The Moody Blues - Departure / Ride My See-Saw (1968)

Heard below is actually a combination of two songs, “Departure” and “Ride My See-Saw”. As the opening tracks on the group’s third album, In Search of the Lost Chord, the songs are both somewhat unique on their own. “Departure,” written by the group’s drummer Graeme Edge, is a rare example of Edge performing lead vocals (or in this case, narration) for the group. “Ride My See-Saw,” on the other hand, was written by the group’s bassist John Lodge and was one of the first rock singles ever to be recorded on 8-track tape multi-track recording.

When “Ride My See-Saw” was released as a single in October 1968, the maniacal laughter spilling over from the previous track was removed from its beginning. The versions combined together below are from the July 1968 album release and melt into one another as originally intended.



The Moody Blues - Departure / Ride My See-Saw (1968)

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“Departure” Lyrics:

Be it sight, sound, smell, or touch
There's something inside that we need so much
The sight of a touch or the scent of a sound
Or the strength of an oak with roots deep in the ground
The wonder of flowers to be covered and then to burst up
Through tarmac to the sun again or to fly to the sun
Without burning a wing to lie in a meadow
And hear the grass sing; to have all these things
In our memory's hoard and to use them
To help us, to find
[laughter]

“Ride My See-Saw” Lyrics:

Ride
Ride my see-saw
Take this place
On this trip
Just for me

Ride
Take a free ride
Take my place
Have my seat
It's for free

I worked like a slave for years
Sweat so hard just to end my fears
Not to end my life a poor man
But by now, I know, I should have run

Run
Run my last race
Take my place
Have this number
Of mine

Run
Run like a fire
Don't you run in
In the lanes
Run for time

Left school with a first class pass
Started work, but as second class
School taught “one and one is two”
But right now, that answer just ain't true

My world is spinning ‘round
Everything is lost that I found
People run, come ride with me
Let's find another place that's free

Ride
Ride my see-saw
Take this place
On this trip
Just for me

Ride
Take a free ride
Take my place
Have my seat
It's for free

Ride my see-saw
Ride- ride- ride my see-saw
Ride my see-saw
Ri-…