Maux & Cris

Suite à la publication par mon ami John d’un bel article sur Jim Morrisson et le Riders on the Storm des Doors, et toujours encore un peu dans ma dernière balade à moto, me voici en train de collecter les chansons qui parlent de Riders.

Following my friend John’s publication of a nice article on Jim Morrisson and the Doors Riders on the Storm, and still a little bit in my last motorcycle ride, here I am collecting songs about Riders.

Je me sens obligé de commencer par le Riders on the Storm des Doors. / I feel compelled to start with The Doors Riders on the Storm.

L’orage gronde, puis la basse introduit une tournerie lanscinante, accompagnée par une batterie très sobre qui se marrie parfaitement avec la basse. L’orgue égrenne une jolie mélodie. Il faut attendre un peu pour que Jim chante. Derrière lui, des voix font comme un chœur. Je pense que c’est la sienne qui a été dupliquée plusieurs fois et qui fait un tapis de réverb sur laquelle la voix est comme un bijou dans son écrin.

The storm rumbles, then the bass introduces a spinning spin, accompanied by a very sober drums that go perfectly with the bass. The organ strikes a lovely melody. We have to wait a bit for Jim to sing. Behind him, voices make like a chorus. I think it’s his that has been duplicated several times and which makes a reverb carpet on which the voice is like a jewel in its case.

L’ambiance est posée, qui restera jusqu’au bout. Orgue et guitare chorussent tous deux deux sans se gêner. La batterie est placée plus en avant à ce moment. Par moment, l’orage prend le dessus. La musique s’en va puis revient. Orgue et guitare re-chorussent plus légèrement, la guitare a mis son vibrato, l’orgue en a un aussi. Finalement, c’est la pluie qui gagne.

The atmosphere is set, which will remain until the end. Organ and guitar both chorus without hindering each other. The battery is placed further forward at this time. At times, the storm takes over. The music goes and then comes back. Organ and guitar chorus more lightly, the guitar has put on its vibrato, the organ has one too. In the end, the rain wins.

Paroles / Text

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm

Into this house we’re born
Into this world we’re thrown

Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm

There’s a killer on the road
His brain is squirmin’ like a toad
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
If you give this man a ride
Sweet family will die
Killer on the road

Girl you gotta love your man
Girl you gotta love your man

Take him by the hand
Make him understand
The world on you depends
Our life will never end

Gotta love your man

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm

Into this house we’re born
Into this world we’re thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan 

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm

Le monde de Morrisson n’est pas des plus joyeux, globalement, nous sommes sur terre comme des cavaliers dans la tempête, comme un chien sans son os ou encore un acteur qui fait silhouette, et n’importe quel meurtrier peu bousiller notre famille… On a vu plus joyeux !

Morrisson’s world is not the happiest, overall, we are on earth like horsemen in a storm, like a dog without his bone or even an actor who forms a silhouette, and any murderer can screw up our family … We have seen more joy!

En cherchant des chansons contenant le mot « Riders », je tombe sur cette chanson, écrite par Stan Jones en 1949 et chantée par Johny Cash en 1979. Comme par hasard, le guitariste des Doors aurait avoué que Riders on the storm aurait été inspirée par cette chanson. Comme vous allez pouvoir en juger, elle n’a pourtant pas grand-chose à voir.

While looking for songs containing the word « Riders », I came across this song, written by Stan Jones in 1949 and sung by Johny Cash in 1979. As luck would have it, the Doors guitarist admitted that Riders on the storm would have been inspired by this song. As you will be able to judge, however, it doesn’t have much to do with it.

Mettons cela sur le dos des mystères de la création… / Let’s put this on the back of the mysteries of creation …

Paroles / Text

An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the cloudy draw

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the Riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry

Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi yaaaaay
Ghost Riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
He’s riding hard to catch that herd, but he ain’t caught ’em yet
‘Cause they’ve got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire
As they ride on hear their cry

As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the Devil’s herd, across these endless skies

Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi Yaaaaay

Ghost Riders in the sky
Ghost Riders in the sky
Ghost Riders in the sky

Dans les résultats de la recherche, je tombe évidemment sur la musique d’intro du film Easy Riders, que j’ai revu récemment. Ecoutez le riff de guitare et dites-moi si cela ne vous fait pas penser à quelque chose… au moins sur les deux premières minutes. Après, c’est franchement rock avec Steppenwolf (Born to be wild)

In the search results, I obviously came across the intro music for the movie Easy Riders, which I reviewed recently. Listen to the guitar riff and tell me if that doesn’t remind you of something… at least for the first couple of minutes. Afterwards, it’s really rock with Steppenwolf (Born to be wild)

On fait un bond en arrière dans le temps et nous voilà avec les Shadows qui nous font une chanson qui s’appelle… Riders in the sky. / We take a step back in time and here we are with the Shadows doing a song called… Riders in the sky.

No comment. Mieux vaut s’en tenir à une version plus roots par Willie Nelson et Johnny Cash, même truffée d’imprécisions, elle est tellement plus vraie ! / No comment. Better to stick to a more roots version by Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, even riddled with vagueness, it is so much truer!

Impossible de passer sur une version que tout le monde connait, puisqu’elle est dans le sublimissime film Blues Brothers. / Impossible to pass on a version that everyone knows, since it is in the sublime Blues Brothers movie.

Je termine sur une version féminine avec Peggy Lee. / I end with a female version with Peggy Lee.

Si avec cela, vous n’avez pas des fourmis sous les pneus de votre moto ou de votre vélo, sous les sabots de votre cheval ou les roues de votre décapotable, c’est à désespérer. / If with that, you don’t have ants under the tires of your motorcycle or your bicycle, under your horse’s hooves or the wheels of your convertible, it’s to be despaired of.

Bonne Balade les ami(e)s. / Have a good ride, friends.