Among a number of groups who helped define the Motown Sound of the 1960s, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Supremes, The Four Tops were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer; most groups of the time were fronted by a tenor. The group was the main male vocal group for the songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who crafted for the group a stream of popular hit singles, including two #1 hits: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There". After Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in 1967, the Four Tops were assigned to a number of producers, primarily Frank Wilson. When Motown left Detroit in 1972 to move to Los Angeles, California, the Tops stayed in Detroit and moved over to ABC Records, where they continued to have charting singles into the late-1970s. Since the 1980s, The Four Tops have recorded for, at various times, Motown, Casablanca Records, and Arista Records.
As an unofficial record, it is believed that The Four Tops were the band to continue performing the longest without a lineup change. Levi Stubbs, Abdul Fakir, Renaldo Benson and Lawrence Payton sang together as the Four Tops from 1954 until 1997, when Lawrence Payton died of cancer. That's an astonishing 43 years without a lineup change. The three surviving members continued to tour as "The Tops."
Ride Like The Wind
The Four Tops Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My body's weak
I'm on the run
No time for sleep
I've got to ride
Ride like the wind
To be free again
(Such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
I was born the son
Of a lawless man
Always spoke my mind
With a gun in my hand
Lived nine lives
Gunned down ten
Gonna ride like the wind
And I've got such a long way to go
(Such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
Gonna ride like the wind
Accused and tried
And told to hang
I was nowhere in sight
When the church bells rang
Never was the kind to do
As I was told
Gonna ride like the wind
Before I get old
It is the night
My body's weak
I'm on the run
No time for sleep
I've got to ride
Ride like the wind
To be free again
And I've got such a long way to go
(Such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
And I've got a long way to go
(Such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
Gonna ride like the wind
The lyrics of The Four Tops' song "Ride Like The Wind" tell the story of a man who finds himself in a desperate situation, on the run from something or someone. It is late at night, and his body is weak, but he cannot afford to rest or sleep. He feels the urgent need to ride, to move swiftly like the wind, in order to regain his freedom.
The singer expresses that he has a long journey ahead of him, emphasizing the distance he must cover to reach the border of Mexico. This distance represents both a physical and metaphorical boundary, beyond which he believes he can find safety, redemption, or a fresh start. His determination to ride like the wind implies his commitment to push through any obstacles that come his way and overcome all odds to reach his goal.
The lyrics also offer insight into the singer's background and personality. He reveals that he was born into a life of lawlessness, as the son of a man who lived outside the boundaries of society and spoke his mind with violence, holding a gun in his hand. This upbringing seems to have shaped the singer's own identity, as he states that he has lived nine lives but has been "gunned down ten." This suggests a life filled with danger and confrontations, with the constant specter of death lingering over him.
The singer's defiance and refusal to conform are evident in the line, "Never was the kind to do as I was told." This rebellious attitude is likely one of the reasons he finds himself on the run and accused, with the threat of being hanged for his actions. However, he was not present when the church bells rang, indicating that he is not tied to any particular religious or moral authority.
In summary, "Ride Like The Wind" is a song that captures the urgency and determination of a man escaping a troubled past, desperately seeking freedom and redemption. It reveals his rebellious nature and highlights the long and challenging journey he must undertake to reach his desired destination.
Line by Line Meaning
It is the night
The current time is nighttime
My body's weak
Physically, I am tired and vulnerable
I'm on the run
I am fleeing or escaping from something or someone
No time for sleep
There is no opportunity for rest
I've got to ride
I must travel swiftly
Ride like the wind
Travel at a very fast pace
To be free again
In order to regain my freedom
And I've got such a long way to go
The distance I need to cover is extensive
(Such a long way to go)
(The journey ahead is arduous and lengthy)
To make it to the border of Mexico
To successfully reach the boundary of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Therefore, I will travel swiftly
I was born the son
I am the offspring
Of a lawless man
My father was without regard for the law
Always spoke my mind
I consistently expressed my thoughts and opinions
With a gun in my hand
While holding a firearm
Lived nine lives
I miraculously survived multiple dangerous situations
Gunned down ten
However, I was finally shot and killed
Gonna ride like the wind
I am determined to travel swiftly
Accused and tried
I was charged with a crime and brought to trial
And told to hang
The punishment given was death by hanging
I was nowhere in sight
I was not present or visible
When the church bells rang
During the time the church bells chimed
Never was the kind to do
I was never inclined to conform
As I was told
To follow orders or instructions
Before I get old
Prior to becoming elderly
Gonna ride like the wind
I am determined to travel swiftly
Gonna ride like the wind
I am determined to travel swiftly
Gonna ride like the wind
I am determined to travel swiftly
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER C. CROSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@renaissongsman
Well, true, it wasn't quite like today ... I was there. I think, maybe, that the girls were a tad prettier, but maybe not. (Hair and clothes were a tad different, I guess).
Music was cooler? I dunno, but it was made by real people playing real instruments, and we didn't care (much) about the size of Joan Jett's lady lumps or whether or not a singer had the greatest looks (although you did have to be, y'know, decent looking).
Movies? The really nice part was that a ticket was often a dollar. My friends and I figured we could go, and if we didn't like the picture we could cut up until they threw us out and we wouldn't have lost much.
I dunno it was "awesome", but it was what it was. Don't get too nostalgic for the "Good Old Days" ... you'll miss the ones you have now.
Sincerely, Renaissongsman, class of '84
@Carolynnjune
It is the night
My body's weak
I'm on the run
No time to sleep
I've got to ride
Ride like the wind
To be free again
And I've got such a long way to go (such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
I was born the son of a lawless man
Always spoke my mind with a gun in my hand
Lived nine lives
Gunned down ten
Gonna ride like the wind
And I've got such a long way to go (such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
Gonna ride like the wind
Accused and tried and told to hang
I was nowhere in sight when the church bells rang
Never was the kind to do as I was told
Gonna ride like the wind before I get old
It is the night
My body's weak
I'm on the run
No time to sleep
I've got to ride
Ride like the wind
To be free again
And I've got such a long way to go (such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
And I've got a long way to go (such a long way to go)
To make it to the border of Mexico
So I'll ride like the wind
Ride like the wind
Gonna ride like the wind
Ride!
Gonna ride like the wind
Ride!
@propelahed
I got pulled over doing 120 on a california highway late one night with the top down and this song blasting. When the officer came up to the car and heard what I was listening to, he waved me on without a warning.
@alleykeosheyan4779
Well done, officer - well done 😉
@Skomana
Good copper
@Skomana
So you didn't throw the kilo of bugle then
@user-ru5ic1mc8g
Great story!😂
@thatjodiegirl72
I can't hear this song without thinking about my father, who passed away in 2021. He lived his life on his own terms, and could care less what anyone thought. A true free spirit and definitely one of a kind... When he passed, I imagined him riding out of this life on his Harley Davidson... like the wind
@robbieismyname22
Love it! ❤
@Skomana
That's exactly what he did do
@Skomana
Bless
@Batfan166
Me in my blue 69 Chevelle convertible. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Wind in my hair. 18 and my whole life ahead of me. That's what this song brings me back to. I'll always love it.