C'mon Let Me Ride Explained

C'mon Let Me Ride
Cover:Skylar Grey - "C'mon Let Me Ride".jpg
Type:single
Artist:Skylar Grey featuring Eminem
Album:Don't Look Down
Released:December 11, 2012
Length:3:40
Chronology:Skylar Grey
Prev Title:Room for Happiness
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:Final Warning
Next Year:2013

"C'mon Let Me Ride" is a song by American singer Skylar Grey, released December 11, 2012 as the first single from her major-label debut album Don't Look Down (2013). The song, produced by frequent collaborator and longtime producer Alex da Kid and Mike Del Rio, features a guest appearance from American rapper Eminem, who also mixed the record.[1] [2] The song was released to contemporary hit radio in January 2013.[3]

It samples the chorus of the 1978 hit song "Bicycle Race" by the British rock band Queen.[4]

Music video

A music video was shot for the track in October in Detroit and released on December 11, 2012 on Vevo and MTV. Skylar Grey stated that she's poking fun at widespread and excessive sexualization and she also told MTV, "The video is a combined effort between director Isaac Rentz, me and Eminem, and we just wanted to make sure it was very clear that it's a sarcastic song."

The video also sponsored Dr. Dre portable speaker beats in three scenes. To date, it has over 37 million views on YouTube.

Critical response

AllMusic highlighted the song and wrote: "Grey is clever enough to allow herself some measure of silliness – there is absolutely no other way to describe the Queen-quoting "C'mon Let Me Ride"—a move that reveals the seams in her goth-princess persona and makes a good chunk of Don't Look Down come across as nothing more than bubblegum Lana Del Rey."[5] HitFix wrote: "there are times when there's such a disparity between the strength of the beats vs. the strength of the lyrics that miles separate them, no more so than on "C'mon Let Me Ride," the first single that came out in December featuring Eminem. The beats are ridiculously infectious and even though the song is meant to be lightheaded, tongue-in-cheek and full of sexual innuendo, the lyrics are so inane: "I'm not like the sluts in this town/They make me blah in my mouth," it's hard to get through it without grimacing."[6] Knoxville News Sentinel wrote: "More than anything, the Wisconsin native is bold. She made that much clear with the previously released single "C'Mon Let Me Ride," a grainy carnival of a song in which she coos endless innuendo as Eminem himself channels Pee-wee Her-man singing Queen's "Bicycle Race."[7] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday was disappointed in her emotionless delivery and he added: "The closest we get to one is playful in the oddly defiant "C'mon, Let Me Ride."[8] New York Post wrote: "They can sound hollow, like "C'mon Let Me Ride," a silly promise of oral sex. (Eminem's surprisingly crafty guest verse is the highlight.)"[9] Now magazine noted that the song is inane but predictable, too.[10]

The Oakland Press called this song "goofy."[11] Rolling Stone was mixed: "even a goofy Eminem cameo (the "Allen Iverson of safe sex") can't save "C'mon Let Me Ride" from sounding like an over-the-top hookup plea."[12] Ted Scheinman of Slant Magazine wrote a favorable overview: "When she's having fun you can tell: "C'mon Let Me Ride," featuring Eminem, is a high-camp glory of a song, as Grey expresses her libido through the usual perverse childish metaphors and Mathers apes Freddie Mercury's "Bicycle" before dropping a zig-zagging verse that turns the beat on its head. It's the funniest fuck song of the year so far."[13] The New York Times called this song "sarcastic flirtation."[14] The Boston Globe was positive: "One minute she's getting silly with Eminem, who co-executive produced the set with "Lie" co-writer Alex da Kid, on the throwaway innuendo happy jam "C'mon Let Me Ride."[15]

Track listings and formats

  1. "C'mon Let Me Ride" featuring Eminem – 3:50
  1. "C'mon Let Me Ride" (Valentino Khan Remix) – 3:08
  2. "C'mon Let Me Ride" (Mikael Weermets & Danny Avila's Trapstep Remix) – 4:14

Chart performance

The song debuted and peaked at number 82 on the Canadian Hot 100.

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
Canada[17] December 11, 2012Digital downloadInterscope
France[18]
Germany[19]
United States[20]
United StatesJanuary 15, 2013[21] Contemporary hit radio

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Eminem To Executive Produce Skylar Grey's 'Fun And Sarcastic' Album. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102230339/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696519/eminem-skylar-grey-dont-look-down.jhtml. dead. November 2, 2012. .
  2. Web site: Skylar Grey Explains Mood Of Debut Album, Eminem & Dr. Dre's Involvement . Tobias, Jonathan . Cheri Media Group . HipHopDX . December 25, 2012 . December 26, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121230181552/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.22324/title.skylar-grey-explains-mood-of-debut-album-eminem-dr-dres-involvement . December 30, 2012 . dead .
  3. Web site: FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!. 2012-12-15. 2010-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20100221171432/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16691. dead.
  4. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eminem-sings-classic-queen-hook-on-skylar-greys-new-single-20121031 Eminem Sings Classic Queen Hook on Skylar Grey's New Single
  5. Web site: Don't Look Down - Skylar Grey - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic. AllMusic.
  6. Web site: HitFix. www.hitfix.com.
  7. Web site: Go Knoxville Entertainment and Features - Knoxville News Sentinel. Knoxville News Sentinel.
  8. Web site: Skylar Grey's 'Don't Look Down': Remote control.
  9. News: Skylar Grey's songs bring sunny hooks . New York Post . Michaelangelo . Matos . July 9, 2013.
  10. Web site: Skylar Grey. Tabassum. Siddiqui. 25 July 2013.
  11. Web site: Album reviews: Skylar Grey, Ciara, Pat Travers Band, more. 2013-08-19. 2013-12-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20131229072910/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/07/09/entertainment/e90e06c1-da16-49bd-87bf-08c25127ef4f.txt. dead.
  12. Don't Look Down. Will. Hermes. . 29 July 2013.
  13. Web site: Skylar Grey: Don't Look Down - Album Review - Slant Magazine. . 7 July 2013 .
  14. News: New Albums by Skylar Grey, Okkyung Lee and Geoffrey Keezer . The New York Times . Jon . Pareles . Nate . Chinen . Ben . Ratliff . July 8, 2013.
  15. Web site: ALBUM REVIEW: Skylar Grey, 'Don't Look Down' - The Boston Globe. .
  16. Web site: Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video. Polish Airplay New. 30 March 2017.
  17. Web site: C'mon Let Me Ride (feat. Eminem) – Single by Skylar Grey . . . January 5, 2013.
  18. Web site: C'mon Let Me Ride (feat. Eminem) – Single par Skylar Grey . Apple . iTunes Store . January 5, 2013 . fr.
  19. Web site: C'mon Let Me Ride (feat. Eminem) – Single von Skylar Grey . Apple . iTunes Store . January 5, 2013 . de.
  20. Web site: C'mon Let Me Ride (feat. Eminem) – Single by Skylar Grey . Apple . iTunes Store . January 5, 2013.
  21. Web site: R&R: Going For Adds: CHR/Top40 (Week Of: January 15, 2013) . . January 5, 2013 . https://archive.today/20130216171948/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=01/15/2013&Format=1 . February 16, 2013 . dead .