Synopsis

The video for "Drive" presents a tense, emotionally distant relationship between Benjamin Orr's singing performance and scenes of a troubled young woman, played by Paulina Porizkova. As the song unfolds, she appears isolated and vulnerable while Ric Ocasek observes her with concern from a detached distance. Intercut images of the band performing reinforce the song's themes of helplessness, loneliness, and uncertainty, creating a stark, melancholic portrait rather than a conventional performance-focused video.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Drive" was written by Ric Ocasek, but Benjamin Orr sang the lead vocal, making the track one of the most recognizable examples of Orr's voice in The Cars' catalog.

• Paulina Porizkova appeared in the video before she and Ocasek began a relationship. They married in 1989 and remained together for nearly three decades.

• The song became The Cars' biggest international hit and was a major part of the band's breakthrough period surrounding the 1984 album "Heartbeat City."

• The video's somber tone helped establish "Drive" as more than a standard new wave hit. Its imagery of emotional vulnerability and detachment became closely associated with the song.

• The Cars performed "Drive" during the 1985 Live Aid concert in Philadelphia, giving the song an especially prominent place in the band's live legacy.