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Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Redlands Bicycle Classic 2018: Top 5 music primer

Many athletes at the recent Winter Olympics in South Korea prepared for competition by listening to music on their headphones. With that in mind, here's my Top 5 playlist of cycling-themed tunes to help race fans get in gear for the Redlands Bicycle Classic, which runs May 2-6 in Redlands, Calif. 

Check out the accompanying video clips below, listen on Spotify or other streaming services. 

1. “Bicycle Race,” Queen (1978) – Front man Freddie Mercury was inspired to pen the lyrics after watching the ‘78 Tour de France. The British rock band released it later that fall as a double A-sided 7” vinyl single with “Fat Bottomed Girls” and it reached the top 30 in America. An accompanying music video surrounding nude women riding around Wimbledon Stadium was banned in various countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AY8Fr1GIlw 



2. “Tour de France,” Kraftwerk (1983) – Celebrating the enjoyment of cycling, this breezy song from the pioneering German electronic music group went to #4 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTe7U92ecX8 



3. "Bike Ride to the Moon,” The Dukes of Stratosphear (1985) – The short-lived psychedelic rock-leaning side project from British alt-rock band XTC unveiled this zippy tune on its debut 25 O’Clock.



4. “The Bike Song,” Mark Ronson & The Business Intl., featuring Kyle Falconer and Spank Rock (2010) – After snagging Grammy Awards for production work with Amy Winehouse (and prior to massive success on Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”), Ronson presented rotating vocalists on Record Collection. “The Bike Song,” sung by Falconer, Scottish leader of The View, with Rock’s rap interludes, was a top 20 hit in England. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVELTxKRoHA



5. “My White Bicycle,” Nazareth (1975) – Best known for AOR radio staples in America like “Love Hurts” and “Hair of the Dog,” the Scottish hard rock band took this whimsical Tomorrow cover to the top 20 in the U.K. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNXBQCsU_QQ 

For more info on the event, go to www.redlandsclassic.com
My article originally appeared in the spring issue of Redlands Magazine.

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