Polvo is an influential math rock band of the 1990s from Chapel Hill, North… Read Full Bio ↴Polvo is an influential math rock band of the 1990s from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. The band was fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski. Eddie Watkins played drums, and Steve Popson played bass guitar. The band reformed in 2008 with Brian Quast assuming drum duties. Their sound is defined by complex and dissonant guitar harmonies and driving rhythm, complementing cryptic, often surrealist lyrics. Their music was considered unpredictable and angular and sometimes the guitarists were accused of failing to play with correctly tuned guitars. Polvo's songs and artwork frequently featured Asian/"exotic" themes and references. The band's name means "dust" in Spanish, or "Octopus" in Portuguese.

Can I Ride
Polvo Lyrics

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I'll arrive though it takes me a while to get there
I'll wait around and seek my share
When we leave they'll put it there
The same thing's not there
You should've followed me somewhere to nowhere

The voices outside
Somebody's saying can i ride

Since you take them why don't you decide
I tell myself not to be surprised that i'm alive
I don't agree with you (something i don't understand)
Well i don't mind

All around us people explain what they want
And by the sound i can tell they care if i don't
Anyway i can see things are happening
Well all i know (more i can't understand)
It's not there

I'll arrive though it takes me a while to get there
I'll wait around and seek my share
When we leave they'll put it there

The same thing's not there
You followed me somewhere to nowhere

Overall Meaning

The song "Can I Ride" by Polvo is a relatively simple but enigmatic piece of alternative rock. The verses repeat a pattern of abstract observations and half-formed questions, narrated in a matter-of-fact tone that resists interpretation. The lyrics revolve around a sense of dislocation and ambiguity, with phrases like "somewhere to nowhere" and "the same thing's not there" gesturing towards a shifting or unstable reality. The chorus introduces a vocal sample of someone asking to ride along, creating a sense of random encounters and uncertain connections. Despite the oblique nature of the lyrics, the song manages to convey a sense of tension and anticipation, as if something important is about to happen.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll arrive though it takes me a while to get there
I will eventually reach my destination, even if it takes me a long time to get there.

I'll wait around and seek my share
I will wait patiently and work hard to get my fair share of what I deserve.

When we leave they'll put it there
When we leave this place, someone else will take our spot and receive what we left behind.

The same thing's not there
When we return, what we left behind won't be the same or as we remembered it.

You should've followed me somewhere to nowhere
It would have been better if you joined me in embarking on a journey that doesn't have a clear destination or purpose.

The voices outside
The noises or sounds from the outside world are noticeable or audible.

Somebody's saying can i ride
Someone is requesting permission to join or participate in something that's happening.

Since you take them why don't you decide
Since you're the one taking them, why don't you decide whether to let them join or not.

I tell myself not to be surprised that i'm alive
I remind myself not to be shocked or amazed that I'm still alive or made it this far in life.

I don't agree with you (something i don't understand)
I don't share the same opinion or perspective as you, about something that isn't clear or understandable.

Well i don't mind
However, I don't care or am unaffected by it.

All around us people explain what they want
People are expressing or describing what they desire or need around us.

And by the sound i can tell they care if i don't
I can tell by the tone or intonation of their voice that they care about it, even if I don't.

Anyway i can see things are happening
Regardless, I can observe or notice that events or changes are taking place.

Well all i know (more i can't understand)
However, what I do know is not enough for me to fully comprehend or grasp the situation or context.

It's not there
What we seek or expect is not available or present at the moment.

You followed me somewhere to nowhere
You decided to journey with me towards a destination or goal that is unclear or nonexistent.

Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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