Despite his vocal range (paired with a sense of dynamics), and a charismatic stage presence, Byron was dismissed from Uriah Heep in 1976, at the demand of keyboardist Ken Hensley (the band's primary songwriter), who gave the ultimatum "it's him or me" to band manager Gerry Bron, citing Byron's increasingly erratic behaviour due to alcohol abuse. He unsuccessfully attempted to revive his career with Rough Diamond (a band also featuring former members of Humble Pie and Wings), a second solo album, and The Byron Band. Mick Box and Trevor Bolder of Uriah Heep invited Byron to re-join the band in 1980, but Byron refused. He died of alcohol related complications in 1985. The coroner's report cited epilepsy and fatty liver.
Roller Coaster
David Byron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've got my ticket to ride
I'm dreaming on a roller coaster
And I'm looking for somewhere to hide
'Cause when get left flat by a woman like that
The heat that was sweet is just another nail into your heart
But I had to get smart
I'm riding to a destination
And I don't care where I'm gonna go
I'm riding to another station
Ain't taking no one in tow
'Cause when get left flat by a woman like that
The heat that was sweet is just another nail into your heart
But I had to get smart
I never bothered with a bottle by my side
I never bothered but that woman was still my prize
Filled with booze one night I took to using a gun
Now the only thing left for me to do is run
I gotta run, gotta run
Gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
Gotta run, gotta run
I gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
Gotta keep on runnin', keep on gunnin'
I gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
And the gun went...
The lyrics to David Byron's "Roller Coaster" tell the story of a man who is struggling to cope with the pain of getting left flat by a woman he loved. He feels lost and is desperately searching for somewhere to hide, as the heat that was once sweet in his relationship has turned into another nail in his heart. However, he tries to get smart by riding on a roller coaster towards a destination that he doesn't care about. The man decides to cut ties with everyone and takes no one in tow, as he is dealing with his emotions alone.
The song takes a turn when the man hits rock bottom and takes to using a gun after filling himself up with booze. He realizes that his actions were wrong and he needs to run away from it all. The man is haunted by his past, and he knows that he must keep on runnin' and gunnin' because he used the gun. The lyrics tell a powerful story about the pain of heartbreak, and the repercussions of letting your emotions get the best of you.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm speeding on a roller coaster
I am metaphorically on an emotional high and feeling out of control.
And I've got my ticket to ride
I have made an intentional decision to pursue this emotional high.
I'm dreaming on a roller coaster
I am lost in my own thoughts and desires.
And I'm looking for somewhere to hide
I am trying to avoid the emotional consequences of my actions.
'Cause when get left flat by a woman like that
The heat that was sweet is just another nail into your heart
But I had to get smart
I have experienced heartbreak and know that I must protect myself from getting hurt again.
I'm riding to a destination
And I don't care where I'm gonna go
I'm riding to another station
Ain't taking no one in tow
I am trying to move on and find a new direction in life that doesn't involve others.
I never bothered with a bottle by my side
I never bothered but that woman was still my prize
Filled with booze one night I took to using a gun
Now the only thing left for me to do is run
I tried to cope with my pain without alcohol, but my obsession with this woman led me to using a gun impulsively. I must flee from the consequences of my actions.
I gotta run, gotta run
Gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
Gotta run, gotta run
I gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
Gotta keep on runnin', keep on gunnin'
I gotta run, 'cause I used the gun
And the gun went...
I acknowledge that I made a mistake with this woman and with the use of the gun, so I must escape from the situation and face the harsh realities of my actions.
Contributed by Callie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@NortenNox
Yeah! Midnight Flyer and Roller Coaster - two my favorite songs from this album!
@keithgordon620
Best track he did when he went solo, if all the songs he did on his solo albums were riffy and heavy (for the time) like this, he would have had more chance of being successful. Uriah Heep were a brillient band, but have never been the same since Byron and Hensley (the world's best keyboard player ever) left. This song has a great riff, David was a superb singer and frontman, may he RIP.
@oskardolch9281
Ken Hensley is a good keyboard player. But you have probably never listened to Vincent Crane, otherwise you could not write such a non-sense like "Ken, the world's best keyboardist" :-)
@oskardolch9281
recently, I am getting a feeling that David's solo albums are altogether better than the Heep ones
@Heavypeete666
so so
but you're right thats byron is only and unreapetable