Today, I was doing a moderately strenuous ride on my bike trainer; close to an hour of almost steady climbing during a ride that lasted 90 minutes in total (including cool down), with 687 metres (2,254 feet) elevation gain over 32.3 kilometres (20 miles) travelled. I rode a bit beyond the 30 km structured workout, to cool down.
A friend who has a lot of cycling experience and knows my abilities said the route might take me about 90 minutes (I completed that part in 83 minutes, and was quite happy with that).
I don’t usually listen to music when riding the trainer, but today I did. At kilometre 26, I was confident I’d be under 90 minutes total when, somewhat ironically, “Deadlines” by Arkells random-played on my iYiYi iPod dock… it’s a rocking number, just the motivation I needed to keep my legs working after the long, burning climb (mind you, I was mostly travelling downhill by then, so there was little resistance to the pedalling and it was just kind of fun).
After that song, I thought of “Oh, the Boss Is Coming!” which comes from Arkells’ debut album, Jackson Square (2008), the same collection as “Deadlines” (please see my February 3, 2020 post on that song).
Today’s track has the same high-energy, slightly bad-boy/passively anti-establishment vibe as “Deadlines.” Both are great songs, and while my work environment often led me to play “Deadlines” (as I said in my post on it), I didn’t ever feel a need to play today’s selection to ease my deadline-laden soul, as “the boss” would have almost always seen me busy! (I had numerous bosses in my careers, most of whom were excellent people I admired, though there were some exceptions, as many people experience, I am sure.)
“Ohhhhh, the boss is coming!
You better look busy
They’re not paying you for nothing
There’s no time for loving!
In the summer, in the city
There’s only room for the sweaty
There’s only room for the sweaty
Ho!
Oh oh oh?!
Oh oh oh!
Oh oh oh?
There’s no room for error
So beware, when your ass is on the line
I have yet to witness, much forgiveness
In this business
Oh, you better not be sitting!
I punch in early
But be prepared to stay real late
Oh, you know they’re not kidding!
When they’re talking the talk
Well they’re talking the talk
Well they’re talking the talk
It’s worse than yelling
Oh, it’s worse than yelling
Oh!
Oh oh oh?!
Oh oh oh!
Oh oh oh?
There’s no room for error
So beware, when your ass is on the line
I have yet to witness, much forgiveness
In this business
I’m punchin’ in
I’m punchin’ out
I’m punchin’ in
I’m punchin’ out
Punch’n in
Punch’n out
Punch’n in
I’m punch’n out!
I’m punch’n out!
There’s no room for error!
So beware, when your ass is on the line
I have yet to witness, much forgiveness
In this business”
(“Oh, the Boss Is Coming!” by Nick Dika, Tim Oxford, Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Dan Griffin)
Now you know a little about why this is my song of the day for today. Thanks for joining me here, and please enjoy.
Here’s the official video for the song from the Dine Alone Music Vimeo site:
