Motorcycles and 1980's Rock & Roll: How an Anthem Speaks to Wandering Souls

In this soul-searching episode of Peace Love Moto, we will explore the powerful connection between Bob Seger's 1982 anthem Roll Me Away and the spirit of motorcycling. More than just a classic 1980's rock ballad, this song has become a guiding light for some riders—and anyone at a crossroads—searching for meaning, direction, and freedom.

Whether you're facing uncertainty in life, standing at a metaphorical fork in the road, or just longing to ride toward something more, listen as we break down the emotional depth of Seger's lyrics and how they mirror the transformative journey of motorcycle riders just like you and me.

Motorcycles serve as more than machines—they become moving sanctuaries for clarity, healing, and growth. Discover why “rolling away” isn’t about running from life but about embracing the unknown to rediscover yourself.

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Episode Transcript

Ron (00:06):
There are so many great songs about the open road, songs
about being carried along to anew place, both physically and
emotionally.
Would you agree that when itcomes to escaping to the open
road, there's really no betterway to do that than from the
seat of a motorcycle?
There's a song that's beenriding with me for years.

(00:29):
It's Bob Seger's Roll Me Away.
Now you may know that one.
It's more than just a song,really.
It's about a ride, but it'sabout a journey and it's about a
declaration.
It's beautiful and it means alot.
Let's talk about it.

(00:50):
Thank you so much for joiningme today.
Recorded in beautiful Loveland,colorado.
Welcome to Peace, love Moto,the podcast for motorcyclists
seeking that peaceful, easyfeeling as we cruise through
this life together.
Are you ready?
Let's go?
I heard the song Roll Me Awaywhen it first came out in 1982.

(01:36):
I was just a couple of years outof high school, completely lost
and confused about what to do.
Academically, I was mediocre atbest.
I was number two on the tennisteam and loved to play in the
band.
Unlike so many of my friends,though, who went straight to
college with some sort ofdirection accounting, law,

(01:57):
whatever I thought I wanted toplay music On the trumpet.
I was a big fish in, as I foundout, a very small bowl.
Specifically, my dream was toplay trumpet with Doc Severinsen
and the Tonight Show Orchestrathat's Johnny Carson's band.
He was a big deal back in theday, so I went to college on a

(02:19):
very small music scholarship.
That's where I met really goodtrumpet players, fantastic
trumpet players who could playwith speed and ranges I had
never heard of before.
No possibility I could do that.
It was eye-opening and a bitcrushing.
So, yeah, for me, the early 80swith the song Roll Me Away.

(02:43):
For me, the early 80s with thesong Roll Me Away that when it
hit the charts it hit my heartas well, because it was such a
time of uncertainty for me, aneed for direction.

(03:09):
The song opens with the narratortalking about going west on his
motorcycle, chasing clarity,maybe something more.
He talks about the mountains hehad never seen before, talks
about conversations withstrangers and the decision to
keep going when others mightjust turn back.

(03:29):
That hits home, doesn't it?
For so many of us, the roadbecomes A therapist, a
confession booth or an altar,maybe all at once, sometimes
kind of depending on our moodand where we are at in our heads
at the time.
But Roll Me Away isn't just atravelogue.
It's about truth.

(03:52):
It's about realizing thatyou've got to leave behind what
no longer serves you, even ifyou don't know exactly what lies
ahead.
And that's tough.
That's some kind of bravery.
That's the kind of bravery wefind when the road humbles us

(04:12):
sometimes.

(04:38):
Took a look down a westboundroad Right away I made my choice
.
Headed out on my bigtwo-wheeler I was tired of my
own voice, took a bead on thenorthern plains and just rolled
that power on.
Twelve hours out of MackinacCity met a girl.
I told her what I decided to do.

(04:59):
She looked out the window along, long moment and then she
looked into my eyes.
She didn't have to say a thing.
I knew what she was thinkingRoll, roll me away, won't you
roll me away?
Tonight I too am lost and feeldouble-crossed and I'm sick of

(05:21):
what's wrong and what's right.
We never even said a word.
We just walked out and got onthat bike and we rolled away.
We rolled clean out of sight.
We rolled across the plainsdeep into the mountains, felt so
good to me, finally feelingfree Somewhere along a high road

(05:57):
.
The air began to turn cold andshe said she missed her home.
So I headed on alone, stoodalone on the mountaintop staring
at the great divide.
I could go east, I could gowest.
It was up to me to decide.
Just then I saw a young hawkflying, flying and my soul began

(06:20):
to rise and pretty soon myheart was singing roll, roll me
away.
I'm going to roll me away.
Tonight.
Got to keep rolling, got tokeep riding, just searching
until I find what's right.
And as the sunset faded and Ispoke to the faintest first

(06:43):
starlight and I said next timewe'll get it right, roll me away
, come on, roll me away.
So what does it all mean?
What does it all mean?

(07:03):
What does it all mean?
What's it mean to roll away,not to escape, but maybe to
become, to become somethingdifferent than we thought we
would ever become, to headtowards something that we're not
even sure what it is.
But we just trust the bike, wetrust the road and we trust our
gut.
Wherever you are right now,whatever road you may be on in

(07:25):
life, may you find clarity.
May you find your own mountains, your own winds, your own voice
whispering yeah, let's go,let's roll away, as always.
Thank you so much for listeningand I wish you peace, I wish
you love.