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.
One Way Out
Red Rider Lyrics
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I can feel her pull me in
All the time here waiting
Has been wasted in the wind
Adjusted to your way
And the corner of your stare
You can only stand so close to it
And there is just one way out
Your heart can't see but your mind concedes
Just one way out, just one way out
But, you don't want to go alone
Just one way out
Here we go again
Should have had it down by now
But you never know why or when
Or where this could lead
So you open the door, stand out proud
Brave the new frontier
I knew you could if you only tried
Walk away from these dark tears
And there is just one way out
Your heart can't see but your mind concedes
Just one way out
Rugged lovers never learn how to bleed
Just one way out
But you don't want to go alone
Just one way out
Oh, I'm missing you
The change will do you good
Oh, I'm missing you
Though I never thought I would
Oh, the distance here
Here in my head
Oh, the darkness lies
In the words we said
Thinking I could love you
I can feel her pull me in
All the time here waiting
Has been wasted in the wind
So open the door, stand out proud
Brave the new frontier
I knew you could if you only tried
Walk away from these dark tears
And there is just one way out
Your heart can't see but your mind concedes
Just one way out
Rugged lovers never learn how to bleed
Just one way out
But you don't want to go alone
Just one way out
You don't want to go alone
But you don't want to go alone
No, you don't want to go alone
You don't want to go alone
The song "One Way Out" by Red Rider is about a failed relationship that has caused heartbreak and turmoil for its protagonist. The opening lines of the song describe how the singer feels drawn to their former partner, even though they know that the relationship is over and that they need to move on. They've been waiting around hoping for things to change, but now they realize that their time has been wasted.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on how they've tried to adjust to their partner's expectations and ways of being, but they've come to the realization that love isn't there anymore. They feel trapped and there seems to be only one way out - to leave the relationship. The singer acknowledges that their heart can't see this clearly, but their mind knows that it's time to move on.
The song encourages the listener to be brave and to walk away from the dark tears and emotional turmoil that come with ending a relationship. It's a difficult decision to make, as no one wants to go it alone, but in the end, it may be the best thing for everyone involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand too close
Being too involved with someone could lead to a dangerous situation.
I can feel her pull me in
Being close to someone has a magnetic effect that can be hard to resist.
All the time here waiting / Has been wasted in the wind
The singer has been waiting for something to happen, but it seems like nothing will come out of it.
Adjusted to your way / And the corner of your stare
The artist has become accustomed to someone else's behavior and mannerisms.
You can only stand so close to it / Before you see love isn't there
After being too close to someone, the artist realizes that love may not exist between them.
And there is just one way out / Your heart can't see but your mind concedes
There is only one solution to the problem, even if it is difficult to accept.
Just one way out, just one way out / But, you don't want to go alone
Even though there is only one solution, the singer is afraid to face it alone.
Here we go again / Should have had it down by now / But you never know why or when / Or where this could lead
The situation keeps recurring, and the artist does not know how to deal with it or where it might lead.
So you open the door, stand out proud / Brave the new frontier /I knew you could if you only tried / Walk away from these dark tears
The artist encourages someone to take control of the situation and move on from the pain and suffering caused by it.
Rugged lovers never learn how to bleed
Those who are tough in love often do not know how to express their emotions and vulnerability.
Oh, I'm missing you / The change will do you good
Even though the singer misses the other person, they believe that change will be beneficial for them.
Though I never thought I would / Oh, the distance here / Here in my head / Oh, the darkness lies / In the words we said
Despite not expecting to feel this way, the artist experiences distance and darkness in their thoughts and words.
Thinking I could love you / I can feel her pull me in
The singer is unsure about their feelings, but they still feel an irresistible pull towards the other person.
Just one way out / But you don't want to go alone / You don't want to go alone / But you don't want to go alone / No, you don't want to go alone
The only way to solve the problem is by taking action, but the singer is afraid of facing it alone.
Contributed by Sarah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.