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.
Laughing Man
Red Rider Lyrics
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Mister in-between, yeah
Spent your money
Like nobody
You had ever seen
On the outside
And the inside
If you find your till is empty
You have him to thank
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's laughing man
Always there with his
Hand out sharply
And a greasy palm, yeah
Got yourself a new set of car keys
Turn around it's gone
Could be laughing
In the back room
At the private store, whoa
If he's there to
Give a favor
Take back a whole lot more
Whoa
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's got the best
But he wants more
After he takes the rest
You'll be back out the door
Hustling friends, whoa
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
He's laughing
Laughing man
Laughing man
Laughing man
Laughing man
In Red Rider's "Laughing Man", the lyrics describe a figure who is cunning and deceitful, always looking for ways to take advantage of those around him. He is described as a "bookie, wheeler dealer" who spends money like nobody else and always has his hand out for more. The lyrics suggest that this man is not to be trusted, as he will take what he can and leave others with nothing.
The song's chorus repeats the phrase "laughing man", emphasizing the figure's almost villainous nature. The verses also suggest that he is not content with what he has already taken, always looking for more and willing to deceive anyone to get it. In the second verse, the lyrics suggest that he operates in a shadowy world of backroom deals and favors, using his influence to take more from those who trust him.
Overall, "Laughing Man" is a cautionary tale about a figure who seeks to take advantage of others. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is not to be trusted, always looking for ways to get ahead at the expense of those around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Could be bookie, wheeler dealer
He could be involved in illegal activities such as gambling or trading, always looking for a chance to make money
Mister in-between, yeah
He plays both sides and doesn't stick to any particular ideology
Spent your money, like nobody, you had ever seen
He spent your money extravagantly, like no other person you had ever seen, without any concern or guilt
On the outside, and the inside, all the way to the bank
He appears honest and trustworthy on the outside, but is actually a manipulative person who profits from others' losses
If you find your till is empty, you have him to thank
If you are broke because of him, don't be surprised because he had a hand in it
Always there with his hand out sharply, and a greasy palm, yeah
He is always looking for money, and his hands are always dirty with bribes and illegal money
Got yourself a new set of car keys, turn around it's gone
You might think you have purchased something new, but you will quickly realize it's gone because he has taken it
Could be laughing in the back room, at the private store, whoa
He could be secretly laughing at you behind closed doors in a private store, as he robs you of your valuable possessions or deceives you
If he's there to give a favor, take back a whole lot more
If he's ever doing you a favor, don't ever believe that he's not expecting to take back ten times more from you
He's got the best, but he wants more, after he takes the rest, you'll be back out the door
He may appear to have everything he needs and wants, but he is always looking for ways to get even more, and once he has taken all that he can from you, he will discard you
Hustling friends, whoa
He deceives even his so-called friends and seeks to exploit them too
Laughing man, he's laughing
His laughter is not from joy, but from the satisfaction he gains from deceiving others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFF JONES, THOMAS WILLIAM COCHRANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind