Midnight Ride

 

Midnight Ride
Written by James Young
Lead Vocals by James Young

Gonna get you while you sleep
Give you a dream you can keep
To yourself little mama gonna make you feel better

I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln
Ain't no reason to do any second thinkin'
About it child

Midnight ride I'm gonna shake ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna break ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna take you on a
Midnight ride

Meet you little girl back at my hotel
Between you and me we're really gonna give 'em hell

I got something mighty special up my sleeve
All you got to do is just say please

Midnight ride I'm gonna shake ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna break ya
Midnight ride I'm gonna take you on a
Midnight ride

Interpretation

As is the case for many Styx songs, there is more than one layer of meaning and possible interpretation to this song.

Here are a few possibilities:

1. A story about a girl's one night stand with an unscrupulous stranger. Take the line, "I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln, ain't no reason to do any second thinkin' about it child." He's seducing her with his mystery and apparent wealth. But his goals are clear ""I got something mighty special up my sleeve, all you got to do is just say please." The chorus uses the analogy of a rider breaking a wild horse "...I'm gonna shake ya....I'm gonna break ya..." to reinforce the concept of the man using the woman during this "midnight ride."

2. The personification of a girl's dreams about spending a sinful night with a rich and famous man (perhaps a rock star). Note the introduction to the song, "Gonna get you while you sleep, give you a dream you can keep to yourself little mama..." indicating that he is from the forbidden part of her dreams. Then he continues "I'm your mystery man in a gold Lincoln..." indicating that he is wealthy and a stranger, the type of a man and situation that she would only dare approach in her dreams.

3. A story about a rape from the twisted perspective of the rapist. "Gonna get you while you sleep" could refer to the absence of consent. And, the victim keeps the memory to herself "...give you a dream you can keep to yourself little mama." The chorus's analogy of a rider breaking a wild horse "...I'm gonna shake ya....I'm gonna break ya..." could imply that the "midnight ride" between the sheets is his sick view of his conquest.

Another interesting thought: the "midnight ride" in the first chorus is the ride in the car and the "midnight ride" in the second chorus is the "ride" in the hotel after she says "yes" (literally or figuratively) to his "please."