Ride Captain Ride


"Ride Captain Ride" is a song recorded by the American rock band Blues Image. The song was co-written by the band's singer-guitarist Mike Pinera and keyboardist Frank "Skip" Konte. It was included on the group's 1970 album, Open. Released as a slightly shortened single in the spring of 1970, it shot up the charts, eventually reaching No. 4 in the USA and Canadian charts, making it Blues Image's only Top 40 chart hit. It reached No. 23 in Australia.
The guitar fills and main solo were performed by Kent Henry. Pinera plays the guitar solo at the end of the song.
The song was inspired by the number of keys on Pinera's Rhodes piano. Pinera said, "Okay, I need a first word. And what came into my head was '73.' I liked the rhythm, and I went, '73 men sailed up, from the San Francisco Bay.'...The song sort of just wrote itself from there."

Chart history

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Covers

The song was covered by Blood, Sweat & Tears in the album New City from 1975.
The song has been performed live many times by Phish with Page McConnell on lead vocals, notably during the legendary Ian's Farm show on 5/28/89.