Dead Man
Ride Lyrics


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Dead man, crawling out of his crater
Sucking on the air from his ventilator
Watch out, little girl, you're just a beginner
He wears outside his face the smile of a winner

Drags his woman around by the hair
It turns her on, she don't wanna be square
Standing on top of the family mountain
Drinking lemonade from the magical fountain

Holiday trips in a Volkswagen camper
Children locked into an old picnic hamper
Let them loose to play in a sandpit
Leave them there 'cause they take us for granted

Man is an ape and woman a martyr
It's not what you do when you do it, it's what you do after

I went down to the zoo and I looked in the cages
Then I walked on home past the office, collected my wages

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ride's song "Dead Man" are a vivid and somewhat disturbing portrayal of a man who appears to be both physically and emotionally damaged. The opening lines describe the "dead man" as crawling out of a crater with a ventilator, an image that suggests he has survived some sort of catastrophic event. However, despite his injuries, the man wears a smile that suggests he is a "winner" - an irony that suggests he may be delusional or in denial about the severity of his situation.


The second verse is even more disturbing, portraying the dead man as dragging his woman around by the hair. Rather than being repulsed by this behavior, she seems to enjoy it, as it keeps her from being "square." The image of them standing on top of a family mountain and drinking lemonade from a magical fountain further underscores the idea that they are living in a delusional or fantastical world, that they have created for themselves.


The final verse is perhaps the most enigmatic, with lines that suggest a broader commentary on the state of humanity. The image of holiday trips in a Volkswagen camper and children locked in a picnic hamper is unsettling, but when paired with the line "man is an ape and woman a martyr," the lyrics take on a more existential dimension. The final lines, in which the singer visits the zoo and sees animals in cages before going to collect his wages, suggest that we are all trapped in our own cages, whether physical or mental, and that our lives are determined by forces beyond our control.


Overall, "Dead Man" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that forces the listener to confront some uncomfortable truths about the human condition.


Line by Line Meaning

Dead man, crawling out of his crater
A lifeless person struggling to survive


Sucking on the air from his ventilator
Breathing in with help from an artificial device


Watch out, little girl, you're just a beginner
A warning to an innocent person about the dangers of life


He wears outside his face the smile of a winner
He puts on a happy face despite his troubles


Drags his woman around by the hair
Abusing his partner to satisfy his ego


It turns her on, she don't wanna be square
His partner enjoys being mistreated


Standing on top of the family mountain
Displaying his dominance within his family


Drinking lemonade from the magical fountain
Finding happiness in simple pleasures


Holiday trips in a Volkswagen camper
Family vacations in a modest vehicle


Children locked into an old picnic hamper
Controlling his children like objects in a box


Let them loose to play in a sandpit
Giving his children freedom to enjoy themselves


Leave them there 'cause they take us for granted
Punishing his children for their ungratefulness


Man is an ape and woman a martyr
Men are primitive and women are long-suffering


It's not what you do when you do it, it's what you do after
The aftermath of one's actions is more important than the action itself


I went down to the zoo and I looked in the cages
Observing the captivity of animals in a controlled environment


Then I walked on home past the office, collected my wages
Returning to a mundane life of work and routine




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDREW BELL, LAURENCE JOHN COLBERT, STEPHEN PAUL QUERALT, MARK STEPHEN GARDENER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@darthvader3465

incredible talent

@rxdxvxnxtx6331

Un millon años Luz

@starflyr57

did this ever make it into the live set? love this track

@Vasyla

Awesome track

@CS-sf1rz

Luv the drums here; great album!

@modsheff1

Throughout this album the drums are fuckin amazing, especially BURNIN'

@Syaugeek

Coolest track by them.

@offtheground9720

the guitars at 1:55 are perfect

@옥영일-g8h

나의 뻑킹 풰이버빗쏭...한국사람없어서 1빠

@러너달리미

야 너두?

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