Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Ride Lonesome
Available on Ride Lonesome and 1 other release.
CreditsJustin Meldal-Johnsen: Bass
Joey Waronker: Drums
David Greenbaum: Engineer
Erik Breuer: Engineer
Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Jason Falkner: Guitar (Electric)
Smokey Hormel: Guitar (Electric)
Paul Hicks: Mastering
Nigel Godrich: Mix
Roger Joseph Manning Jr.: Piano, Vocals (Background) - Ride Lonesome (feat. Sierra Ferrell) (4:24)
Available on Ride Lonesome.
CreditsJustin Meldal-Johnsen: Bass
Joey Waronker: Drums, Percussion
Beck Hansen: Guitar, Mix, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Writer
Jason Falkner: Guitar
Smokey Hormel: Guitar
Greg Leisz: Guitar (Pedal Steel)
Paul Hicks: Mastering
Erik Breuer: Mix, Recording
Roger Joseph Manning Jr.: Piano, Vocals (Background)
Darrell Thorp: Recording
Sierra Ferrell: Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Natalie Bergman: Vocals (Background)
Lyrics:
Ride Lonesome [Version (a)]:
Yesterday, paper roses, they forgot to bloom
So walk away, hang your head upon the hollow moon
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
Follow it all the way home alone
She is gone, you can't put your arms round a memory
You know it's wrong to turn your heart into your worst enemy
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
Follow it all the way home alone
What are you gonna say to the mantle of the moon
When it's shining down on you?
Where are you gonna ride tomorrow
When your days are running wild?
Oh oh
You say so long to the world that's still a part of you
There's no song that could tell your heart what it already knew
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
Follow it all the way home alone
Yesterday, paper roses, they forgot to bloom
So walk away, hang your head upon the hollow moon
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
Follow it all the way home alone
She is gone, you can't put your arms round a memory
You know it's wrong to turn your heart into your worst enemy
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
Follow it all the way home alone
What are you gonna say to the mantle of the moon
When it's shining down on you?
Where are you gonna ride tomorrow
When your days are running wild?
Oh oh
You say so long to the world that's still a part of you
There's no song that could tell your heart what it already knew
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
Follow it all the way home alone
Ride Lonesome (feat. Sierra Ferrell) [Version (b)]:
Yesterday, paper roses, they forgot to bloom
So walk away, hang your head upon the hollow moon
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
And follow it all the way home alone
She is gone, you can't put your arms round a memory
You know it's wrong to turn your heart into your worst enemy
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
Follow it all the way home alone
What are you gonna say to the mantle of the moon
When she's shining down on you?
And where are you gonna ride tomorrow
When your days are running wild?
Oh oh
Say so long to the one who's still a part of you
'Cause there's no song could tell your heart what it already knew
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
And follow it all the way home alone
Yesterday, paper roses, they forgot to bloom
So walk away, hang your head upon the hollow moon
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry a river
And follow it all the way home alone
She is gone, you can't put your arms round a memory
You know it's wrong to turn your heart into your worst enemy
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
Follow it all the way home alone
What are you gonna say to the mantle of the moon
When she's shining down on you?
And where are you gonna ride tomorrow
When your days are running wild?
Oh oh
Say so long to the one who's still a part of you
'Cause there's no song could tell your heart what it already knew
You've got to ride lonesome
You've got to try to find the road
You've got to cry an ocean
And follow it all the way home alone
The Song:
"Ride Lonesome" is the first single and opening track on Beck's 2026 album, Ride Lonesome. Beck also released a second version of the song which was a duet with singer Sierra Ferrell.
Certainly the song is related to "The Golden Age," the opening track to Ride Lonesome's sister album, Sea Change, and many of these ideas have shown up frequently in Beck's music too. But where "The Golden Age" feels a little ironic ("let the golden age begin") and lands on a feeling of desolate hopelessness, "Ride Lonesome" has stronger tinges of acceptance. It's "you've got to try to find the road" instead of "these days I barely get by / I don't even try."
Perhaps that shift is of someone older, wiser, more mature. You can't just run wild, you must find where you're headed again at some point.
Also intriguing is the idea here that you have to do this alone. A lot of songs in this realm (by Beck or otherwise) might talk about fate, or guidance, or spirituality. Beck has flirted with existentialist ideas in the past, but this might be his purest expression of it.
"Ride Lonesome" is the first single and opening track on Beck's 2026 album, Ride Lonesome. Beck also released a second version of the song which was a duet with singer Sierra Ferrell.
Certainly the song is related to "The Golden Age," the opening track to Ride Lonesome's sister album, Sea Change, and many of these ideas have shown up frequently in Beck's music too. But where "The Golden Age" feels a little ironic ("let the golden age begin") and lands on a feeling of desolate hopelessness, "Ride Lonesome" has stronger tinges of acceptance. It's "you've got to try to find the road" instead of "these days I barely get by / I don't even try."
Perhaps that shift is of someone older, wiser, more mature. You can't just run wild, you must find where you're headed again at some point.
Also intriguing is the idea here that you have to do this alone. A lot of songs in this realm (by Beck or otherwise) might talk about fate, or guidance, or spirituality. Beck has flirted with existentialist ideas in the past, but this might be his purest expression of it.
Live:
Played live 2 times:
Earliest known live version: September 22, 2026
Latest known live version: September 23, 2026
Played live 2 times:
Earliest known live version: September 22, 2026
Latest known live version: September 23, 2026