The West Exit began in the spring of 2003 as the studio project of Kevin Jenkins, a vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist residing in Seattle, Washington. His previous musical affiliations include the bands Greg, Dim at Asia, Otis P & the Jivefunk, La Push, and Emblematic.
The West Exit's first album, Nocturne, was released in February 2004. In addition to steady local and online sales, the album has received extensive podcast exposure. The West Exit's music has also appeared in independent films and on several commercial websites and promotional media.
In the spring of 2004, a group was formed to take the music to the stage. Jenkins recruited his perpetual band mate Timothy Harper along with Nocturne contributors Shane Smith and Dave Billin for the task. Harper, a drummer and percussionist, had worked with Jenkins in live bands and studio projects since 1995. Smith provided his bass guitar talents to the album as well as the live band. Billin lent his sound design and engineering skills to the studio sessions and added his keyboard and vocal abilities to the stage show.
After a year and a half of performing in Northwest clubs and bars, Jenkins put the live show on hiatus and headed back into the studio to begin work on a new album. He retained the services of bassist Shane Smith for the recording sessions and in November 2006, The West Exit's second album, Modern Interiors, was completed. It became available for download in early 2007.
Jenkins and Smith reunited in the fall of 2008 to record The West Exit's third album, Extra Century Perception. Seattle guitarist RL Heyer lent his talents to the album as well. The new record continues in their vein of smooth, soulful electro-pop. But the stylistic elements have become more magnified and mature, with bigger beats, soaring melodies, thick harmonies, and more addictive hooks that will get your body moving. Extra Century Perception was released in November 2009.
Take A Ride
The West Exit Lyrics
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If you know where the pieces fall in
You're everybody's debutante
If you're not flying then you're crawling
Take a ride and you hide on the side of the road
No one finds you
And dispose of the ghosts you're supposed to unload
Someday we will turn it right around
Remove the haze that comes over you
Someday we will turn it right around
When your baby's feeling lonely
Feeling like you want it back
All attention has fallen from you
You ain't so happy where you at
If there's no mention pertaining to you
Take a ride and you hide on the side of the road
No one finds you
And dispose of the ghosts you're supposed to unload
So much like you
Someday we will turn it right around
Remove the haze that comes over you
Someday we will turn it right around
When your baby's feeling lonely
And you don't want to turn your head around
Afraid of what you'll see
And you don't want to keep on burning down
You can't pretend to know me
And you don't want to turn your head around
Afraid of what you'll see
And you don't want to keep on burning down
Burning down...
Take a ride and you hide on the side of the road
No one finds you
And dispose of the ghosts you're supposed to unload
So much like you
Someday we will turn it right around
Remove the haze that comes over you
Someday we will turn it right around
When your baby's feeling lonely
Someday we will turn it right around
Remove the haze that comes over you
Someday we will turn it right around
When your baby's feeling lonely
The lyrics to The West Exit's song "Take a ride" are about feeling lost, disconnected, and invisible in the face of the world's expectations. The line "You're everybody's debutante" suggests that the singer is expected to be perfect and polished, but they feel like they're drowning ("If you're not flying then you're crawling"). The call to "Take a ride and hide on the side of the road" is an invitation to escape, to run away from the pressure of trying to fit in ("No one finds you"). The line "Dispose of the ghosts you're supposed to unload / So much like you" reinforces this idea: the singer is haunted by expectations that they can't meet, and they're not sure how to get rid of them.
However, the song is not entirely hopeless. The repeated refrain of "Someday we will turn it all around / When your baby's feeling lonely" suggests that the singer is not alone, and that there is hope for change. The line "Remove the haze that comes over you" suggests that clarity and understanding are possible, even if they seem out of reach right now.
Overall, the lyrics to "Take a ride" are about feeling lost, overwhelmed, and disconnected, but also about the hope of finding connection and clarity.
Line by Line Meaning
You can tell me what you want
If you know where things stand and can communicate clearly, go ahead and share your thoughts with me.
If you know where the pieces fall in
If you have a clear sense of the situation and can see how all the parts fit together, let me know.
You're everybody's debutante
You're always putting on a show, trying to impress everyone and be the center of attention.
If you're not flying then you're crawling
You feel like either you're on top of the world or at rock bottom, with no in-between.
Take a ride and you hide on the side of the road
Sometimes you just need to get away and hide from the world.
No one finds you
When you're feeling lost or overwhelmed, it can feel like no one is really paying attention or looking for you.
And dispose of the ghosts you're supposed to unload
You need to let go of the things that are holding you back, even if it's difficult or painful.
So much like you
There are others who feel the same way and are going through similar struggles.
Feeling like you want it back
You long for the attention and validation you used to receive, but it seems to be slipping away.
All attention has fallen from you
You feel like you're no longer in the spotlight and have lost the admiration and recognition you used to enjoy.
You ain't so happy where you at
You're not content with where you are right now and wish things could be different.
If there's no mention pertaining to you
If people aren't talking about you or including you in their conversations, you start to feel left out and unimportant.
Someday we will turn it right around
Things will get better eventually and we'll be able to see a positive outcome.
Remove the haze that comes over you
Once the confusion and uncertainty clears up, you'll be able to see things more clearly and make better decisions.
When your baby's feeling lonely
When you're feeling alone and isolated, we'll be there to support you and help you through it.
And you don't want to turn your head around
You're afraid to look back and face your past or confront the bad things in your life.
Afraid of what you'll see
You're scared of what you might find if you look too closely or dig too deeply into your own emotions.
And you don't want to keep on burning down
You don't want to self-destruct or let your negative feelings consume you completely.
You can't pretend to know me
You don't really understand what I'm going through or how I'm feeling, so don't try to act like you do.
Contributed by Carson B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@seclusionworks7547
the more of the west ecit that i hear, the more i love!
@carbinmonoxide8615
Shoji Meguro got some explaining to do...
@Crushi
a random comment.