Song Lyric Sunday – “Maybe Baby” – The Cars

Jim Adams has been giving us multi-word Song Lyric Sunday prompts for a while, so I was a little shocked to discover that this week’s prompt is one word: “Baby.” Of course, there is a Cars song for that. They recorded one I love, “Maybe Baby,” for their 1981 “Shake It Up” album.

You might think “Maybe Baby” is going to be a cover of Buddy Holly’s iconic 1957 hit, but you’d be wrong. The Cars’ song is a quirky Ric Ocasek original. I do think, however, that the song title is his sly tribute to Holly, just as his “Bye Bye Love” is (I believe) to The Everly Brothers, unless both Ocasek song titles are mere coincidences.

Following in the “coincidence” vein is this: Ocasek supervised the remastering of the 2017 release of an expanded version of the Cars’ 1980 “Panorama” album with bonus tracks. Among those is a “not previously released” song called “Be My Baby,” which is also sometimes referred to as an early version of “Maybe Baby.” Joke’s on us, peeps! They are exactly the same song, previously released in 1981. Word for word. Note for note.

Now, you may not know this, but Ric Ocasek could have been called a control freak. Nothing the Cars did — no album, cd, concert, tv appearance — occurred without Ric’s finger in the pie. Incongruously, he also enjoyed a good practical joke.  Somewhere in the ether, I picture him still laughing at this one.

“Maybe Baby”
I heard stories about you
I’d like to think that they were true
I did not know you’d be like that
With those surprises under hat

Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby

When you dance between the stars
In the night late, sweet and dark
Turn them over one by one
You don’t need to jump the gun

Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby

When the night is feeling flush
And when the night is all a hush
Electric look, eclectic blue
Keep one dream that won’t come true

Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my, be my
Be my maybe baby

Maybe baby
Maybe baby
Be my, be my, be my
Be my maybe baby

Maybe baby
Maybe baby
You’re the one

Maybe baby
Maybe baby
Maybe baby
Be my, be my, be my
Be my maybe baby
Be my maybe baby

I heard stories about you
I’d like to think that they were true
Be my maybe
Be my, be my, be my, be my