The Ride

Album: Take Care (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Drake closes Take Care with another gripe about fame, a theme that runs throughout much of the album. "I hate when people say they feel me, man," he spits.
  • The song was co-produced by Toronto-based R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd, who also provides vocals on the track. Tesfaye also contributed to another Take Care cut, "Crew Love." Tesfaye recalled to Complex magazine: "We were making the drum loop and...oh, man, I had smoked I don't know how much weed. Even Drake, he came into that session and we were all smoked out. It was terrible how much weed smoke was in that room. I was surprised I could even hit a note. I had sung this melody—it wasn't a hook, just an unfinished lyric. And he liked it so much, he was like, "I need to have this, man.... I know I've already taken 'Shot For Me' and 'Crew Love' and this and that." And me, I was hungry at that time. I was like, 'Dude, take anything.' At that point I was like, 'Hell, yeah.'"
  • This has a soulful Hip-Hop vibe, which according to Drake's right-hand man Noah "40" Shebib was what attracted the Toronto MC to the track. He explained to MTV News: "It was a vibe that the Weeknd caught, and it was just so crazy that Drake wanted to rap on it — as simply put as that."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.