King of the Road
The Rattling Kind Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴When you're hooring down the road
At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
And the horse is in your favor
You're King of the Road

Crack of dawn on a Sunday morn
And the convoy's in full flow

Pajero jeeps, cars and vans
With the horse box on the tow
Heading out to the edge of town
There's a big race goin' down
First nose to pass the two mile mark
Is crowned the King of the Road

Remember Chip'n'pin and the Indian
In the Class A free leg race
When the Chip took the gold on the Mullingar Road
Well it wasn't the Indian's day
But the Indian has blood to win
He was bred by the big Gang Joyce
For he's sired the foals, worth their weight in gold
Taking home now many a race

When your hooring down the road
At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
And the horse is in your favour
You're King of the Road

Now there ain't no flies on the Big Noise
If there are, they're paying the rent
When the Big Noise ran with I'm the Man
And the record he did break
3:57 down the Dualer, flat out on a two mile stretch
Never be the sore loser, cough up now and pay your bets

At when your hooring down the road
At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
And the horse is in your favour
You're King of the Road

Fourteen spins and fourteen wins
From the Streamline Sapphire mare
With a record broke on the Ringsend Road
One morning in the Derry air
Now Thomas Clark has left his mark
With a fine bred coloured cob
And the Loove Hane, Big Noise, Sapphire Crew all part of the Indian's mob

And when you're hooring down the road
At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
And the horse is in your favor
You're King of the Road

Hooring down the road
At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands

And the horse is in your favor
You're King of the Road

Overall Meaning

The Rattling Kind's song "King of the Road" tells the story of the exhilarating experience of racing on a sulky racer, a type of lightweight cart pulled by a horse. The lyrics describe the feeling of freedom and power that comes with riding at high speeds, with the wind in your hair and the reins in your hands. It is a symbol of being in control and having the horse's favor, making you the king of the road.

The song also references a specific racing event, the Class A free leg race, where notable horses like Chip'n'pin and the Indian compete. Chip'n'pin, bred by Gang Joyce, is mentioned as the winner of the race on the Mullingar Road, leaving no chance for the Indian to claim victory that day. However, the Indian is highlighted for his potential to win, as he has sired foals that have gone on to win many races. The lyrics celebrate the talented horses and their owners, highlighting the pride and excitement of participating in horse racing.

Overall, "King of the Road" captures the adrenaline and passion of horse racing, showcasing the thrill of riding at high speeds and the competitive spirit of the sport. It glamorizes the experience of being in control on the sulky racer, with the wind blowing through your hair and the horse propelling you forward, making you feel like royalty.

Line by Line Meaning

When you're hooring down the road
When you're speeding down the road

At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
Traveling at a high speed on a small horse-drawn vehicle

With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
Feeling the rush of air and controlling the horse

And the horse is in your favor
Having a horse that performs well

You're King of the Road
Feeling like the ultimate ruler of the road

Crack of dawn on a Sunday morn
Early morning on a Sunday

And the convoy's in full flow
The group of vehicles is moving smoothly

Pajero jeeps, cars and vans
Various types of vehicles

With the horse box on the tow
Towing a vehicle carrying horses

Heading out to the edge of town
Going towards the outskirts of the town

There's a big race goin' down
A significant race is taking place

First nose to pass the two mile mark
The first horse to cross the two mile marker

Is crowned the King of the Road
Is declared the ultimate ruler of the race

Remember Chip'n'pin and the Indian
Recall the horses named Chip'n'pin and the Indian

In the Class A free leg race
In a prestigious race category with no restrictions

When the Chip took the gold on the Mullingar Road
When the horse named Chip won first place on Mullingar Road

Well it wasn't the Indian's day
The Indian horse didn't have a successful race that day

But the Indian has blood to win
The Indian horse comes from successful lineage

He was bred by the big Gang Joyce
He was selectively bred by the esteemed Gang Joyce

For he's sired the foals, worth their weight in gold
Because the Indian has fathered valuable offspring

Taking home now many a race
Winning numerous races

Now there ain't no flies on the Big Noise
The Big Noise is highly competent

If there are, they're paying the rent
If anyone doubts Big Noise, they must compensate

When the Big Noise ran with I'm the Man
When the Big Noise ran alongside a horse called I'm the Man

And the record he did break
And he broke the record

3:57 down the Dualer, flat out on a two mile stretch
Completing a two mile stretch in a flat-out speed record time of 3 minutes and 57 seconds

Never be the sore loser, cough up now and pay your bets
Don't complain if you lose and fulfill your betting obligations

Fourteen spins and fourteen wins
Fourteen races participated in and won

From the Streamline Sapphire mare
From a mare named Streamline Sapphire

With a record broke on the Ringsend Road
Setting a new record on the Ringsend Road

One morning in the Derry air
One morning in the fresh air of Derry

Now Thomas Clark has left his mark
Thomas Clark has made a significant impact

With a fine bred coloured cob
With an excellently bred horse of various colors

And the Loove Hane, Big Noise, Sapphire Crew all part of the Indian's mob
Loove Hane, Big Noise, and Sapphire Crew are all members of the Indian's group

Hooring down the road
Speeding down the road

At ninety miles an hour on the back of a sulky racer
Traveling at a high speed on a small horse-drawn vehicle

With the wind in your hair and the reigns in your hands
Feeling the rush of air and controlling the horse

And the horse is in your favor
Having a horse that performs well

You're King of the Road
Feeling like the ultimate ruler of the road

Contributed by Brody M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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