Hello Again

Album: Heartbeat City (1984)
Charted: 20
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Although it's a light, synthesizer-driven pop track, the lyrics to this song are quite profound, examining a person who never seems happy. Despite his efforts to find something better, he always returns to where he came from. Cars frontman Ric Ocasek wrote the song.
  • The fourth hit from The Cars Heartbeat City album, "Hello Again" came with a video directed by Don Monroe and Andy Warhol, who also appeared in the clip as a bartender. It was some of Warhol's last work, as he died in 1987.

    The video starts with a fake TV show called "Rock Talk" where a host is discussing "gratuitous sex and violence in music videos" with a group of kids. As they get into the discussion, a car crashes through the set and the song starts. What comes next is a strangely PG sendup of videos with sexual imagery, with appearances by Gina Gershon. Warhol did make an uncensored version of the video, but MTV played the clean one.

Comments: 5

  • Mondo Sinistro from Chapel Hill NcAs it says at the top, this could be about a habit of futile thrill-seeking. But it also sounds like it could be about someone's relationship with a flight attendant.
  • Amay from Edison, NjSounds like Def Leppard in the begining. Awesome song.
  • Chris from Charleston, ScThis was used as the background music for a Nick at Nite's commerical to introduce their "Revenge of the 80's" sitcom marathon that they had going on in 2001-2002.
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis song was very popular with high school dancelines.
  • Dee from Indianapolis, InGreat tune. I never felt it got the recognition it deserved though.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

00s Music Quiz 1

00s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

Do you know the girl singer on Eminem's "Stan"? If so, this quiz is for you.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?

80s Music Quiz 1

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.