‘Free Ride’ is a song written by Dan Hartman and performed by the Edgar Winter Group from their 1972 album They Only Come Out at Night, produced by Rick Derringer. The single was a top 15 U.S. hit in 1973, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on Cash Box. In Canada, it peaked at number 8. The ‘free ride’ can be literally interpreted as a road trip, but it's really about a spiritual journey. The song was written and sung by Dan Hartman, who had recently joined the Edgar Winter Group, but Winter added the lyrics: ‘We got to do better, it's time to begin; You know all the answers must come from within.’
Edgar Winter played Woodstock before he even released an album. That's because his older brother, Johnny Winter, was a celebrated blues guitarist who used Edgar in his band. In 1972, he started with a new band: the Edgar Winter Group. Dan Hartman, was his first recruit. Hartman had already written ‘Free Ride’ (which is one of the reasons Winter wanted him), so it was one of the first songs this new group recorded. Hartman played guitar on the album version of the song, with Randy Jo Hobbs on bass and Johnny Badanjek on drums (when the group fully formed, it was with Ronnie Montrose on guitar, Chuck Ruff on drums, and Hartman on bass).
‘Free Ride’ was released as the first single from the album, but it went nowhere. After ‘Frankenstein’ went to #1, ‘Free Ride’ was released again, this time going to #14 in America. The song lived on as a radio favorite. A familiar, upbeat, 3-minute rock song with pop appeal, it didn't get overplayed the first time, so listeners never tired of it when it returned. Dan Hartman is credited as the only songwriter on this track, even though Edgar Winter made some contributions. Winter didn't get greedy, knowing that Hartman made some contributions to tracks that were credited to Edgar alone.
The song was featured in the movie Air America and in The Drew Carey Show episode "The Dog and Pony Show". The song is also featured in the 1993 film, Dazed and Confused while Hartman's recording appeared in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and on its soundtrack album. It was also included as a song in the video game tie-in for the film, Cars, and is also used in the Disney California Adventure ride, Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout!
Label – Epic
Songwriter – Dan Hartman
Producer – Rick Derringer
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]The mountain is high, the valley is low
And you're confused on which way to go
So I've come here to give you a hand
And lead you into the promised land, so
[Chorus]
Come on and take a free ride (Free ride)
Come on and sit here by my side
Come on and take a free ride
[Verse 2]
All over the country, I'm seeing it the same
Nobody's winning at this kind of game
We gotta do better, it's time to begin
You know all the answers must come from within, so
[Chorus]
Come on and take a free ride (Free ride)
Come on and sit here by my side
Come on and take a free ride
[Bridge]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, free ride
[Outro]
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on and take a free ride
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah