Ryan plays guitar, piano, harmonica, and sings. At the young age of 14, in 2007, Ryan began to gig across Long Island. After 2.5 years he had played over 200 performances and completed a Florida tour, as well as two New England tours, titled "The Love Around the World Tour." Cassata performed at the world's biggest gay music festival, Pridefest Milwaukee, with other great musicians like Salt N' Pepa, Chris Crocker & LeAnne Rimes.
Ryan Cassata is the founder of Artemendous Records, LLC. and Artemendous Radio Station as he conducts broadcasts worldwide to help the local music scene grow stronger.
Ryan Cassata is the composer of the soundtrack for Loop Planes, an award-winning independent film that screened in the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & Music Festival (2010), the Tribeca Film Festival (2010), the International Israel Women's Film Festival (with The Runaways) (2010), and 15 other film festivals.
Ryan Cassata appeared on The Larry King Live Show (2009) and the Tyra Banks Show (2010) for being transgender himself. Aside from being a musician, Cassata is a strong advocate for the transgender community. He travels the states speaking at high schools, colleges, and conferences, sharing his story with a mission to stop ignorance and bring peace to the world. Cassata appeared in Hamptons Bay Magazine (2008), Go Magazine (2008), and Closer Magazine (2011) for his hard work and advocacy. He also appeared in Bay Shore High School's "Maroon Echo" three times for his advocacy along with his musical achievements. In 2011, Ryan Cassata won the first Harvey Milk Memorial Award for the new path of equality he had created at his high school.
Ryan Cassata writes very passionate lyrics. His words are positive and inspirational to today's generation. Cassata hopes to spread this positivity across the country and around the world in hopes to make people smile and catch on to kindness.
Ryan Cassata is doing much more than the average teen. He demands change, he demands revolution, and...he demands PEACE.
Recently, Ryan Cassata was selected to be one of the keynote speakers for the biggest transgender conference in the United States, the Philadelphia Trans-Health conference. Ryan is the youngest speaker the conference has ever had.
Going West
Ryan Cassata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aint got a ticket but a worn out vest
By then I'll have scars on my chest
I'll be running naked in the sun
I've been thinking bout going west
I hear San Fran is where it's best.
I'll get my T shot so I can run
And I'm alright I'm doing just fine
Taking on the open road one step at a time
Oh, the journey's so much to see
Hop on the road with me
I'm in love with a girl who says she can't love me back no more
She can't handle change
And I'm a changing man
She moved away one day
Got a house and got married
She still comes around
She won't put me down
And I'm alright I'm doing just fine
Taking on the open road one step at a time
Oh, the journey's so much to see
Hop on the road with me
2 Dollars a ride man, 2 dollars a ride
Meet the ghostmen on the top of the hill and joy ride back to la
The wind brushing our hair
And the splendid kick of going no where
2 Dollars a ride man,
We can go anywhere!
And I'm alright I'm doing just fine
Taking on the open road one step at a time
Oh, the journey's so much to see
Hop on the road with me
Ryan Cassata's song "Going West" is an exploration of wanderlust and heartbreak. The repeated line "I've been thinking bout going West" acts a refrain throughout the song, emphasizing the sense of restlessness and longing for escape that Cassata's narrator is experiencing. The second line, "Ain't got a ticket but a worn out vest," suggests that the journey West is motivated by spontaneity rather than careful planning - the singer is willing to embark on the trip regardless of funds or provisions. The reference to scars on his chest could symbolize emotional wounds or past experiences that have marked him and driven him to seek out new places and adventures.
As the song progresses, we learn that the singer is also grappling with the pain of unrequited love. He is "in love with a girl who says she can't love me back no more" - a situation that is only compounded by the fact that she has moved away, started a new life, and yet still comes around. The singer acknowledges that he is a "changing man," while the girl he loves cannot handle change. This contrast highlights the narrative tension between stability and restlessness that runs through the song.
In the final section of the song, the singer takes on a more optimistic tone. He sings about meeting "ghostmen on the top of the hill" who offer him the chance to "joy ride back to LA" for just two dollars. The sense of liberation and possibility embodied in this offer affirms the singer's desire to explore and experience new things. The repeated refrain "And I'm alright I'm doing just fine" serves as a reassurance that, despite the heartbreak he has experienced, the singer is still capable of finding joy and fulfillment on the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been thinking bout going West
I hear that heading west could be the best.
Aint got a ticket but a worn out vest
I don't have much but I am full of zest.
By then I'll have scars on my chest
I'll have more life experience than the rest.
I'll be running naked in the sun
Free and wild - my journey has just begun.
And I'm alright I'm doing just fine
I'm happy and content with wherever I find.
Taking on the open road one step at a time
I'm not rushing, every step is sublime.
Oh, the journey's so much to see
There's so much to explore and discover, it fills me with glee.
Hop on the road with me
Come join me on this adventure, you'll feel free.
I'm in love with a girl who says she can't love me back no more
I really care for a girl who has closed the door.
She can't handle change
She's not ready for a new range.
And I'm a changing man
But I'm evolving and growing, still a fan.
She moved away one day
She pursued a different way.
Got a house and got married
Started a new life but still carried.
She still comes around
Sometimes we meet, our past can be found.
She won't put me down
She doesn't judge me or wear a frown.
2 Dollars a ride man, 2 dollars a ride
Buying a cheap thrill, by the wave or tide.
Meet the ghostmen on the top of the hill and joy ride back to la
Ghostmen greet me, a ride to LA - my thrill for the day.
The wind brushing our hair
We feel the wind and don't have a care.
And the splendid kick of going no where
The thrill of the ride, the journey without a snare.
2 Dollars a ride man,
The joy of the experience can't be missed or banned.
We can go anywhere!
Our destination is unknown, but we'll get there.
Contributed by Brooklyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.