Hello Again (The Cars song)

"Hello Again" is a song by American rock band the Cars from their album Heartbeat City (1984). It was released on October 15, 1984 as the album's fourth single. The song was the fourth top-20 entry from the album, reaching number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it also reached number eight on the Hot Dance/Disco chart and number 22 on the Top Rock Tracks chart.^[4] Ric Ocasek sings lead vocals on the track.^[5]

"Hello Again"
Single by the Cars
from the album Heartbeat City
Released	October 15, 1984 (1984-10-15)
Recorded	1983–1984
Studio	Battery, London
Genre	Rock[1][2] new wave[3]
Length	3:47
Label	Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Ric Ocasek
Producer(s)	Robert John "Mutt" Lange the Cars
The Cars singles chronology
"Drive" (1984) "Hello Again" (1984) "Why Can't I Have You" (1985)
Music video
"Hello Again" on YouTube

Critical reception

Billboard wrote that "Hello Again" goes "back to the staccato synth beat and wry mannered style that typified the group's singles before 'Drive' changed all that."^[6]

"Hello Again" was retrospectively described as "eccentric" by AllMusic critic Greg Prato, who also cited the track as a highlight from the Heartbeat City album.^[7] Donald Guarisco, also of AllMusic, wrote "One of their strongest tracks [on Heartbeat City with experimental roots] was 'Hello Again,' a stylish new wave rocker with plenty of experimental touches."^[2] Guarisco added that it "represents the Cars striking a unique balance between their gift for pop hooks and their love of experimental sounds."^[2]

In his review of the compilation album Greatest Hits (1985), Prato felt that "Hello Again" should have been included on the album, stating "why was the title track from Heartbeat City (an unsuccessful single) included instead of the 1984 Top 20 hit 'Hello Again'?"^[8]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Andy Warhol and Don Munroe.^[9] Warhol appeared in the video as a bartender, which was filmed at the Be-Bop Cafe in Manhattan.^[10] Dianne Brill and John Sex of the downtown New York scene made cameos.^[10] A then-unknown Gina Gershon also appeared in the video. Keyboardist Greg Hawkes said "I think [Warhol] mainly did some of the conceptualizing and showed up to be an extra. And he invited his various friends to be in it. It was like any video shoot, but with a more interesting cast of characters. And you could always look over on the set and go 'Hey that's Andy Warhol.'"^[11]

The music video explored the controversial topics of sex and violence (mostly the former) that were being featured in music videos at the time.

It was played in medium rotation on MTV for a few months,^[12] before reaching heavy in October,^[13] and ended up spending at least 23 weeks on the playlist.^[14]

Track listings

• 7-inch single

A. "Hello Again" – 3:45

B. "Hello Again" (Dub Version) – 5:02

• 12-inch single

A1. "Hello Again" (Remix Version / Vocal) – 5:54

A2. "Hello Again" (Dub Version) – 6:02

B. "Hello Again" (LP Version / Vocal) – 3:47

Charts

Chart performance for "Hello Again"

Chart (1984–1985)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15]	52
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16]	21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17]	22
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18]	42
Netherlands (Tipparade)[19]	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20]	12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21]	17
US Billboard Hot 100[22]	20
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[23]	8
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[24]	22
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[25]	19
West Germany (GfK)[26]	27

References

1. Sendra, Tim. "Heartbeat City – The Cars". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
2. Guarisco, Donald A. "Hello Again – The Cars". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
3. Gerard, Chris (August 12, 2014). "Classic Album Revisited: The Cars, "Heartbeat City"". Metro Weekly. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
4. "The Cars – Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
5. Heartbeat City (liner notes). The Cars. Elektra Records. 1984. 60296-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. "Reviews". Billboard. October 27, 1984. p. 63. Archived from the original on 2024-02-17. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
7. Prato, Greg. "Heartbeat City – The Cars". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
8. Prato, Greg. "Greatest Hits – The Cars". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
9. "Clips Receive an Artful Showcase". Billboard. August 31, 1985. p. 52. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
10. Warhol, Andy; Hackett, Pat (1989). The Andy Warhol diaries. The Archive of Contemporary Music. New York, NY : Warner Books. pp. 560–561. ISBN 978-0-446-51426-2.
11. Milano, Brett (1995). Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology (liner notes). The Cars. Elektra Traditions/Rhino Records. R2 73506.
12. Billboard, MTV Programming, July 21, 1984
13. Billboard, MTV Programming, October 20, 1984
14. Billboard, MTV Programming, December 8, 1984
15. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
16. "The Cars – Hello Again" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
17. "The Cars – Hello Again" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9636." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
19. "The Cars – Hello Again" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
20. "The Cars – Hello Again". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
21. "The Cars – Hello Again". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
22. "The Cars Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
23. "The Cars Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
24. "The Cars Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
25. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 22, 1984". Cash Box. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
26. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Cars – Hello Again" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 25, 2020.