Joachim Cooder (Ry Cooder's son) on drums.
Commagere grew up playing piano, and says the move to her Moog Liberation keytar was a natural progression for her. Commagere says Ry Cooder is an inspiration and mentor to the band, especially to guitar player, Jared Smith. Commagere appears on Ry Cooder’s Chavez Ravine. She wrote and sings track nine, “El U.F.O. Cayo,” a song performed in Spanish.
Commagere, whose mother is from Mexico, also sings a song–”Es Tu Vida”–in Spanish on Hello Stranger’s self-titled album. The song, set in the future in South America, is about two young women who sneak out to an underground club for the night. “It’s a fight for your right to party song,” she says.
Let It Ride
Hello Stranger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's one more in making
I've got some explaining to do
I know it's unexpected
But on this road I'm hated
I can't rest until I'm through
With you
I can't leave this undone
It's waiting like a loaded gun
I give you time to run
And then take aim
And hope you're ready when it comes
After all the times that I have lied
For fear of what I find if I just try
Though I've never asked
History is the past
This time I'll climb inside and let it ride
This simple thing I'm asking
I'll remove my mask and
Reveal what I've concealed from you
For all these years
And if what comes after
Ends up in disaster
It's just what I have to do
My dear
With the last thing I do
I'll feel empty till I've had a piece of you
Now I look to you
Just to find out if what I see is true
After all the times that I have lied
For fear of what I find if I just try
Though I've never asked
History is the past
This time I'll climb inside and let it ride
After all the times that I have lied
For fear of what I find if I just try
Though I've never asked
History is the past
This time I'll climb inside and let it ride
And let it ride
Let it ride
The lyrics of Hello Stranger's song Let It Ride seem to be a confessional tale of someone who has been holding back a personal truth for a long time. The opening verse implies that the singer has been taking steps towards something significant without truly acknowledging their intentions or appropriately communicating them to those around them. The second verse hints at this truth being scary or challenging, as they have previously lied and concealed their true self for fear of what they might find. However, this time they vow to take the plunge, to remove their mask, and let it ride. The final verse seems to suggest that the outcome of this personal revelation may have consequences, but it's a necessary step in their journey.
The chorus repeats the same lines twice. "After all the times that I have lied, for fear of what I find if I just try, though I've never asked, history is the past. This time I'll climb inside and let it ride." These lines suggest a reluctance to be vulnerable in the past, to confront something head-on that the singer knew they had to face. They have avoided it for so long that it's grown too big and too complicated to ignore any longer. The repetition of this chorus emphasizes the point, driving home the idea that history may be the past, but the future is something that can be shaped by acknowledging what has come before. The song's repeated mantra may be about taking responsibility, being honest with yourself about what you want or need, and the catharsis and often pain that come with self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
After every step I've taken
Despite every attempt I’ve made to move on,
There's one more in making
I’m constantly reminded of the next hurdle,
I've got some explaining to do
I need to reveal the truth,
I know it's unexpected
I understand that this may come as a surprise,
But on this road I'm hated
I’m not liked for my actions,
I can't rest until I'm through
I can’t move on until I’ve completed my task,
With you
Which involves confronting you about something,
I can't leave this undone
I have to see this through to the end,
It's waiting like a loaded gun
It’s dangerous and has the potential to hurt,
I give you time to run
I warn you before confronting you,
And then take aim
I’ll confront you head on,
And hope you're ready when it comes
I hope you’ll be prepared for what I have to say,
After all the times that I have lied
Even though I’ve been dishonest in the past,
For fear of what I find if I just try
I’ve been too afraid to face the truth,
Though I've never asked
I’ve never been forthright,
History is the past
What happened is over and done with,
This time I'll climb inside and let it ride
This time I’ll confront the issue head on,
This simple thing I'm asking
I’m just asking for honesty,
I'll remove my mask and
I’ll be completely honest,
Reveal what I've concealed from you
I’ll share the truth that I’ve been hiding,
For all these years
That I’ve been holding onto all this time,
And if what comes after
And if the outcome is not what I expect,
Ends up in disaster
If everything falls apart,
It's just what I have to do
I know I have to face reality,
My dear
My love,
With the last thing I do
With the final act I take,
I'll feel empty till I've had a piece of you
I’ll feel incomplete until I have closure,
Now I look to you
Now I’m turning to you for answers,
Just to find out if what I see is true
To see if my suspicions are correct,
And let it ride
I’ll confront the issue and then let it go,
Let it ride
I’ll accept the outcome and move on with my life.
Contributed by Lily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.