Lyrics

when I first moved here I was just seventeen
had good ideas but was young and naive
I bought a bicycle but it treated me so mean
so I went searching for a kinder machine

I walked for ages down streets I'd never been
until I found a shop I'd seen in a dream
inside was a bearded man as big as a tree
his mouth was filled with gold he smelled like the sea and he said:
boy I know you've come a long way indeed
but don't you trouble -- I've got just what you need
and in the corner was the bike of my dreams
it shone like lightening. It had twenty-three speeds!

bicycle oh bicycle
bicycle you're shining so keen!
bicycle yeah bicycle!
me and my bike we're a fiercer shade of green

make me an offer boy but don't waste my time
you can search around but it's the last of its kind
it's old as the Buddha but it's riding so fine
it'll take you anywhere it'll turn on a dime
when you're feeling heavy it'll cross any line
this bike's a racehorse oh my god can it fly!

bicycle oh bicycle
bicycle you're burning so clean!
bicycle yeah bicycle!
me and my bike we're a fiercer shade of green

I held out a rooster's tooth and a firefly's shine
a perfect seashell an original rhyme
a burning matchstick and a mercury dime
two matching snowflakes cured in dandelion wine
he shook my hand said "son that's fair as can be"
and I said "thank you sir for setting me free!"

bicycle oh bicycle
bicycle tell me where you gonna go?
bicycle yeah bicycle!
as for me and my bike we will serve the road