, uncertain of their own desires
Hello darkness, you are my friend, hold me till the end
Repeating the welcoming of the darkness as a benevolent companion and embracing its persistence
Devil cats, so black and sleek, walking down the alleyway
Feral feline creatures, darkly beautiful and prowling in a dangerous place
So hard to meet, sweet sensation, paradoxical dream
A rare encounter with such appealing emotions that it seems unreal, although it is genuine
Curious creatures in between
Strange and fascinating entities existing in an ambiguous realm
Hello darkness, my last hotel
Echoing once again the welcoming of the darkness as a final refuge
Sometimes it gets so hard to tell
Occasionally, reality is so muddled that distinguishing the truth is difficult
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GREGORY A. HAWKES, RIC OCASEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind