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Ric Ocaseks This Side Of Paradise Turns 40, Celebrating a New Wave Milestone
Ric Ocasek’s second solo studio album, This Side Of Paradise, was released on September 13 1986 by Geffen Records. The record turns 40 on September 13 2026, the same date it first entered the market. The album arrived while The Cars were still a dominant force in the new‑wave scene, and it brought together members of the band with musicians from Tears for Fears, Television, King Crimson, Billy Idol’s touring group, and the Saturday Night Live Band.
The album is credited to Ocasek alone, but it features three Cars members. Keyboardist Greg Hawkes played keyboards and bass on most tracks and co‑wrote “Hello Darkness.” Bassist Benjamin Orr supplied backing vocals on three songs, and guitarist Elliot Easton appeared on “True To You.” The presence of these musicians gave the record a distinct link to The Cars’ sound while allowing Ocasek to explore a broader musical palette.
The lead single, “Emotion In Motion,” received a music video that was heavily rotated on MTV. The track reached No. 1 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week and peaked at No. 8 on the Australian singles chart, according to Noise11. The song remains Ocasek’s only solo chart‑topping single; as a member of The Cars he topped the same chart with “You Might Think,” “Magic,” and “Tonight She Comes.”
Production and drumming were handled by Chris Hughes, formerly known as Merrick with Adam and the Ants and a recent producer of Tears for Fears’ albums. Hughes also contributed drums to the record. Guitar work was supplied by a roster of notable musicians: Steve Stevens, who was closely associated with Billy Idol, played on more than half of the album; Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears played guitar on “Emotion In Motion”; Tom Verlaine of Television and G. E. Smith of the Saturday Night Live Band appeared on other tracks; and Tony Levin, known for his work with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel, played Chapman Stick on “Coming For You.”
Musically, the album blends new‑wave, rock, and the technology‑driven production style that defined mid‑1980s pop. Several tracks reference earlier material: “Coming For You” incorporates a motif from The Cars’ 1979 song “Nightspots,” and “True Love” features a nylon‑string guitar performance by Steve Stevens. The opening of the record includes sound effects from the 1980 video game Missile Command, a French‑speaking female voice, and the theme of “Look In Your Eyes.” The title track fades into a synthesiser reprise of “True Love” at the end.
Ocasek promoted the album on television, appearing as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live during the show’s 12th season. With Hawkes and members of the Saturday Night Live Band, he performed “Emotion In Motion” and “Keep On Laughin’.” He also appeared in a sketch featuring Dana Carvey’s Church Lady character.
The album’s title was taken from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920 novel This Side Of Paradise, itself a reference to a line in Rupert Brooke’s poem “Tiare Tahiti.” Ocasek had used literary references on his first solo album, Beatitude (1982), and the pattern continued on This Side Of Paradise.
After the release of This Side Of Paradise, The Cars issued Door To Door in 1987 before disbanding in 1988. The group reunited in 2011 for Move Like This and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Ric Ocasek died in New York in September 2019 at age 75. Following his death, the Cars’ catalogue saw a notable increase in sales and streaming, underscoring the lasting impact of his work.
Four decades after its debut, This Side Of Paradise remains a key document of Ocasek’s solo career. Its significance lies in the collaboration of a wide network of musicians and the willingness to expand his songwriting beyond the Cars’ core lineup while the band was still at the height of its influence.
The album is credited to Ocasek alone, but it features three Cars members. Keyboardist Greg Hawkes played keyboards and bass on most tracks and co‑wrote “Hello Darkness.” Bassist Benjamin Orr supplied backing vocals on three songs, and guitarist Elliot Easton appeared on “True To You.” The presence of these musicians gave the record a distinct link to The Cars’ sound while allowing Ocasek to explore a broader musical palette.
The lead single, “Emotion In Motion,” received a music video that was heavily rotated on MTV. The track reached No. 1 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week and peaked at No. 8 on the Australian singles chart, according to Noise11. The song remains Ocasek’s only solo chart‑topping single; as a member of The Cars he topped the same chart with “You Might Think,” “Magic,” and “Tonight She Comes.”
Production and drumming were handled by Chris Hughes, formerly known as Merrick with Adam and the Ants and a recent producer of Tears for Fears’ albums. Hughes also contributed drums to the record. Guitar work was supplied by a roster of notable musicians: Steve Stevens, who was closely associated with Billy Idol, played on more than half of the album; Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears played guitar on “Emotion In Motion”; Tom Verlaine of Television and G. E. Smith of the Saturday Night Live Band appeared on other tracks; and Tony Levin, known for his work with King Crimson and Peter Gabriel, played Chapman Stick on “Coming For You.”
Musically, the album blends new‑wave, rock, and the technology‑driven production style that defined mid‑1980s pop. Several tracks reference earlier material: “Coming For You” incorporates a motif from The Cars’ 1979 song “Nightspots,” and “True Love” features a nylon‑string guitar performance by Steve Stevens. The opening of the record includes sound effects from the 1980 video game Missile Command, a French‑speaking female voice, and the theme of “Look In Your Eyes.” The title track fades into a synthesiser reprise of “True Love” at the end.
Ocasek promoted the album on television, appearing as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live during the show’s 12th season. With Hawkes and members of the Saturday Night Live Band, he performed “Emotion In Motion” and “Keep On Laughin’.” He also appeared in a sketch featuring Dana Carvey’s Church Lady character.
The album’s title was taken from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920 novel This Side Of Paradise, itself a reference to a line in Rupert Brooke’s poem “Tiare Tahiti.” Ocasek had used literary references on his first solo album, Beatitude (1982), and the pattern continued on This Side Of Paradise.
After the release of This Side Of Paradise, The Cars issued Door To Door in 1987 before disbanding in 1988. The group reunited in 2011 for Move Like This and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Ric Ocasek died in New York in September 2019 at age 75. Following his death, the Cars’ catalogue saw a notable increase in sales and streaming, underscoring the lasting impact of his work.
Four decades after its debut, This Side Of Paradise remains a key document of Ocasek’s solo career. Its significance lies in the collaboration of a wide network of musicians and the willingness to expand his songwriting beyond the Cars’ core lineup while the band was still at the height of its influence.