Biking by Frank Ocean Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Metaphorical Journey of Self-Discovery
Lyrics
Ayy, turn, turn the music up, uh, yeah
Goes around, comes around
What goes, alright, like like
Life goes in cycles
Everything that comes around, goes around
‘Fore it goes down, get you some ice
Life goes in cycles, what comes around, goes around
So ‘fore it goes down, nigga, get you some icicles
Audemars before all of y’alls
Wristwatch got a Russian face like an oligarch, uh
12 o’clock, boy, silly nice, huh
Willie in traffic, I’m Philly nice, uh
E.t. On the handles, uh
Handlebars like a Xanax
Shammgod with the AND1 moves
Throw that shit ’round your neck
Right quick, broke boys get fixed
Right quick, Nigel Sylvester with these bike flips
Uh, that’s a full cab and a back flip
Uh, sidebar
Arm stretch a tee like I nailed it
Raf movin’ slow like a creep
Shirt in the breeze like I’m sailin’
And I walk in my sleep, I can’t help that (I can’t)
When’s the last time I asked for some help that
I couldn’t get from nobody else, yeah?
I couldn’t get from nobody out there (I can’t)
When’s the last time I asked for some help that
I couldn’t get from nobody else, yeah?
Nobody
I don’t get weak in the knees
Hundreds spread out like a fan
Vert feel like some Gucci sandals
Open the sky, get a handful
Torso marked up like a vandal
How you not fuckin’ with cash?
God gave you what you could handle
Gave you what you could handle
I got the grip like the handle
And I’m bikin’
I’m bikin’ with me and my Daniel
Hades got the angels
Tv’s got the angles
I’m brakin’, got
Bikin’, I’m bikin’, I’m bikin’ slow-mo (slow-mo)
Maybe the four wheel excitin’ us mo’
I’m cold when the temperatures dip below 70s (dip brlow 70’s dip below 70’s)
How can I be burr around L.A. Coast?
The diamonds is plural, the Tiffany broach
On my lapel, at the table, I’m givin’ a toast (givin’ a-)
The first wedding that I’ve been in my twenties
Thinkin’ maybe someone is not somethin’ to own
Maybe the government got nothin’ to do with it
Thinkin’ maybe the feeling just comes and it goes
Think I want me a lil’ one that look like my clone
Me and my baby can’t do on our own
I landed a trick, got my impossibles
I’m fuckin’ with Addy, I’m watchin’ my dose
Twenty-four hours like they never close
I’m bikin’, I’m bikin’, I’m bikin’ these blocks, yeah
Since Ben Baller sold all his ice up at Slauson, ooh
I’m bikin’ uphill and it’s burnin’ my quads (obstacles)
I’m bikin’ downhill and it sound like a fishin’ rod
Savage, I’m bikin’, yeah
From coldwater to the shaw
Alcoholic way I handle the bars
This a PK, PK Ripper
Nah, you can’t fuck with the boy
That’s my problem, yeah, I got ’em
My tire smokin’ when I stop
Okay, nobody fuckin’ with me
My accolades hang from my neck
Pedal, I drown in the heat
My sapphires drown in my sweat
White mags, but I jet
Jackson, I’m savin’ the streets
I’m Roger Rabbit in the air
I don’t care, Big Willie Style, yeah
Nigga, one wheel, one wheel, one wheel
Nigga, one wheel, I fishtail downhill, yeah
I rose my rate, brand new brakes
Why I name it Slater? Ask my date
I don’t get weak in the knees
Hundreds spread out like a fan
Vert feel like some Gucci sandals
Open the sky, get a handful
Torso marked up like a vandal
How you not fuckin’ with cash?
God gave you what you could handle
Gave you what you could handle
I got the grip like the handle
And I’m bikin’
I’m bikin’ with me and my Daniel
Hades got the angels
Tv’s got the angles
I’m brakin’
Got, got me fucked up
Got a million dollar bike
Got a million dollar bike
Got, got me fucked up
Got me fucked up, up
Million dollar bike
Got, got me fucked up, up
Million dollar bike
Got, got me fucked up
Got a million dollar bike
Got a million dollar bike
Got, got me fucked up
Got me fucked up, up
Million dollar bike
Got, got me fucked up, up
Million dollar bike
In the labyrinth of modern music, few artists manage to blend lyrical profundity with melodious prowess quite like Frank Ocean. ‘Biking’, a track featuring Jay-Z and Tyler, the Creator, is a masterful expedition through the contours of life’s undulating road, dressed up as a cycling metaphor. It is a song that meshes the physical with the metaphysical, prompting audiences to strap on their helmets for a ride that is as existential as it is literal.
Peering beneath the veneer of its mellow beat and spoken-word verses, ‘Biking’ presents a multi-layered narrative exploring themes of temporality, achievement, and self-reliance. This piece dives into the heart of Frank Ocean’s creation, pedaling through its enigmatic verses to uncover a richer understanding of the song’s underlying messages.
Circles, Cycles, and the Persistence of Time
Frank Ocean opens with a musing on the cyclical nature of existence, ‘Life goes in cycles / Everything that comes around, goes around.’ This opening line sets the stage for a reflection on temporality and recurrence. By invoking the imagery of biking—a sport inherently about motion and repetition—Ocean captures the essence of life’s rhythmic patterns, which are as inevitable and relentless as the turning of the bike wheels.
The cycling metaphor extends to suggest that what we experience is perpetually in flux, but also eerily consistent. There’s an invitation from Ocean to prep for the ride—’get you some ice,’ a nod to both the literal need for preparation and the thrill of possessing something valuable in the moment, knowing that the situation will change, and it might be time to gear up for the next ‘cycle’ or chapter.
Unpacking the Symbolism: A Deeper Look
‘Biking’ weaves a rich tapestry of symbols, from ‘Audemars’ and ‘Russian face’ to represent wealth and luxury, to the evocative ‘E.T. on the handles,’ possibly implying navigating life with otherworldly skill or feeling alien in familiar scenarios. Ocean’s references to professional biker Nigel Sylvester and trick maneuvers convey mastery and control, juxtaposing against life’s uncertain terrain.
The song’s central tenet resides in its ability to parallel the art of biking with the management of personal struggles and achievements. ‘Handlebars like a Xanax’ could be interpreted as needing control in anxiety-inducing situations—control that might come as easily as riding a bike or could be as evasive as finding peace in chaos.
A Toast to Freedom and Possession in ‘Biking’
Midway through the odyssey, Ocean shifts gears to ruminate on the concepts of ownership and commitment. Notably, during the ‘first wedding that I’ve been in my twenties,’ he questions traditional attachments to possession, love, and even societal structures like government—’Thinkin’ maybe someone is not somethin’ to own’.
By questioning the assumption that everything, including relationships, must be owned or controlled, Ocean is making a broader statement about the human condition. He contemplates the transient nature of feelings, ideas, and even people—suggesting a more fluid and flexible approach to life’s connections.
Vulnerability and Perseverance on the Uphill Climb
As the song enters its final leg, the artist doesn’t shy away from revealing a sense of vulnerability. In spite of an outward appearance of wealth and control, Ocean discloses inner turbulence—’My tire smokin’ when I stop.’ Here lies a raw acknowledgment that progress is not without its trials, and even the most controlled descent can result in a heated stop.
However, this vulnerability is coupled with resilience. ‘I’m Roger Rabbit in the air / I don’t care, Big Willie Style, yeah’ indicates a carefree elevation above the struggles, tapping into a ’90s nostalgia that symbolizes a perennial coolness under pressure and a resolve to overcome any obstacle on the route, reflected in the personal determination to keep ‘bikin’.
The Resonance of Memorable Lines
Certain phrases within ‘Biking’, much like poetry, clang louder in the consciousness long after the song has concluded. Phrases such as ‘I’m bikin’ uphill and it’s burnin’ my quads’ or ‘Got a million dollar bike’ carry significant weight. They suggest that the hardships we face (the uphill struggle) or the opulence we may obtain (the million-dollar bike) are both equally parts of the journey, meant to be embraced.
It is these snapshots of brilliance that not only showcase Ocean’s gift for songwriting but also cement the track as a chronicled exploration of the vicissitudes of life. The lyrics serve as a reminder that whether we’re pedaling through hardship or coasting on success, the ride is in perpetual motion, and we are all just trying to navigate as best we can.
