"WILD, WILD RIDE (demo version)"
"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ..." - Philippians 3:8
"Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'" - Luke 9:62
(for Rick, Robin, Tom and Bun E.)

"I wrote this one on the road during the "Truth" tour specifically to be the opening number in concert and on the next record. We had this awkward tradition of opening our shows with whatever the first song on our latest album happened to be. Unfortunately, it didn't always give us that initial kick needed in a concert setting. "Wild Ride" was supposed to be the solution to that problem. But by the time the record came out, we liked "Way Of The Cross" better. Go figure!
The lyrics, like those of so many other J.T. songs, were inspired by a book, The Lion And The Lamb by Brennan Manning. In one passage in particular, Manning vividly portrays a life of following Jesus as a bold adventure and likens it to the early pioneers that first explored this country. They never settled in one place too long, always looking to see what was on the next horizon. The music, however, was inspired by Cheap Trick, a long-time favorite of ours who had every bit as much influence on us as The Beatles or The Monkees ever did.
This demo, along with "Lovehouse" and "Better Days," was recorded in a little 8-track studio that belonged to Ron and a friend of ours, Chris Watford. You can really sense the excitement we felt at breaking loose artistically after so many years as "that Sixties band." In fact, the only rule we had in making these demos was, "There are no rules!" This version rocks even harder than the one on Jacob's Trouble, and may well be the best track we ever recorded as a band. 'Nuff said!

Is everybody here ready for a little adventure?
Is everybody primed for the attack?
Does anybody here want a little piece of the action?
You'd better hold on tight 'cause there ain't no lookin' back!
Ain't no safety belts or nets
What you can't see is what you get!

(Chorus):
It's a wild, wild ride, it's the big, big time
You better hang on for your life tonight
It's a wild, wild ride!

The air is electric with anticipation
It's a grave and magic time to be alive!
Does anybody else want to see beyond the horizon?
There's a hunger here that cannot be denied!
Put up your dukes and get ready to fight
'Cause all hell's breaking loose tonight!

(Repeat chorus)
Now's the time, it's do or die
No more alibis!

We're kicking down the door into summer
Gonna knock the breath out of the shine
Gonna let the truth run even wilder this time!

Ain't no time for you to pack
Don't look back!
(Repeat chorus)

© 1993 Broken Songs (ASCAP) (Admin. by Killen Music Group) All Rights Reserved. Words by Jerry Davison, Music by Jacob's Trouble.