Beatitude (album)
Beatitude is the debut solo studio album by Ric Ocasek, primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the American new wave band the Cars. It was released on January 3, 1983, by Geffen Records. It features contributions from Greg Hawkes of the Cars on keyboards, Stephen George of Ministry on drums, Fuzzbee Morse and Roger Greenawalt on guitars, as well as Jules Shear and Stephen Hague from Jules and the Polar Bears.
The album peaked at No. 28 on the U.S. Billboard 200 in spring of 1983.
Title
The Beatitudes are eight or nine blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Here, the title is pronounced "beat-itude", a portmanteau of the words "beat" and "attitude", and pays homage to the 1950s–70s poetry magazine Beatitude, which featured work by poets including Allen Ginsberg. The 1997 Geffen CD issue of the album misprinted the title on the disc as "Beautitude".Track listing
- Although the album track "Connect Up to Me" was given an extended 12" remix, it was never released as a single. An extended mix that clocks in at 7:37 is on the cassette and CD editions.
Personnel
Musicians
- Ric Ocasek – vocals, keyboards, guitars
- Stephen Hague – keyboards
- Fuzzbee Morse – keyboards, guitars
- Greg Hawkes – keyboards
- Casey Lindström – guitars
- Roger Greenawalt – guitars
- Darryl Jenifer – bass
- Akio Akashi – bass
- "Miss Linn" – drums
- Stephen George – drums
- Deric Dyer – saxophone
- Antonia DePortago – vocals
- Steve Cataldo – vocals
- Jules Shear – vocals
Production
- Ric Ocasek – producer
- David Heglmeier – tape operator
- Thom Moore – tape operator
- Ian Taylor – engineer
- Walter Turbitt – assistant engineer
- Andy Topeka – resident technician
- George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound
- Jeri McManus – graphic layout
- Bob Carlos Clarke – cover and sleeve photography
- Boo Topeka – symbols
- Elliot Roberts – management
- All songs published by Ric Ocasek Music, except "Out of Control"