Chris LeDoux The Ride

Yesterday iTunes released Chris LeDoux's single The Ride

For those not familar with Chris or his music, give him a listen. If you have iTunes, download The Ride. Its a good song, not great, but good. Now, if you don't know, Chris died 9 March 2005 from cancer at age 56. Listen to it again with this in mind and try to keep your eyes dry. The lyrics take on a whole new significance. Now, this good song is one you just can't get out of your head. I'm not the biggest fan of Chris' music, but this song will always be on my playlist. And by the way, I think it's a great song.

The lyrics:

The Ride

I was six years old, my brother was ten
One July day came running in,
seen a ferris wheel at the edge of town
So, of course, we headed on down

Well it took us an hour to walk that far
Carrying our fortune in a Mason jar
It was all pretty sad, a cheap county fair
With a few old rides but there was ponies there

Well, the ponies stunk and the air was still
In that dusty circle behind the ferris wheel
This old guy smelling of smoke and rum
Swung me up and sat me down on one

Well I'd never rode a horse but I'd seen it done
Cowboy movies made it look like fun
This old man whispered a few soft words
It was the best advice I've ever heard

Chorus:
He said "Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"

I went up a kid with shaking hands
And I came down a full grown man
It was like he'd cast some Voodoo spell
Things were different for me now, I could tell

'Cos whenever troubles come wandering in
His rhyme would pop in my heard again
And somehow I rode through the needles and nails
Brambles and thorns that life entails

CHORUS

Well I know some day farther down the road
I'll come to the edge of the great unknown
There'll stand a black horse riderless
And I wonder if I'm ready for this

So I'll saddle him up and he'll switch his tail
And I'll tip my hat and bid fairwell
And lift my song into the air
That I learned at that dusty fair

"Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"
Now don't be scared, just enjoy your ride