Magic Carpet Ride
John Kay & Friends Lyrics
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Yes yes right between the sound machine
On a cloud a sound I drift into the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far flies near to the stars away from here
Well you don't know what uh we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl?
You don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me?
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away
Last night I hold Aladdin´s lamp and so I wished that I could stay
Before the thing could answer me
Well someone came and took the lamp away
I looked around a lousy candle was all I found
Well you don't know what uh we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well you don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me?
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away
You don't know what uh we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl?
On a magic carpet ride
Well you don't know what uh we can see
The first verse of "Magic Carpet Ride" by John Kay & Friends suggests the idea of escapism through dreams. The singer admits to enjoying dreaming and being taken "right between the sound machine," which hints at the idea of music as a means of getting lost in thought. He then describes being carried away on a magic carpet ride through the night, suggesting that the destination doesn't matter as long as it is somewhere away from where he is. The chorus invites the listener to come along on this journey with him, suggesting that they "don't know what we can find" but that it is worth it to take a chance and explore.
The second verse hints at the idea of the magic carpet as a metaphor for a musical journey. The singer talks about flying "near to the stars" and exploring the unknown. He invites his partner to join him on this adventure and encourages her to share her dreams with him, hinting at the idea that this kind of musical journey can be transformative and change the way we see the world. The second half of the verse introduces a more literal interpretation of the story of Aladdin's lamp, in which the singer finds a lousy candle instead of the magic lamp he was hoping for.
Overall, "Magic Carpet Ride" presents the idea of music as a form of escape and transformation. The magic carpet can be understood both as a metaphor for the music itself and as a literal means of exploring new places and ideas. The song encourages the listener to let go of their inhibitions and let the music take them on a journey of self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
I like to dream
I enjoy dreaming
Yes yes right between the sound machine
Right in the middle of the music
On a cloud a sound I drift into the night
I am carried away by the music into the night sky
Any place it goes is right
Wherever the music takes me is the right place to be
Goes far flies near to the stars away from here
The music takes me away from here towards the stars
Well you don't know what uh we can find
You don't know what we might discover
Why don't you come with me little girl?
Join me on this adventure
On a magic carpet ride
We will travel on a magical journey
You don't know what we can see
We will see things you cannot imagine
Why don't you tell your dreams to me?
Share your dreams with me
Fantasy will set you free
Imagining will give you freedom
Close your eyes girl
Shut your eyes
Look inside girl
Look within yourself
Let the sound take you away
Allow yourself to be carried away by the music
Last night I hold Aladdin´s lamp and so I wished that I could stay
I held a magical lamp and wished to stay in that moment forever
Before the thing could answer me
Before I could receive a response
Well someone came and took the lamp away
Someone took the lamp from me
I looked around a lousy candle was all I found
I looked around and only found a poor quality candle
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ed Huydic
This band is Hall of Fame worthy! Come on get it done!!
MateoPapiChulo
In 2023, they're still not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Absolutely ridiculous and shame on them for not inducting Steppenwolf years ago.
eh Guy
I was a kid in 1968, now I am older and John Kay still looks great and sounds about as good as ever.
How, it's a kind of magic !
Peter Verutes
John Kay is still one of the coolest frontmen in Rock History....Sensational Performance!
Best Horror Movie Trailers
Outstanding DVD! John Kay and Steppenwolf are still one of the best live acts working today.
Joe Mystery
Thank you for outstanding live post. Still sounds great after 100 years. John Kay rules.
Catherine A
Great song!!
Ladmoman
In 1968 when I was 10 years old, this was my favorite song. Couldn't get enough of it. Still remember to this day.
zone4gardens
he will turn 100 and he will still have a great voice. timeless.
Dee Dee
72 yrs. old LOL