The precursor to BTO was the band Brave Belt, which was formed in 1970 by Randy Bachman and Chad Allan (both of The Guess Who), Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner. An original form of the group included musician Keith Emerson of The Nice (and later of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), but he was dropped due to illness. After two moderately successful Brave Belt albums came out, Allan was replaced by Tim Bachman, the third of the Bachman brothers, and the band changed its name to Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Canada as stated before, BTO released their first album under that name in the spring of 1973. Their second album was Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, and it became a massive hit in the US and their native Canada. It also yielded their best-remembered single, "Takin' Care of Business" written by Randy Bachman. BTO were one of the early hard rock bands which opted for songs backed by catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band also promoted a strait-laced lifestyle due to the Mormon religious beliefs of Randy Bachman.
Tim Bachman left because of limited performance skills and personal lifestyle issues, and was replaced by Blair Thornton. The first album with the modified lineup, 1974's Not Fragile became a hit, including the #1 single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". The band continued to steadily produce successful albums through the mid-1970s including Four Wheel Drive and Head On (both 1975).
After the release of Freeways in 1977, Randy Bachman left the group for a solo career and another band, Ironhorse. Randy was replaced by Jim Clench, formerly of April Wine, and BTO released a pair of albums before breaking up in 1979. They reunited in 1983, leading to a lawsuit between the brothers, as one group, led by Randy, toured as Bachman-Turner Overdrive and another, led by Robbie, toured as BTO (Robbie Bachman, Fred Turner, Blair Thornton, and Randy Murray). Interestingly enough, in 1984 the line up for Bachman-Turner's first studio LP in 5 years consisted of Randy and Tim Bachman, Fred Turner and Garry Peterson on drums. In 1986 they were the opening band for the newly reformed Van Halen. By that time Fred Turner had left the band, probably to join the "other" BTO. Robbie Bachman's BTO toured and performed until early 2005.
Musicians Randy Bachman and Fred Turner reunited in 2010 for a tour and collaboration on new songs. In 2010, they notably played the half-time show at the Grey Cup in Edmonton, AB.
Website: http://www.bachmanandturner.com/
Down the Road
Bachman-Turner Overdrive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Livin' so fast and sweet and hard
Don't cha try and shoot me down
Don't intend to stick around
Gotta move, move on down the road
Gotta move, move on down the road
Been to heaven maybe once or twice
Lookin' for love but love don't last
Got no time for no candy-ass
Gotta move, move on down the road
Gotta move, move on down the road
Well come on, I got time for makin' love
Gotta move, gotta move on down the road
Gotta move, gotta move on down the road
Gotta move, gotta move on down the road
Gotta move, gotta move on down the road
Burned down on the boulevard
Livin' so fast and sweet and hard
Don't cha try and shoot me down
Don't intend to stick around
Gotta move, move on down the road
Gotta move, move on down the road
Come on, give me some Motown love
Come on, got time for makin' love
Come on, got time for makin' love
Well come on, got time for makin' love
Come on, come on, come on
The lyrics of "Down the Road" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive seem to be a reflection of the fast-paced and reckless lifestyle of the Rock 'n' Roll music scene in the 70s. The first verse speaks of burning out on the boulevard while living fast and hard. It could be interpreted as having gone to the extremities with respect to life on the edge, which ultimately led to a catastrophic outcome. In the second-line, the writer speaks of shooting him down, which could be a reference to the tactics adopted by the mainstream media in discrediting the Rock 'n' Roll culture by portraying it as a barbaric genre. The singer chooses to move on down the road instead of being held down by society's prejudices.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "Gotta move, move on down the road." It is a statement of reaffirming one's freedom and the will to keep going forward despite the odds. The second verse is a classic ode to the hedonistic lifestyle of the Rock 'n' Roll music scene. The singer speaks of going to heaven maybe once or twice, which could be a reference to the overwhelming sensation one feels when playing the electrified music of the Rock era. The search for love and companionship is fleeting, and the singer has decided to stay away from anything that's not genuine or sincere. The line "Got no time for no candy-ass" is a statement of intent to stay resilient and true to one's beliefs in the face of criticism.
The song's repetitive nature gives off the impression that the singer is a free spirit and someone who refuses to be weighed down by the mundane aspects of life. The refrain, "Come on, got time for makin' love," could be interpreted as an invitation to join in the revelry that is the Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle. In summary, "Down the Road" is a song that encapsulates the essence of the Rock 'n' Roll genre and its free-spiritedness.
Line by Line Meaning
Burned down on the boulevard
I've been through a lot in my past
Livin' so fast and sweet and hard
I've lived a wild and exciting life
Don't cha try and shoot me down
Don't try to bring me down or criticize me
Don't intend to stick around
I don't plan on staying in one place for too long
Gotta move, move on down the road
I need to keep moving forward on my journey
It's a gas when you got the dice
Taking chances and living on the edge can be thrilling
Been to heaven maybe once or twice
I've experienced really good times in my life
Lookin' for love but love don't last
I've been searching for love, but it hasn't worked out well
Got no time for no candy-ass
I don't have time for people who are weak or too sensitive
Well come on, I got time for makin' love
I do have time for enjoyable and intimate experiences
Come on, give me some Motown love
I'm looking for a specific type of romantic connection
Come on, got time for makin' love
I'm still interested in intimate relationships
Come on, come on, come on
Encouraging someone to act or make a move
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mamothcar1
Lyrics
We rented a truck and a semi to go
Travel down the long and the winding road
Look on the map, I think we've been there before
Close up the doors, let's roll once more
Cop's on the corner, look he's starting to write
Well, I don't need no ticket so I screamed out of sight
Drove so fast that my eyes can't see
Look in the mirror, is he still following me?
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll
Look at the sign, we're in the wrong place
Move out boys and let's get ready to race
Four fifty-four's coming over the hill
The man on patrol is gonna give us a bill
The time's real short, you know the distance is long
I'd like to have a jet but it's not in the song
Climb back in the cab, cross your fingers for luck
We gotta keep moving if we're going to make a buck
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Let it roll down the highway
Let it roll down the highway
Roll, roll, roll
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Charles Turner / Randy Bachman / Robin Bachman
Roll On Down The Highway lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Shotz
I'm 21 and listened to this stuff all threw school while everyone was listening to mainstream radio shit, and people say I don't know what good music is XD the music teachers loved because I actually know what real music is haha I listened to
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Bachman Turner Overdrive
Guns And Roses
ACDC
Bad Company
Stepphenwolf
BTO
and played electric guitar all threw school :D
Hazel Pearson
Never understood how they didn’t hit world stratosphere, so many Canadian groups overlooked on the world stage, they were and are brilliant, their music never gets old, a mark of just how truly great they are.
INME
Music lover--try the 13 part series Rock and Roll (Top 20 songs of each year) "Rock and Roll 45-89 Five Decades" begins the series. The other 12 are "Rock and Roll January 55-89 Four Decades" This song is on January. All music ever recorded is on trillions of lists Absolute Perfection. Listen, remember, sing, dance to rock and roll forever (more than 6000 hits in this series alone, Consider this a gift to the music lover of all music.
-Duke -
Absolutely!
Hollylivengood
I don't know anyone who was able to overlook Bachman Turner Overdrive.
Andrew Donohue
the guess who, BTO, and rush....... Canada produced some fantastic stuff.
John Gore
@Andrew Donohue Joni Mitchell The Band (except Levon Helm) Neil Young Denny Doherty (Mamas and Papas ) there’s plenty more.
Sonny Dean
Just turned 63. As a kid, I cannot tell you how many times my lovely Mom had to come down in the basement of our house to my room to demand that I turn my Not Fragile LP down! That little turn table that my brother and I got one Christmas was rocking it! Still love BTO! And, still have my Not Fragile LP.
1582len
RIP...Robbie Bachman, drummer. I loved their music since the early 70's.
Pat Galvez
HE'S ON FIRE HERE!
Pinkie Pienter
1976. I was conscripted in the Dutch army. I had a 1967 VW Beetle back then with a cassette player and rear speakers. I played this song max volume every week when driving home with my army buddies on leave. Goosebumps every time. I loved this song and still do. Rock and Roll at its best.