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.
Hold Tight
Red Rider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I reach for someone, you're not there
We say things sometimes we never mean
Who's to say what is and is not fair, turn out the light
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
Hold tight, we are strong
Never be too far gone
Always leave yourself some room to get in
Time will pass then have no doubt
We'll send someone to get you out and what then
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
Hold tight, we are strong
Hold tight, we carry on
And then, then the change
Someone has attached wires to my brain
And, oh, the sky is falling
When all the while we thought for sure
That London was calling
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
Hold tight, we are strong
Hold tight, we are as one
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
Hold tight, we are strong
Hold tight, we carry on
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
Hold tight, we are strong
Hold tight, we are as one
The lyrics of Red Rider's "Hold Tight" evoke a feeling of uncertainty and desperation. The opening lines express the singer's restlessness, struggling to find peace as the "world's closing in." The absence of someone who can provide comfort and support leaves the singer feeling vulnerable and alone. The lyrics suggest a fear of the unknown and the unpredictable nature of life, as we say things we don't mean and we can never tell which situations will ultimately be fair or unfair.
Despite these struggles, the chorus of the song provides a message of hope and resilience. The need to hold tight and remain strong through the darkest moments is emphasized. The idea that time will pass and someone will come to offer help reminds us that we are never truly alone, and that there is always a way out of difficult situations.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics allude to a sudden change and a feeling of confusion as the singer feels like someone has attached wires to their brain, and the sky starts falling. Despite this change, the message remains the same - we need to hold tight and remain strong. The repetition of the chorus and the emphasis on being "as one" suggests a need for unity and support from others in times of difficulty.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't sleep, the world's closing in
I am unable to sleep due to the overwhelming feeling that everything around me is coming to an end.
I reach for someone, you're not there
In my time of need, I look for someone to rely on, but the person I need the most is absent.
We say things sometimes we never mean
Sometimes we express ourselves in ways that do not truly represent our thoughts or feelings.
Who's to say what is and is not fair, turn out the light
It is challenging to determine what is fair, so let's switch off the lights and forget about it.
Hold tight, the seasons pass
Remain firm and steady, time moves on even if we don't want it to.
Hold tight, the darkness never lasts
The dark times will come to an end, and the light will eventually shine through.
Hold tight, we are strong
Stay firm, as we have the resilience to overcome any struggles that we may encounter.
Hold tight, we are as one
Togetherness is our strength, and we will rally together to overcome any obstacles.
Never be too far gone
Do not let yourself get too consumed by the overwhelming emotions or situations that you find yourself in.
Always leave yourself some room to get in
Be open to the unforeseen opportunities, and do not close off yourself to any new experiences or possibilities.
Time will pass then have no doubt
It might not seem to be better now, but time will heal, and the difficult times will be behind us.
We'll send someone to get you out and what then
We will not leave you alone in your difficult times, and we will make sure you get back on track, but what happens after that still remains a question.
And then, then the change
There will come a time when things will change, and nothing will remain the same.
Someone has attached wires to my brain
Someone has interfered with my thoughts and feelings, making me experience things I never intended.
And, oh, the sky is falling
Everything seems to be falling apart, and there seems to be no way out of this chaos.
When all the while we thought for sure that London was calling
Even when we thought everything was going according to plan, we were still far from the truth.
Hold tight, we carry on
Regardless of how tough things might seem, we will persevere and keep moving forward.
Contributed by Samantha L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.