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.
What Have You Got To Do
Red Rider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I think I'll call up my nouveau friends
Met her at 'The Edge' on a Monday night
And I think that she'd be fun but she's not my type
We talking about the accident
All messed up and that's exactly what she meant
Inherit the wind and start over again
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
I don't want to talk about what's fashionable
I don't want to know about what is in vogue
I want to know about the way that you feel
I want to have fun, I want to know what is real
I feel like a bird was frying on a wire
Walking on coals to cool my desire
Inherit the wind but you're gonna get tired
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight, oh
Ooh and I feel like a bird that's frying on a wire
Walking on coals to cool my desire
Inherit the wind but you're gonna get tired
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off tonight
Hey, what have you got to do to get off tonight
What have you got to do to get off, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, yeah
The Red Rider's song "What Have You Got To Do" is about the feeling of loneliness and the desire to find a way to escape from it. The singer attempts to find comfort in his "nouveau friends" met at a club, but ultimately finds no connection with them. He wants to forget about what is trendy or fashionable and wants to know what is real. He references a feeling of being trapped and struggling to control his desires as if he is a "bird that's frying on a wire" walking on coals.
The lyrics seem to reflect a sense of isolation and frustration, while also reflecting the desire for a deeper connection with others. The chorus repeats the question, "What have you got to do to get off tonight?" which can be interpreted as a desire to escape loneliness and find connection. The verse mentioning the "accident" could be interpreted as a metaphor for a difficult past that the singer is struggling to overcome.
Overall, the song explores themes of loneliness, desire for connection, and the struggle to overcome past traumas.
Line by Line Meaning
Here it comes that lonely feeling again
The singer is experiencing a lonely feeling again
Well, I think I'll call up my nouveau friends
The singer plans to call up their new friends
Met her at 'The Edge' on a Monday night
The singer met a woman at a club called 'The Edge' on a Monday night
And I think that she'd be fun but she's not my type
Although the singer thinks the woman would be fun, they do not think she is their type
We talking about the accident
The artist and another person are discussing an accident
All messed up and that's exactly what she meant
The woman's words were jumbled, but the other person understood their meaning
Inherit the wind and start over again
Starting over again, even if it means facing difficulties, is better than being stuck in a bad situation
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What activities or actions must be taken to feel better or have fun tonight
I don't want to talk about what's fashionable
The singer is not interested in discussing what is trendy or popular
I don't want to know about what is in vogue
The singer is not interested in learning about what is fashionable
I want to know about the way that you feel
The singer is interested in learning about the other person's emotions and thoughts
I want to have fun, I want to know what is real
The singer wants to enjoy themselves and experience authentic, genuine experiences
I feel like a bird was frying on a wire
The singer feels trapped and uncomfortable, like a bird on a wire that is too hot
Walking on coals to cool my desire
The singer feels like they must go through discomfort or pain to get what they want
Inherit the wind but you're gonna get tired
Starting over and dealing with challenges is exhausting and draining
What have you got to do to get off tonight, oh
What activities or actions must be taken to feel better or have fun tonight
Ooh and I feel like a bird that's frying on a wire
The singer still feels trapped and uncomfortable like a bird on a too hot wire
What have you got to do to get off tonight
What activities or actions must be taken to feel better or have fun tonight
Hey, what have you got to do to get off tonight
What activities or actions must be taken to feel better or have fun tonight
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Vocals in the song
Ooh, yeah
Vocals in the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS WILLIAM COCHRANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gaskan666
I remember when this record came out. Loved it then and still love it just as much almost 40 years later. My all time favor record by far.
@italianstallion8510
With the exception of "Rush", Red Rider is without exception one of Canada's best import rock bands to the 🌎 🇨🇦 🤘
@northernlight696
I saw Red Rider in the early eighties at a concert in Alberta, but was too drunk to remember much. I heard from some friends that I had a good time - fantastic band!
@andrewhowse2670
Amazing Canadian band I'm very proud of our Canadian talent
@1888bry
Our song.
@antytilda
I saw Tom Cochrane and Red Rider in concert this weekend. They were AWESOME!!
@bradleybrass2015
Man this music brings back some good times and memories of fnf and having some beers at the rivers or low levels , cracked many cold ones listening to Red Rider 👊😎🍺🍺
@geoffedwards2802
Great song. A Red Rider favorite. Love Red Rider, own all their albums.
@Appalachiangirl
I love this song
@Margann1987
Yessssssss!!! I heard this song the other day and I have been singing it ever since! Thank you!!! :)