We Ride - Composition and Lyrics

Composition and Lyrics

As a mid-tempo ballad, "We Ride" is a hip hop and soul music song. According to the digital sheet music published by Musicnotes.com, "We Ride" is written in the key of E♭ major and is set in common time with a moderate dance groove with 80 beats per minute (BPM). Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans from the lower note of G♯₃ to the higher note of C₅. The song includes piano keys and guitar strings as part of its instrumental composition, and were provided by Stargate. Jazzily Bass of Contactmusic.com commented that "We Ride" incorporates a "teen music sound" into its composition, which features a melodic tap to keep the listener engaged. In an interview with Corey Moss of MTV, Rihanna explained the meaning behind the song's lyrics, saying:

'We Ride' is about this guy saying over and over again, 'When we ride, we ride, we're gonna be together until the day that we die' — promising all these things ... then it turns out he broke all of his promises, which is sad — but it's summer and I don't care if you wanna do that and be ugly and unfaithful, then I can just do my thing, chill with my girls and have fun. That's what summers are all about ... every summer you remember a certain relationship and there's always a song to connect to that. So 'We Ride' is just one of those songs.