Ride – English Lyrics

• By: Lana Del Rey
• Album: Lust for Life

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of Lana Del Rey's "Ride," a song rich with narrative and emotional complexity. Through its compelling lyrics and Del Rey's distinctive vocal delivery, you can explore themes of freedom, self-discovery, and vulnerability in American English. The song's introspective monologues and poetic imagery offer a unique window into storytelling through music, making it a captivating piece for language learners to uncover nuanced expressions and cultural undertones.

[English]

I've been out on that open road

You can be my full-time daddy, white and gold

Singing blues has been getting old

You can be my full-time baby, hot or cold

Don't break me down

I've been traveling too long

I've been trying too hard

With one pretty song

I hear the birds on the summer breeze

I drive fast

I am alone at midnight

Been trying hard not to get into trouble

But I, I've got a war in my mind

So, I just ride

Just ride

I just ride

I just ride

Dying young and playing hard

That's the way my father made his life an art

Drink all day and we talk 'til dark

That's the way the Road Dogs do it

Light 'til dark

Don't leave me now

Don't say goodbye

Don't turn around

Leave me high and dry

I hear the birds on the summer breeze

I drive fast

I am alone at midnight

Been trying hard not to get into trouble

But I, I've got a war in my mind

I just ride

Just ride

I just ride

I just ride

I'm tired of feeling like I'm fucking crazy

I'm tired of driving 'til I see stars in my eyes

All I've got to keep myself sane, baby

So, I just ride, I just ride

Hear the birds on the summer breeze

I drive fast

I am alone at midnight

Been trying hard not to get into trouble

But I, I've got a war in my mind

I just ride

Just ride

I just ride

I just ride

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
out /aʊt/ A2	adverb - away from the inside of something
road /roʊd/ A2	noun - a wide way leading from one place to another, used for traveling
full-time /ˈfʊl.taɪm/ B2	adjective - working the whole of the day or the period of time required for a full-time job
daddy /ˈdædi/ B1	noun - father, especially affectionately or informally
gold /ɡoʊld/ A2	noun - a yellow precious metal
blues /bluːz/ B1	noun - a style of music characterized by melancholic melodies
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - having existed for a long time
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A2	noun - a very young child
cold /koʊld/ A2	adjective - having a low temperature
break /breɪk/ B1	verb - to separate into pieces by force noun - a pause in work or activity
traveling /ˈtræv.əl.ɪŋ/ B2	verb - going from one place to another
long /lɒŋ/ A1	adjective - lasting a great amount of time
hard /hɑːrd/ A2	adjective - difficult to do or understand
pretty /ˈprɪt.i/ A2	adjective - pleasing in appearance
song /sɔːŋ/ A2	noun - a piece of music with words sung by a singer
birds /bɜːrdz/ A2	noun - animals with feathers and wings
drive /draɪv/ A2	verb - to operate a vehicle
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - by oneself, without others
midnight /ˈmɪd.naɪt/ B2	noun - 12 o'clock at night

Key Grammar Structures

• You can be my full-time daddy, white and gold

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' for possibility/permission; Descriptive adjectives.

  ➔ The sentence uses "can" to suggest a potential role. The phrases "full-time", "white", and "gold" are descriptive adjectives adding detail. The use of "daddy" is figurative and suggestive of power/care.

• Singing blues has been getting old

  ➔ Gerund phrase as subject; Present perfect continuous tense.

  ➔ "Singing blues" is a gerund phrase acting as the subject. "has been getting" is the present perfect continuous, showing an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

• I've been traveling too long

  ➔ Present perfect continuous tense; Adverb 'too' modifying an adjective.

  ➔ "I've been traveling" is the present perfect continuous, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to the present. "too long" uses "too" as an adverb modifying "long".

• Been trying hard not to get into trouble

  ➔ Present perfect continuous (elliptical); 'not to' infinitive phrase indicating negative purpose.

  ➔ "Been trying" is an elliptical form of "I have been trying", using the present perfect continuous. "not to get into trouble" is an infinitive phrase indicating the negative purpose of the trying.

• That's the way my father made his life an art

  ➔ Relative clause using 'that's the way'; Simple past tense.

  ➔ "That's the way" introduces a relative clause that explains how the father lived his life. "made" is in the simple past tense.

• Don't leave me now

  ➔ Imperative sentence (negative).

  ➔ This is a direct command or request, using the imperative form "Don't leave".

• I'm tired of feeling like I'm fucking crazy

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'tired of' followed by a gerund; Indirect statement with 'like'.

  ➔ "tired of feeling" uses "tired of" as a prepositional phrase followed by the gerund "feeling". "like I'm fucking crazy" functions as an indirect statement indicating what the speaker is tired of.