In 1978, Tom Cochrane joined up with Rob Baker on drums, Jeff Jones on bass, Peter Boynton on keyboards and Ken Greer to form Red Rider. They were signed to Capitol Records and released their first album Don't Fight It in 1980. With the singles "White Hot" and "Don't Fight It", the album quickly reached gold status. Their second album As Far as Siam was released in 1981 and featured the hit "Lunatic Fringe" which was in the 1982 movie "Vision Quest.". "Lunatic Fringe" and two other tracks, "Cowboys in Hong Kong" and "What Have You Got To Do" were featured in an episode of Miami Vice in addition to which helped push the album to platinum. Boynton was replaced by keyboardist Steve Sexton on Red Rider's third album Neruda, released in 1983. The track "Napoleon Sheds His Skin" would become one of the more popular songs from the album.
For their 1984 album Breaking Curfew, John Webster replaced Sexton on keyboards. The album did not sell as well as Neruda and a dispute with Capitol Records over the future direction of the band resulted in Red Rider being dropped from the record label later in 1984.
The band subsequently signed with RCA. In what became a strong signal regarding the future of the band, they officially became known as Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, and released their self-titled fifth album in 1986.
In 1987, Capitol released a compilation CD titled Over 60 Minutes with Red Rider, covering the band's first four albums.
In the fall of 1988, the band released their sixth album Victory Day which contained the track "Big League", about a boy's dream of playing in the National Hockey League. The song was featured in a segment on CBC Television's Hockey Night in Canada.
Red Rider's final album, The Symphony Sessions, was released in 1989 and saw the band performing with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, as Procol Harum had done seventeen years before. Cochrane's solo career was taking off and the band broke up shortly after the album was released.
The three-CD box set Ashes to Diamonds, including material by both Red Rider and Cochrane as a solo artist, was released in 1993.
Don't Let Go Of Me
Red Rider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I count the steps to keep me occupied
So I don't break down, I'll keep it inside
Don't let go of me, keep me in mind
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me
And there's a price that I pay
For the work in my life
But I'd never turn back the hands of time
Because I love what I do as much as I love you
Don't let go of me, keep me in mind
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me
Keep your light burning
So brightly until I get home
Just like the beacon
That brings the tired sailor back in
Don't let go of me, keep me in mind
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me
Don't let go of me, keep me in mind
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me, keep me alive
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me
Just one more time
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
Don't let go of me
The lyrics of Red Rider's song "Don't Let Go Of Me" convey a sense of desperation and longing for connection. The singer is walking out the door, but doesn't get very far, instead counting steps to occupy their mind and prevent themselves from breaking down. The repeated refrain, "Don't let go of me, keep me in mind, won't you hold me just one more time?" reveals the singer's fear of being forgotten and left behind, and their desire for physical and emotional closeness.
The second verse alludes to a "price" the singer pays for their work, but they wouldn't turn back time because they love what they do as much as they love the person they are addressing in the song. This suggests a difficult balancing act between passion and commitment to work, and maintaining personal relationships.
The final verse uses imagery of a lighthouse or beacon to symbolize hope and a guiding light toward home. The singer again pleads, "Don't let go of me, keep me in mind," underscoring the central theme of the importance of human connection and how devastating it can be to feel disconnected or forgotten.
Overall, "Don't Let Go Of Me" is a moving and relatable song that captures the complex emotions of fear, longing, and love.
Line by Line Meaning
I walk out the door but I don't get very far
I try to leave, but I feel stuck in the same place
I count the steps to keep me occupied
I measure my movements to distract myself
So I don't break down, I'll keep it inside
I won't let my emotions show, I'll keep them hidden to avoid falling apart
Don't let go of me, keep me in mind
Please don't forget about me, don't give up on me
Won't you hold me just one more time?
I want to feel loved and supported by you, even if it's just one more time
I'm blowing away but I'll be back
I feel like I'm disappearing or losing myself, but I'll come back
And there's a price that I pay
There are consequences and sacrifices that come with what I do
For the work in my life
For the job or career that I've chosen
But I'd never turn back the hands of time
I have no regrets, I wouldn't change my past decisions
Because I love what I do as much as I love you
My passion for my work is equal to my love for you
Keep your light burning
Stay strong and positive while waiting for me
So brightly until I get home
Continue to shine and persevere until I return
Just like the beacon
Like the guiding light
That brings the tired sailor back in
That helps a weary traveler find their way home
Don't let go of me, keep me alive
Please don't abandon me, I need you to stay connected to me
Don't let go of me
I need your love and support, don't give up on me
Just one more time
Even if it's just for a moment, I need to feel your love and support one more time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS WILLIAM COCHRANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind