Luckily for Me, There's No Mistaking Ric Ocasek's Voice

Recently a reader alerted me to a rather large error I'd made concerning the lead vocalist on most of .38 Special's biggest hits from the '80s. It's difficult now, after years of unquestioning conviction, to adjust to the fact that guitarist Don Barnes (and not Donnie Van Zant) in fact sang lead on these tunes. But the truth is the truth, and I downed that helping of humility with what I hope was considerable aplomb and gratefulness.

So imagine my cautiousness when compiling my latest top songs list for '80s new wave superstars the Cars. It was not an unpleasant chore, believe me, listening to this band with increased attention toward lead vocals, but then I realized I was probably safe anyway given Ocasek's distinctive, utterly unique vocal style and timbre. Still, what this exercise ultimately reminded me of is how important each member of this band was in constructing the Cars' signature sound. Ocasek may have been its leader, but the Cars would have never been as great without the keyboard textures of Greg Hawkes, the forceful guitar solos of Elliot Easton, and the haunting vocals of bassist Ben Orr. And, just so we don't dump on the poor drummer, David Robinson was pretty good, too.

• Top 8 Cars Songs of the '80s
• The Cars Profile
• Ric Ocasek Official Website