“Joyride” by Roxette
Roxette’s “Joyride” is about the singer’s romantic interest. It was written exclusively by Per Gessle, who initially got the inspiration for the tune from a letter his significant other wrote to him which read “hello, you fool, I love you”. And if you will notice, that is also a line which is used throughout the song.
And from a lyrical standpoint, it is filled with a bunch of colorful metaphors. For instance, the addressee, a female, is noted for possessing “a club on the moon” in addition to being “the heart of the funfair”, “a flower”, the singer’s “magic friend” and other such vivid allegories. And the purpose these magnificent descriptions all serve are being symbolic representations of how the singer feels about his lady.
Indeed the titular “joyride” itself is such an analogy, pointing to the idea that she and the singer are “on a sky ride”. Or a different way of looking at it is that their relationship in and of itself is a joyful journey. And basically what the addressee is telling the singer is to “be a joyrider”, as in freely partake of her love.
Facts about “Joyride”
The official release date of “Joyride” was 27 February 1991. And Roxette decided (against the wishes of their label, EMI Records) to make this track the lead single from their third-studio album, where it also serves as the title song of the project.
And that proved to be a wise decision on their part, as “Joyride” proved to be the fourth and last time Roxette actually topped the Billboard Hot 100. The song also scored a number 1 on the European Hot 100 and Canada Top Singles in addition to performing likewise in almost 15 other countries.
And the nations in which “Joyride” has been certified Platinum are Australia and Sweden.
This song was written and produced by one half of Roxette, Per Gessle. It is also he who holds down the whistling in the tune and co-leads the vocals with his bandmate, Marie Fredriksson. And the narration contained therein is conducted by Dave Edwards, who was formerly the duo’s tour manager.
The title of this song was actually derived from a quote Paul McCartney made in relation to songwriting alongside his former Beatles’ bandmate John Lennon, which Macca described as “a long joyride”. And Per Gessle opted to name this track, indeed the whole album it is featured on so because of the “fun, positive” feel to the term.
