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.
True Love
Ric Ocasek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never felt the same
You knew I was shaken by your smile
You never were too tame
It's hard to free love's insanity
You held me in your hand
And everyday someone stays inside you
Oh, there's got to be true love, true love
True love just to make it
Oh, there's got to be true love, true love
True love just to take it
And even with all your wires touching
You never did complain
And even with empty arms still clutching
You took it all in vain, oh, yeah
Oh, I need a little true love, true love
True love just to make it
There's got to be true love, true love
True love just to take it
You can tell I crawled under you shell
And I never felt the rain
But you always knew everything to do
I know you're not to blame
Oh, I need a little true love, true love
True love just to make it
There's got to be true love, oh, true love
True love just to take it
True love, true love
True love just to make it
Yeah, true love, true love
True love just to take it
In the song "True Love" by Ric Ocasek, the lyrics talk about a relationship that has been built on strong emotions and feelings. The singer seems to be deeply infatuated with someone, falling under their spell completely. The lyrics suggest that this person has shaken the singer up with their smile, and has held them in their hand like a puppet. However, despite their intense connection, freedom seems hard to come by, and the relationship borders on insanity. While the singer craves for true love that will last, they acknowledge that it takes more than just love to keep the relationship going, and that they need to take it too.
The lyrics demonstrate a sense of vulnerability and dependence on the other person. The singer mentions that they crawled into the other person's shell and never felt the rain, suggesting that they have become so engrossed in the relationship that they are oblivious to what is happening around them. They are aware that the other person knows everything to do and they cannot help but fall and be taken in by them. The lyrics convey a bittersweet feeling of wanting to hold onto the relationship while recognizing that it may not be sustainable without mutual effort.
Line by Line Meaning
You can tell I fell under your spell
It's obvious that I became entranced by you
I never felt the same
I've never experienced anything like what I have with you
You knew I was shaken by your smile
You were aware that your smile affected me greatly
You never were too tame
You weren't ever boring or predictable
It's hard to free love's insanity
It's challenging to rid oneself of the craziness that love can bring
You held me in your hand
You had control over me
And everyday someone stays inside you
There's always someone within you
You want to understand
You desire to comprehend this feeling and the person within you
Oh, there's got to be true love, true love
There has to be authentic love, real love
True love just to make it
Without true love, it's difficult to succeed
And even with all your wires touching
Even with all your defenses up
You never did complain
You never expressed irritation or dissatisfaction
And even with empty arms still clutching
Despite having nothing, you still cling to it
You took it all in vain, oh, yeah
You accepted it to no avail
Oh, I need a little true love, true love
I require some genuine love
There's got to be true love, oh, true love
There must be authentic love
You can tell I crawled under you shell
You can see that I entered your defensive exterior
And I never felt the rain
I never experienced hardship
But you always knew everything to do
But you were always capable of handling any situation
I know you're not to blame
You're not at fault
True love, true love
Authentic love
True love just to make it
Without authentic love, it's hard to succeed
Yeah, true love, true love
Yes, authentic love
True love just to take it
Authentic love is necessary to accept a situation or relationship
Contributed by Madelyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.