Greyhounds
by De La Soul (featuring Usher)

Album: and the Anonymous Nobody... (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Posdnuos and Dave each rap a verse in which they tell a story about someone trying to find their way in life and taking a greyhound bus in order to find it. Posdnuos recalled to Billboard magazine the journey that sparked the track.

    "I was riding past the greyhound station in L.A. and one of the guys in the car said in a tour guide voice, 'And this is the greyhound station where people come in everyday looking for their piece of Hollywood.'

    I immediately said that could be a great song for this project about a big city eating up and spitting out someone from a small town and their entry and departure point for the story would be from the greyhound station. A few weeks later, a song from out of the jam sessions was put together and the mood of the track worked perfectly with the greyhound concept."
  • That's R&B superstar Usher crooning the hook and the last verse.
  • Greyhound buses began in 1914 in Minnesota and now serve over 2,700 destinations across North America. Over the decades they have been namechecked on numerous occasions in song lyrics. Some examples are:

    "Hollywood Tonight" by Michael Jackson ("West bound Greyhound. To tinsel town. Just to pursue her movie star dreams")

    "Lodi" by Creedence Clearwater Revival ("Rode in on the Greyhound. I'll be walkin' out if I go. I was just passin' through.")

    "Bye Bye Johnny" by Chuck Berry ("She drew out all her money out of the Southern Trust. And put her little boy aboard a Greyhound bus.")

    "Ramblin' Man" by Allman Brothers ("And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus. Rollin' down highway 41.")

    "America" by Simon & Garfunkel ("Cathy, I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh. Michigan seems like a dream to me now.")
  • The Greyhound bus company has another music connection. Stevie Nicks' father, Jess Nicks, was at one time executive vice president of the Greyhound Corp.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in Rock

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in RockSong Writing

We ring the Hell's Bells to see what songs and rockers are sincere in their Satanism, and how much of it is an act.

Kiss

KissFact or Fiction

Kiss is the subject of many outlandish rumors - some of which happen to be true. See if you can spot the fakes.

Danny Kortchmar

Danny KortchmarSongwriter Interviews

Danny played guitar on Sweet Baby James, Tapestry, and Running On Empty. He also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Dirty Laundry," "Sunset Grill" and "Tender Is The Night."