"Enjoy the Ride" was written to remember and honor all those who have been injured or killed while bicycling.
In July of 2013 Kim and I were up in Durham hanging out with our friend / awesome musician Emily Pakes when we started talking about possibly writing a song together. She mentioned the recent death of local Durham cyclist Seth Vidal, which I had heard about. I also knew about several other bicyclists killed in Wilmington and other North Carolina towns because my brother is an avid cyclist and wrote of these accounts in his blog (sirbikesalot.com). But Seth's story is that one that really haunted me. Two days before he died he tweeted: "It isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." This stuck with me and I couldn't hide from it until I put it on paper and worked it out in the studio with Kim. Then Emily came down and delivered an impressive rap for the second verse.
This song is dedicated to Seth Vidal (killed in a hit and run on Hillandale Road in Durham), Paul Tyler (killed in a hit and run on Wrightsville Ave), the Doolittles (father and son killed while riding in the River Road bike lane), Phil Tidmarsh (killed on River Road by a young addict), Harley Becraft (run over twice before anyone stopped to help), Alan Simons (shot in the head by a firefighter in Asheville), Gary Frank Sargent (killed on Eastwood Road), and everyone else killed or injured on our roads. These are preventable tragedies, if only we'd take driving seriously and be good people to each other.
Lethal machines running on gasoline
If you want to use only your feet
You play with your phone, a moment’s decision
Puts a biker six feet deep
Hillandale Road, River Road, Route 17
Driving while impaired or just not seeing
Three ton beasts we don’t take seriously
We could pay attention and not speed
They’re human beings, act courteously
Instead we act with hostility
Fathers and friends gone prematurely
He said “just enjoy the ride”
Two days before he died
Too distracted to drive
Swerve and collide
Wasted life
Just enjoy the ride
Just enjoy the ride
Rap:
Two wheels, way that I roll through
I pay tax so I use these roads too
Share the road on my commute
I'm a little bit slower but I don't pollute
But behind the wheel, morals cast out
I get hit, law says my fault
Something's wrong when we try to save the earth
but die on asphalt
Drunk, high, riding with the seat back
Speeding down 40 like a jet down a tarmac
Oops, what, felt an impact
While I was sending pics to a guy on Snapchat
Bikers need to stay back
I ain't got time to react
Ride two wheels, get four on your back
And I'll be scot-free while you lay flat
Just enjoy the ride (lethal machines running on gasoline)
Just enjoy the ride (puts a biker six feet deep)
Just enjoy the ride (Hillandale Road, Route 17)
Just enjoy the ride (driving while impaired or just not seeing)
Just enjoy the ride (just enjoy the ride)
Just enjoy the ride
The ride, the ride
The ride, the ride
credits
released September 20, 2015
Kim Dicso - vocals, piano
Sue Cag - electric guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer, drums
Emily Pakes - rap vocals, electric guitar solo
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