Blether Ain

As October fades, you notice earlier twilights. Recall one such instance on a bike commute when surrounding shades seemed to be nothing but exciting orange, purple and yellow supplanting usual soothing blue, gray and green. No longer faced with dawn/dusk obligations, prefer midmorning windows with fewer crepuscular complications, mid-afternoon school releases, motor rushers, and pummeling wind, so some carefree hours observing whatever attractions one can see, segments rolling over unbroken pavement surrounded by well lit kaleidoscopic foliage especially. Without scenery, it’s only laborious pedaling one justifies as life extending and mood improving exercise. Suddenly, All Saints Day arrives and darkness looms as Standard Time resumes.

Café and Pasteles on Trek past a tasty corner in a colorful quarter

Labann offers naught but his ain [AI Not, own] take on daily travails, reserves right to be informationally obsessive, and scrutinizes any blether or folderol not immediately identified or understood. But, given local, political, or situational assertions, can you believe prideful online answers? Nobody has a right to be permissive or possessive toward another, family or lover, neither neglect nor overreact, but ought to sort out scary situations to stop senseless tragedies. Trust stems from mutually meeting each other’s needs. Printed circuits don’t need you, don't dodge traffic or pedal cranks, don't fret or sweat, and have no cycling experience, ethical dilemmas, or human empathy. Never blindly accept explanations, buy hype, consent unwittingly, or download hogswallop.

Asked Google AI, “How many songs specifically reference bicycles or bicycling?” regarding quantity of those qualified, and it said “There are hundreds of officially recorded songs.” Nonsense! If you inquire further you’ll actually get the following explanation: “When looking purely at mainstream charts or standard public catalogs (like Wikipedia's main playlist), you only see the ‘hundreds’ of obvious hits that feature the word ‘bicycle' directly in the title or primary chorus. However, your figure accurately points to the deep-dive scholarship of researchers like Labann (associated with Bike&Chain: The Ultimate Guide to Bicycling Culture), who meticulously cataloged an extensive master list. Labann's massive count of roughly 1,750 to 2,400+ titles expands the scope significantly because it documents: Obscure historical sheet music dating back to the late 1800s velocipede craze; songs about specific cycling legends (like Eddy Merckx), famous races (like the Giro d'Italia), or specific cycling gear and mechanics rather than just the generic word ‘bike’; and profound thematic connections where the bicycle serves as an underlying metaphor for counterculture, autonomy, or working-class freedom.” Still not exact, spouting blather that mimics reality and withholds accuracy, it’s obvious AI (artificial insemination?), SI (Sports illustrated swimsuit issue?), or whatever you call Terminator Intelligence can’t by extension be trusted with anything ever.

Agreed, not every song that mentions bicycles is about them or merits inclusion; don't even acknowledge covers, only originals. EZG & Steen brandish a menacing Bicycle Chain (single, self, 2017) while rapping in German angrily about coke, incest, and infidelity. No cycling going on there, unlike fellow countrymen Kraftwerk’s techno pop tracks Titanium and Vitamin (Tour de France, Kling Klang/EMI, 2003) which Florian and Ralf say are totally intended as cycling hellos though barely uttering a few “vélos”. Pump up the jam and spin past flimflam. A couple dozen curated below in order of release year, then alphabetically, can be directly designated under bicycling culture.

Round Table, Get on the Bicycle! [J-pop], Big Wave ’71 EP, Victor Entertainment, 1998

Jazz Mafia, Rock the Bike, single video, self, 2012

Ohio State University Wind Symphony, IV. Barnum and Tesla's Tandem Bicycle (Live) [orchestral], Steampunk Suite, American Bandmasters Association, 2017

Anne Dudley & Chamber Orchestra of London, Bicycle Therapy, The Hustle Soundtrack, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, 2019

Fran Palermo, Pomeline's Bicycle [instrumental], Crocodile Juice Bar, MZK Publishing, 2020

Samuel Leloup, Bicycle Joy [eam], Small Ensemble, Stereoscopic Music Publishing, 2020

Dr. Fang and the Gang (Andy Bean), Fetch Me My Bicycle, Kid Cosmic and the Sonic Courage Soundtrack, Netflix Music, 2021

Patty Crozier, Drunk on a Bicycle, Ladies Night, self, 2021

Angelic Acoustics, Electric Bicycle, Satisfying Lego, self, 2024

Bicycle Mafia, Freecycles [banjo/fiddle bluegrass], Freecycles Forever, Broken Spike Records, 2025 -“Bicycle Mafia rolling free, changing the world on two wheels... hum of the tire, heart ticking like a wild fire.” Several other songs on album have tangental references.

Bicycle Mafia, Freecycles Forever [banjo/fiddle punk rock], Freecycles Forever, Broken Spike Records, 2025 - Track is separate and unlike one above; “No price tag just the wind on your face, freedom to ride in this open space... [chorus] Freecycles, free souls, forever more rolling to the rhythm of the planet’s core. The Bicycle Mafia plays to crowds alive raise ‘em up keeping dreams to strive.”

DrChopper, The Bike [hip-hop among other relevant titles], Ebike Ear, self, 2025 - “The bike is on fire... I like hitting the bar on this thing from ‘Californyar’”

E-Bike Mob, Electromagnetic Warfare [hip-hop among other relevant titles], Pedal 2 Tha Metal [sic], self, 2025 - “E Mob Militia we roll through the grid... Lithium loaded my pack’s undefeated. Police in pursuit but they never detect. Magnetized safety no license to check.”

Franz Gordon, The Girl with the Yellow Bicycle [instrumental], single, Epidemic Sound, 2025

Anthony & Ian, Bicycle Love [country rock], single, self, 2026 - “Ridden by the whole damn town.”

Captain Red Beard (Ryan Vogel), Road Cycling is Such a Millennial Thing Now, single, Wolfman Records, 2026 - “Nothing can get in my way... Feel like [Tour de France champion] Tadej Pogačar.”

Cast of Saturday Night Live UK featuring host Jamie Demetriou, The E-bike Song, single video, SNL UK, Series 2, Episode 2, 2026 - Hyperbolic life or death sendup of London lime rental e-bikes. “I'm gonna crash so violently it ruins the life of those who see me!”

Dara Bubbly, Blue Bicycle, Blue Bicycle, self, 2026

Donna Bailey, Bicycle Wheel [doo-wop], single, self, 2026

Mudlickers, Bike Song [country], single, self, 2026 - “I really want to steal your bicycle... But you won’t get it back; it’s got traded for crack. Somebody’s got your bicycle.”

muee mood [intentional lowercase], sunday bicycle, sunday bicycle, Misty, 2026 - AI generated slop pop composed by compassionless bots. What’s the point? Art is about admiring artists and their emotional journeys, not their dropped burbles. Tempted to exclude such discouraging stuff henceforth, if not quit altogether*.

Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., My Magic Bicycle, Hopium, Omnivore Recordings, 2026 -  “So come and take a ride on my magic bicycle, yeah. We can go where we want to; we're free from our troubles and pain... We’ll travel down the high road from Lovers Lane.”

Tiisetso Swafo & Maxy Khoisan, Bicycle [South African manyalo wedding folk], single, 5802362 Records DK, 2026

Uncle Mal, Bicycles On the Levee [country], Bicycles On the Levee, self, 2026

Victor Tabuni Marcus, Sunflower Bicycle, single, self, 2026

* Have no idea how Google's expanded Content Policy coming in December will affect this blog. Labann addresses everything universally without hostility, which still might invite censorship unnecessarily. Whatever the outcome, thanks to all those who read and staged over 2 decades. Click on "Comments" link at bottom of post to voice your own opinions.