Lyrics of Ride Revere by HistoryMusicNerd
In April’s chill, the year ’75,
Paul Revere rode, so hope would survive.
At midnight’s hour, his lanterns shone bright,
Two if by sea, and one if by night.
Stand side by side, we will march on,
And meet our fate at Lexington!
Ride, Revere!
The Brit’s are here!
Show us where!
With your flare!
Ride, Revere!
Meet us there!
We‘ll take care!
That’s our swear!
Smoke‘s in the air!
So, ride! Ride, Revere!
From Concord’s roads, under starlit skies,
To Boston’s North Church, where the signal lies.
Two lanterns hung in the steeple high,
A warning spread, in the quiet night sky.
Stand side by side, we will march on,
And meet our fate at Lexington!
Ride, Revere!
The Brit’s are here!
Show us where!
With your flare!
Ride, Revere!
Meet us there!
We‘ll take care!
That’s our swear!
Smoke‘s in the air!
So, ride! Ride, Revere!
Redcoats marched, their lines precise,
Facing the patriots sacrifice.
After short fight the colonists ran,
Eight Minutemen died, and the Revolution had just began!
Stand side by side, we will march on,
And meet our fate at Lexington!
Ride, Revere!
The Brit’s are here!
Show us where!
With your flare!
Ride, Revere!
Meet us there!
We‘ll take care!
That’s our swear!
Smoke‘s in the air!
So, ride! Ride, Revere!
From Concord on, the Brits would learn,
The fire of liberty, fiercely burns.
Many rode that night and many fought brave,
In history’s heart, together engraved.
Historical Background
In short: The song is about Paul Revere and the Battle at Lexington at the Beginning of the American Revolution!
Ride, Revere! – The Midnight Ride That Sparked a Revolution
Some heroes fight with swords. Others ride through the night to light the way.
Ride, Revere! isn’t just about a single ride—it’s about the moment the American Revolution began. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere (April 18, 1775) wasn’t just a warning—it was the signal that the fight for independence had begun.
This is how one night, one ride, and one signal set a revolution in motion.
April 18, 1775 – The British Advance
“In April’s chill, the year ’75, Paul Revere rode, so hope would survive.”
Tensions between British troops and American colonists had been rising for years. The British wanted to seize colonial weapons stored in Concord, Massachusetts.
General Thomas Gage, the British commander, sent 700 Redcoats on a secret mission to destroy the weapons and arrest Patriot leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
But the Patriots were watching.
“Two lanterns hung in the steeple high, a warning spread, in the quiet night sky.”
At Boston’s Old North Church, two lanterns were lit—signaling the British were coming by sea, not by land. This was the cue for Paul Revere and other riders to spread the alarm.
The Midnight Ride – A Call to Arms
“Ride, Revere! The Brits are here! Show us where! With your flare!”
Revere, along with William Dawes and Samuel Prescott, rode through the Massachusetts countryside, warning local militias:
- The British are coming!
- Prepare for battle!
- The fight for freedom is now!
Revere never finished the ride—he was captured by the British. But others carried on his message, ensuring the Minutemen were ready to fight.
April 19, 1775 – The First Shots of the Revolution
“Stand side by side, we will march on, and meet our fate at Lexington!”
At dawn, the British troops arrived in Lexington, where 77 Minutemen stood waiting. Someone—no one knows who—fired the first shot.
- The British opened fire, killing eight American colonists.
- The Minutemen retreated, but the fight was far from over.
“Redcoats marched, their lines precise, facing the patriots’ sacrifice.”
By the time the British reached Concord, hundreds of militia fighters had gathered. They ambushed the British at the North Bridge, forcing them into a chaotic retreat back to Boston.
The Revolution had begun.
Why Ride, Revere! Still Matters
“From Concord on, the Brits would learn, the fire of liberty fiercely burns.”
The Midnight Ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord were the spark that set the American Revolution ablaze.
- The colonies were no longer just resisting—they were fighting for independence.
- The British learned that the American spirit could not be crushed.
- Within a year, the Declaration of Independence would be signed.
“Many rode that night and many fought brave, in history’s heart, together engraved.”
Paul Revere was not the only rider—others, like Dawes, Prescott, and countless unknown Patriots, helped spread the alarm. They may not be as famous, but they helped make history.
The Lesson?
Revolutions don’t start on the battlefield.
They start with a message.
And in Boston, on April 18, 1775, that message rode through the night.
