A bicycle, also called a bike or cycle, is a human powered vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century in Europe, and by the early 21st century, more than 1 billion were in existence. These numbers far exceed the number of cars, both in total and ranked by the number of individual models produced.] They are the principal means of transport in many regions. The basic shape and configuration of a typical upright or safety bicycle, has changed little since the first chain-driven model was developed around 1885. However, many details have been improved, especially since the advent of modern materials and computer-aided design. These have allowed for a proliferation of specialized designs for many types of cycling.
“Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)” is a popular song written in 1892 by British songwriter Harry Dacre with the well-known chorus: “Daisy, Daisy / Give me your answer, do. / I’m half crazy / all for the love of you”, ending with the words “a bicycle built for two”. The song is said to have been inspired by Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick, one of the many mistresses of King Edward VII. It is the earliest song sung using computer speech synthesis by the IBM in 1961, a feat which was referenced in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
“The Pushbike Song” is a song originally recorded by Australian band The Mixture and released in 1970. The single was a chart success, reaching numbers one and two in the Australian and UK charts respectively. It has subsequently been covered by various artists.
“My White Bicycle” is song written by Keith West and Ken Burgess. It was Tomorrow’s debut single. According to Tomorrow drummer John Alder, the song was inspired by the Dutch Provos, an anarchist group in Amsterdam which instituted a bicycle sharing scheme: “They had white bicycles in Amsterdam and they used to leave them around the town. And if you were going somewhere and you needed to use a bike, you’d just take the bike and you’d go somewhere and just leave it. Whoever needed the bikes would take them and leave them when they were done.” The Scottish rock band Nazareth did a cover version, which reached No. 14 in the UK in 1975, staying for eight weeks. Actor Nigel Planer, as his character Neil the Hippy from TV-series The Young Ones, reached No. 97 with his cover in 1984.
“Bicycle Race” is a single by the British rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album Jazz and written by Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury. It was released as a double A-side single together with the song “Fat Bottomed Girls”, reaching number 11 in the UK and number 24 in the US.] The song is included in their 1981 Greatest Hits compilation. It is also one of the most downloaded bicycle-themed songs. The song is notable for its video featuring a bicycle race with nude women at Wimbledon Stadium, which was controversial at the time, with the video being edited or even banned in several countries. The song itself has appeared in various media with a bicycle theme.
“Nine Million Bicycles” is a song written and produced by Mike Batt for the singer Katie Melua’s second album, Piece by Piece. It was released as the album’s first single in September 2005 and reached number five in the UK, becoming Melua’s first top five hit as a solo artist. It was a finalist for The Record of the Year prize. The single’s music video, directed by Kevin Godley, shows Melua being dragged across the floor through a variety of settings, including a brief shot of the Summer Palace in Beijing, until she returns to a picnic in a park with her friends.
“The Bike Song” is the second single taken from Record Collection, the third studio album by Mark Ronson, released under the moniker Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. The song features singer Kyle Falconer from The View and rapper Spank Rock. It was released in September 2010 in the UK. The music video was directed by Warren Fu and shot in a South London park. It features a cameo by Ronson’s wife, actress and musician Josephine de ;a Baume, actress Felicity Jones and Rose Elinor Dougall (who is currently in Mark Ronson’s touring band). The song was also used for a video promoting Cycling on the Transport for London website, featuring celebrities cycling around some of their favourite parts of London.
