Born To Ride Free – English Lyrics

• By: Country Rock Master

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Woke up this morning with the devil in my chest Factory whistle blowing, but I ain’t gonna rest 

Got my leather jacket hanging by the bedroom door 

Been dreaming ‘bout that  highway since I was twenty-four

I was born to ride free With the wind against my face 

Born to ride free Can’t keep me in this place 

Thunder in my veins, lightning in my soul I was born to ride free, baby, that’s how I roll

Mama said “Boy, you better settle down” But settling ain’t nothing but a word in this town 

Got ninety thousand miles on these worn-out boots Time to fire up my Harley and chase down my roots

I was born to ride free With the wind against my face 

Born to ride free Can’t keep me in this place 

Thunder in my veins, lightning in my soul I was born to ride free, baby, that’s how I roll

Texas sun is calling my name Open road, washing away the pain 

Every mile marker’s a step  toward who I’m meant to be 

’Cause I was born, born to ride free

I was born to ride free With the wind against my face 

Born to ride free Can’t keep me in this place 

Thunder in my veins, lightning in my soul I was born to ride free, baby, that’s how I roll

Yeah, that’s how I roll… Born to ride free…

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
devil /ˈdɛvəl/ B1	noun - a supernatural being of evil, or a person with wicked qualities
factory /ˈfæktəri/ A2	noun - a building where goods are manufactured
whistle /ˈwɪsəl/ B1	noun - a clear, high-pitched sound made by forcing breath through a small hole
leather /ˈlɛðər/ A2	noun - material made from the skin of an animal
highway /ˈhaɪˌweɪ/ A2	noun - a main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities
thunder /ˈθʌndər/ B2	noun - a loud rumbling noise heard after a lightning flash
lightning /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ B2	noun - the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge in the atmosphere
soul /soʊl/ B2	noun - the spiritual part of a human being
settle /ˈsɛtəl/ B1	verb - to establish a permanent home
worn-out /wɔːrn aʊt/ B1	adjective - damaged or shabby as a result of much use
boots /buːts/ A1	noun - sturdy footwear covering the foot and ankle
roots /ruːts/ B1	noun - the basic cause, source, or origin of something; cultural or ancestral origins
marker /ˈmɑːrkər/ B1	noun - an object used to indicate a position or indicate progress
pain /peɪn/ A1	noun - physical suffering or discomfort
chase /tʃeɪs/ B1	verb - to pursue in order to catch

Key Grammar Structures

• Woke up this morning with the devil in my chest

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The verb "woke" is the past form of "wake," used here to describe a completed action in the past.

• I ain’t gonna rest

  ➔ Future intention (Be going to) + Colloquial negation

  ➔ "Ain't" is used as a colloquial contraction for "am not," followed by "gonna" (going to) to express future intention.

• Been dreaming ‘bout that highway since I was twenty-four

  ➔ Present perfect continuous

  ➔ "Been dreaming" indicates an action that started in the past and continues into the present.

• I was born to ride free

  ➔ Passive voice + Infinitive phrase

  ➔ "Was born" is a passive construction, followed by the infinitive "to ride" which describes the purpose or destiny.

• Can’t keep me in this place

  ➔ Modal verb (Can)

  ➔ "Can't" (cannot) expresses inability or refusal, indicating that the situation or place cannot hold the speaker back.

• Mama said “Boy, you better settle down”

  ➔ Had better (Advice/Recommendation)

  ➔ "Better" is a contraction of "had better," used here to give strong advice or a warning.

• Settling ain’t nothing but a word

  ➔ Double negative / Emphatic structure

  ➔ The phrase "ain't nothing but" is an emphatic way of saying "is only," using double negative for stylistic effect.

• Toward who I’m meant to be

  ➔ Relative clause + Passive infinitive

  ➔ "Who I'm meant to be" is a noun clause where "meant to be" uses the passive infinitive to suggest destiny.