He has never toured the United States, where he is best known for the 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1978. A decade later, "Working On It" topped the Mainstream Rock chart. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea
Studio albums
Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (Magnet, 1978)
Deltics (Magnet, 1979)
Tennis (Magnet, 1980)
Chris Rea (Magnet, 1981)
Water Sign (Magnet, 1983)
Wired to the Moon (Magnet, 1984)
Shamrock Diaries (Magnet, 1985)
On the Beach (Magnet, 1986)
Dancing with Strangers (Magnet, 1987)
The Road to Hell (WEA, 1989)
Auberge (EastWest, 1991)
God's Great Banana Skin (EastWest, 1992)
Espresso Logic (EastWest, 1993)
La Passione (soundtrack, EastWest, 1996)
The Blue Cafe (EastWest, 1998)
The Road to Hell: Part 2 (EastWest, 1999)
King of the Beach (EastWest, 2000)
Dancing Down the Stony Road/Stony Road (Jazzee Blue, 2002
Blue Street (Five Guitars) (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
Hofner Blue Notes (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
The Blue Jukebox (Jazzee Blue, 2004)
Blue Guitars (Jazzee Blue, 2005)
The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes (Jazzee Blue, 2008)
Santo Spirito Blues (Jazzee Blue, 2011)
Road Songs for Lovers (Jazzee Blue, 2017)
One Fine Day (Rhino, limited release, 2019)
Ride On
Chris Rea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I lay down I can feel it, every night and every day
It's a dream I can't get hold of, it's a certain way to be
Lord knows I try to lose it, but it will not let me be.
Ride on, ride on
Is it something that I'm needing, is it something that I fear
Am I chasing or am I running? do I want it to be here?
Tell yourself it's worth the pain, 'till that something in your pocket
Ain't never felt again
Ride on, ride on, keep riding on.
Are you looking out, for what's missing inside
You can scream and shout, but you can never ever hide
So strap your scars up, pull your belt in tight
Tell yourself it's worth the pain
To let something in your pocket
Ain't never felt again
Ride on, ride on, keep riding on.
© Chris Rea & Jazzee Blue
The lyrics to Chris Rea's song Ride On appear to be about the struggle to rid oneself of a persistent emotional feeling or longing that cannot be pinpointed or understood. The opening lines suggest that the feeling is always present, even during sleep. The repeated phrase "ride on" acts as a kind of rallying cry, urging the listener to keep moving forward despite this burden. The second verse poses a number of questions about the nature of this feeling - is it something the singer needs, or fears? Are they chasing it or running from it? The tone is somewhat ambiguous - the struggle is presented as painful, but perhaps worthwhile. The closing verse suggests that this feeling speaks to a deeper sense of inner discontent - the idea that one can never truly hide from oneself, and that the only way to move past pain is to confront it head-on.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of movement and restlessness. The phrase "ride on" can be interpreted as a call to action or a kind of mantra to keep moving forward. The metaphorical "something in my pocket" adds a layer of intrigue and mystery to the song - the listener is left to wonder what this elusive feeling might be. Overall, the lyrics to Ride On present a complex and nuanced exploration of the human psyche, dealing with themes of longing, inner conflict, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I got something in my pocket that makes it hard for me to stay
I have an unexplainable desire or dream that I cannot let go of, which makes it difficult for me to stay satisfied in my current situation.
When I lay down I can feel it, every night and every day
This desire or dream is so strong that it affects me even when I am resting or going through my daily routine.
It's a dream I can't get hold of, it's a certain way to be
This desire or dream is elusive and difficult to grasp, but it represents a certain way of living that I want to achieve.
Lord knows I try to lose it, but it will not let me be.
Despite my attempts to let go of this desire or dream, it continues to haunt me and will not leave me alone.
Ride on, ride on
I must keep moving forward and never give up, despite the difficulties I face.
Is it something that I'm needing, is it something that I fear
I cannot tell if this desire or dream represents something that I truly need or if it is simply my fear of missing out on something important.
Am I chasing or am I running? do I want it to be here?
I am unsure whether I am actively pursuing this desire or dream or merely trying to escape from it. I cannot decide if I really want it to become a reality or not.
So strap your scars up, pull your belt in tight
I need to brace myself for the challenges that lie ahead and be prepared to endure some pain and suffering on this journey.
Tell yourself it's worth the pain, 'till that something in your pocket
I must convince myself that this desire or dream is worth the effort and pain it will take to achieve, even if I never fully realize it.
Ain't never felt again
I do not want to look back on my life with regret and wonder what could have been if I had not chased this elusive dream.
Keep riding on.
I must never give up and continue pushing forward, no matter how difficult the journey becomes or how unlikely the dream seems to be.
Are you looking out, for what's missing inside
I must examine my inner self and motivations to understand what is truly driving my desire for this dream.
You can scream and shout, but you can never ever hide
No matter how hard I try to deny or suppress this inner desire, it will always be a part of me and will never truly go away.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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