Written by: Beck Hansen
Versions:
- Farewell Ride (4:18)
Available on Guero.
CreditsRecorded at: Madhatter and Sound Factory
Beck Hansen: Beats, Guitar (Slide), Harmonica, Kalimba, Mix, Percussion, Piano, Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Tony Hoffer: Mix, Producer - Farewell Ride (Subtle Remix) (4:51)
Available on Guero and 3 other releases.
CreditsSubtle: Remix
Adam Doseone: Vocals
Beck Hansen: Vocals - Farewell Ride (Surround Mix) (4:18)
Available on Guero.
Unofficial Versions: [show/hide]
- Beck v. Young Joc (4:00)
CreditsBeck Hansen: Mashed (Farewell Ride)
Young Joc: Mashed
DJ Memphis: Remix (Mashup)
Lyrics:
Farewell Ride [Version (a)]:
Ahhh ahhh ahhh
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Carrying me to my burying ground
Some need diamonds, some need love
Some need cards, some need luck
Some need dollar bills lining their clothes
All I need is
All I need is
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Taking me for my farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
I don't see the face of kindness
And I don't hear the mission bells
I don't smell the morning roses
All I see is
All I see is
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Carrying me to my burying ground
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Ahhh ahhh ahhh
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Carrying me to my burying ground
Some need diamonds, some need love
Some need cards, some need luck
Some need dollar bills lining their clothes
All I need is
All I need is
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Taking me for my farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
I don't see the face of kindness
And I don't hear the mission bells
I don't smell the morning roses
All I see is
All I see is
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Carrying me to my burying ground
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Farewell Ride (Subtle Remix) [Version (b)]:
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a
Carry me to my burying ground
Some need diamonds, some need fireworks
Some need cards, some need
Some need shattered glass
Lining their clothes
All I need is
All I need is
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Hit the ground
Happen up a ??
In your neck ??
???
If you can feel it stinging
Down the hollow
??
Sat soft on the hardwood ??
??
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a
Carry me to my burying ground
Some need diamonds, some need fireworks
Some need cards, some need
Some need shattered glass
Lining their clothes
All I need is
All I need is
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Hit the ground
Happen up a ??
In your neck ??
???
If you can feel it stinging
Down the hollow
??
Sat soft on the hardwood ??
??
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Some may say this might be your last farewell ride
Acoustic Blues (Farewell Ride) [Live version (a)]:
Oooh ooh. . .
There's something ahead on up the road
There's something ahead on up the road
There's something ahead on up the road, oh Lord
Take me to my burying ground [or, Nobody knows what it is]
Her soul looks lonesome now to me
Her soul looks lonesome now to me
Her soul looks lonesome now to me, oh Lord
The sun is going down, oooh [or, The sun is going down on me]
Yea!
There's two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Gonna take me for a last farewell ride
Oooh ooh. . .
There's something ahead on up the road
There's something ahead on up the road
There's something ahead on up the road, oh Lord
Take me to my burying ground [or, Nobody knows what it is]
Her soul looks lonesome now to me
Her soul looks lonesome now to me
Her soul looks lonesome now to me, oh Lord
The sun is going down, oooh [or, The sun is going down on me]
Yea!
There's two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Two white horses in a line
Gonna take me for a last farewell ride
The Song:
"Farewell Ride" is a superb blues song from Guero, and the guitars, vocals and harmonica make an even better recording. There even sounds like there's some chains rattling as percussion in there (or something that sounds like that). Intense. It's a song for a funeral procession on a rainy dark night. The devil is coming and I'm frightened.
The song was borne out of the untitled acoustic blues song Beck sang live in 2001, which was based in various blues songs including "Ella Speed."
Basically, Beck has long sung "Ella Speed," which includes lines about white horses in a line, come to take you on your last farewell ride. Then in 2001, he started doing the acoustic blues song, which used the white horse/farewell ride verse. Then when he recorded the song, he used that verse a bunch of times, as well as writing his own verses into it. That's what became "Farewell Ride."
One magazine reported that this song was completed the day before Beck's friend, Elliott Smith, died. Eerie.
"Farewell Ride" is a superb blues song from Guero, and the guitars, vocals and harmonica make an even better recording. There even sounds like there's some chains rattling as percussion in there (or something that sounds like that). Intense. It's a song for a funeral procession on a rainy dark night. The devil is coming and I'm frightened.
The song was borne out of the untitled acoustic blues song Beck sang live in 2001, which was based in various blues songs including "Ella Speed."
Basically, Beck has long sung "Ella Speed," which includes lines about white horses in a line, come to take you on your last farewell ride. Then in 2001, he started doing the acoustic blues song, which used the white horse/farewell ride verse. Then when he recorded the song, he used that verse a bunch of times, as well as writing his own verses into it. That's what became "Farewell Ride."
One magazine reported that this song was completed the day before Beck's friend, Elliott Smith, died. Eerie.
Live:
Played live 12 times:
Earliest known live version: June 23, 2001
Latest known live version: June 24, 2006
Beck has not played "Farewell Ride" live that many times.
Acoustic Blues version - summer 2001
As said, it started on stage in the summer 2001 as "Acoustic Blues." There are a few bootlegs of it then, which I'll just take in order here.
The first one I have is from June 26, 2001. It shows a similar structure of the "road / soul / horses" verse with a short guitar solo in between. Beck plays acoustic slide guitar.
The next version from June 29, 2001 is just incredible. Haunting. Beck's voice is perfect, and he even adds some harmonica to the song, which really filled it out.
The July 1, 2001 performance has a very short harmonica bit, and Beck flips some of the verses around. Similarly, on July 12, there was again no harmonica at all, and verses are flipped. I do like how he ends the song with some fancy "take me to my last farewell / take me for my last / take me for..." improvised ending.
Guero/Info tour - 2005/2006
Strangely, this song never really made it to the sets for the Guero or Info tours. One setlist report includes it, early on the Guero tour. However, due to it being the only report, I'm somewhat skeptical until a bootleg can verify.
Played live 12 times:
June 23, 2001
June 25, 2001
June 26, 2001
June 27, 2001
June 29, 2001
June 30, 2001
July 1, 2001
July 12, 2001
July 14, 2001
June 15, 2005
...and 2 more.
June 25, 2001
June 26, 2001
June 27, 2001
June 29, 2001
June 30, 2001
July 1, 2001
July 12, 2001
July 14, 2001
June 15, 2005
...and 2 more.
Earliest known live version: June 23, 2001
Latest known live version: June 24, 2006
Beck has not played "Farewell Ride" live that many times.
Acoustic Blues version - summer 2001
As said, it started on stage in the summer 2001 as "Acoustic Blues." There are a few bootlegs of it then, which I'll just take in order here.
The first one I have is from June 26, 2001. It shows a similar structure of the "road / soul / horses" verse with a short guitar solo in between. Beck plays acoustic slide guitar.
The next version from June 29, 2001 is just incredible. Haunting. Beck's voice is perfect, and he even adds some harmonica to the song, which really filled it out.
The July 1, 2001 performance has a very short harmonica bit, and Beck flips some of the verses around. Similarly, on July 12, there was again no harmonica at all, and verses are flipped. I do like how he ends the song with some fancy "take me to my last farewell / take me for my last / take me for..." improvised ending.
Guero/Info tour - 2005/2006
Strangely, this song never really made it to the sets for the Guero or Info tours. One setlist report includes it, early on the Guero tour. However, due to it being the only report, I'm somewhat skeptical until a bootleg can verify.