Pynchon Music: Ric Ocasek
Some Kind of Mythical Figure
Ric Ocasek (1944–2019)
In 1991, Ric Ocasek, former lead singer of the big-hit band The Cars, released a now-unknown album, Fireball Zone. The album cover is a touched-up copy of one of the pictures of Ocasek from the Door to Door album with the artwork done by his wife, Paulina. Currently out of print, the album has since vanished from stores. That’s too bad, as Fireball Zone was a perfectly decent album, with fine songs including “Come Back,” “They Tried,” “Over and Over,” and the reggae-inflected “All We Need Is Love.” Surprisingly, the album had two videos: the soft-rock “The Way You Look Tonight” and the Cars-y “Rockaway.” When the album was released, it was meant to be a new musical beginning for Ocasek. Fireball Zone was supported by a media blitz on radio programs including Rockline (7/22/91), where Ocasek answered listener’s questions. There were high hopes for the album’s success; but unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way he’d expected.
There’s one reference to Pynchon in the liner notes. Ocasek writes, “I would personally like to thank the following people for support and inspiration,” then lists a dozen or so names, including Thomas Pynchon. (Baudelaire also makes the cut; presumably for the song “Flowers of Evil.”) Certainly, some of the lyrics seem to reflect Pynchonesque themes. For example, in “All We Need Is Love” you find lyrics like “maybe you’re on a rocket” and “maybe you’d like a rainbow.”
Lyrics
“All We Need Is Love”
Maybe you’re on a rocket
shooting for the moon and the stars
sometimes it ends up right in your pocket
or you just forgot who you are
Maybe you’re on a mission
trying to get a leg across
but nobody wants to listen
‘cause everybody’s getting lost
All we need is love
All we need is love
When it comes to push and shove
all we need is love
Maybe you’d like a rainbow
forever up in the sky
or some kind of mythical figure
on which you could rely
Maybe you’d like a reason
for keeping it all alive
better be ready change like the seasons
instead of keeping it all inside
Maybe you’re on a rocket
shooting for the moon and the stars
sometimes it ends up right in your pocket
or tapping on your reservoir
shooting for the moon and the stars
sometimes it ends up right in your pocket
or you just forgot who you are
Maybe you’re on a mission
trying to get a leg across
but nobody wants to listen
‘cause everybody’s getting lost
All we need is love
All we need is love
When it comes to push and shove
all we need is love
Maybe you’d like a rainbow
forever up in the sky
or some kind of mythical figure
on which you could rely
Maybe you’d like a reason
for keeping it all alive
better be ready change like the seasons
instead of keeping it all inside
Maybe you’re on a rocket
shooting for the moon and the stars
sometimes it ends up right in your pocket
or tapping on your reservoir
Additional Information
Ric Ocasek
Reprise Records, 1991
Reprise Records, 1991
Track Listing
1. Rockaway (4:21)
2. Touch Down Easy (4:11)
3. Come Back (4:19)
4. The Way You Look Tonight (4:38)
5. All We Need Is Love (4:56)
6. Over And Over (5:30)
7. Flowers of Evil (4:41)
8. They Tried (3:52)
9. Keep That Dream (4:25)
10. Balance (4:40)
11. Mister Meaner (4:49)
12. Fireball Zone (4:24)
1. Rockaway (4:21)
2. Touch Down Easy (4:11)
3. Come Back (4:19)
4. The Way You Look Tonight (4:38)
5. All We Need Is Love (4:56)
6. Over And Over (5:30)
7. Flowers of Evil (4:41)
8. They Tried (3:52)
9. Keep That Dream (4:25)
10. Balance (4:40)
11. Mister Meaner (4:49)
12. Fireball Zone (4:24)
Musicians
Ric Ocasek—vocals, keyboards, and guitar.
Larry Mitchell—lead guitar.
Nile Rodgers—guitars.
Richard Hilton—keyboards.
Al Berry—bass.
Larry Aberman—drums.
Ric Ocasek—vocals, keyboards, and guitar.
Larry Mitchell—lead guitar.
Nile Rodgers—guitars.
Richard Hilton—keyboards.
Al Berry—bass.
Larry Aberman—drums.
Listen to “All We Need is Love” — Listen to “All We Need Is Love” on YouTube.
Ric Ocasek Wikipedia Page — You can read more about Ric Ocasek on Wikipedia.
Ric Ocasek Discog Page — Collects album covers and information on Ric Ocasek’s releases.
Pynchon on Record
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Authors: Bill Richardson & Dr Larry Daw
Last Modified: 10 November 2021
Main Pynchon Page: Spermatikos Logos
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com
Last Modified: 10 November 2021
Main Pynchon Page: Spermatikos Logos
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com