Riders

Riders is track eight on the 1988 James album Strip-Mine and track four on the 1989 live album One Man Clapping.

Riders is about a dream Tim had that included other artists such as Nick Cave, Jimmy Hendrix, Iggy Pop and Jim Morrisson where he was offered the power of the tortured artist in return for drinking a potion by Nurse Ratchett from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies.

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I'm in a crowded room - I've been half-asleep
Says the sister in uniform
"Has everybody understood?"
The listeners turn and nod
But I can see their fear, do they know more than me
Do they know why they're here
I don't want that poison in, poison in, poison in, poison in

She passed around a potion - it went from lip to hand
I took a sip, a taste I didn't understand
The woman then explained, that this was the juice, the juice that causes pain
That all great singers need
I don't want that poison in, poison in, poison in, poison in

I stumbled from the room
There must be some mistake
I do not want this seed
Think I'm in another's dream
Now I can feel this creature flapping in my throat
I try and throw it up
But my cough turns to a choke
Put my fingers in my mouth
I have it by the head
It dug into my jaw
I threw the sucker to the floor
Threw the sucker to the floor (repeat 7 times)
I don't want that sucker in (repeat 3 times)
Sucker in (repeat 6 times)