Common Rider was formed in 1999 in California by Jesse Michaels (guitar, vo… Read Full Bio ↴Common Rider was formed in 1999 in California by Jesse Michaels (guitar, vocals), Mass Giorgini (bass), and Dan Lumley (drums). They were a ska band on a much softer note than that of Michaels' first group Operation Ivy, but still contained the same amount of energy and passion. They released two full-length albums and one EP. Last Wave Rockers was released in 1999 on Lookout! Records. Thief In a Sleeping Town EP was also released on Lookout! Records in 2001. The band released This Is Unity Music on Hopeless Records in 2002. In 2002, the band toured the US extensively, including the 2002 Plea For Peace tour, sponsored by Asian Man Records. On the tour, Phillip Hill (from the Teen Idols and also a major contributor on the album This is Unity Music) and Joe Mizzi (from Metro Detroit and also a guest vocalist on the album This Is Unity Music) played guitar for the band. A new EP (April 2005), split with Against All Authority, has been released containing outtakes from 2002's This Is Unity Music.

They broke up in 2003 mainly because of the want to pursue other opportunities. Dan Lumley officially retired from music at that time as well. Mass still remains in Squirtgun. In 2008, Jesse began a new band called Classics of Love.

A Place Where We Can Stay
Common Rider Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There is more at stake
Than all my petty problems
Like the way that the moonlight
Sings its quiet logic
To the Florida coast
And the answering tide
And you're watching it with me
Like an angel by my side

And I know that I love you
Forever and a day
And I know that I found
A place where we can stay

There is more at stake
Than all my restless plans
Like the way that the heat of the day
Lingers in the sand
And you're feeling it with me
In the gentle night

You're like a dream come true to me girl
Trouble gonna be alright

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Common Rider's song "A Place Where We Can Stay" capture a deep sense of love and peace that the singer shares with their partner. The opening line conveys the idea that there are greater things at stake than the singer's personal problems, indicating a sense of insignificance in our individual concerns when compared to the grandeur of the natural world. The moonlight and the tides in Florida become symbols of the peace and beauty that are around us, urging us to find meaning beyond our trivial worries.

The lyrics also convey a sense of companionship between the singer and their partner, who is portrayed as an angel-like figure, watching the moonlight with the singer. There is a deep sense of intimacy and shared love between them that is strengthened by the natural elements around them. As the song progresses, the lyrics offer a sense of hope, suggesting that the couple has found a place where they can stay, a space where they can find solace and peace.

Overall, Common Rider's "A Place Where We Can Stay" is a beautiful ode to love, nature, and companionship. The song urges us to look beyond our worries and connect with the beauty of the world around us, finding solace and comfort in the company of those we love.

Line by Line Meaning

There is more at stake
The situation is more significant than my trivial problems

Than all my petty problems
Compared to what's truly important, my issues are small and insignificant

Like the way that the moonlight
Similar to how the moon's radiance

Sings its quiet logic
Serenely expresses its wisdom

To the Florida coast
To the seashore of Florida

And the answering tide
And to the tide replying to it

And you're watching it with me
And you're observing it with me

Like an angel by my side
Reassuring me like a guardian angel

And I know that I love you
I'm aware that I love you

Forever and a day
For eternity

And I know that I found
I understand that I've discovered