Cycling Remains (Reimagined Olivia Rodrigo)

While Abu Nailah chose to keep the bridge section of "cycling remains" more understated than the original "drivers license", the emotional intensity is carried in a different way. Instead of relying on dense layering and lush production, Abu pared the arrangement down to around seven vocal layers, creating a more intimate atmosphere.

What makes this choice remarkable is the strength of his lead vocal from those seven vocal layers. As a baritone, Abu pushed into the upper fourth octave, belting resonantly through a few B♭4 notes — a range that typically demands advanced technique for singers with lower timbres. His ability to sustain those notes with control and clarity demonstrates skilled use of breath support, resonance, and register blending.

This approach shifts the focus: the bridge may not be as grandiose in production, but it achieves emotional fullness through vocal technique and raw resonance. In doing so, Abu offers a personal, atmospheric take on heartbreak: one that feels less cinematic but more human, highlighting grief and reflection over spectacle.

THE SONG'S CHORD PROGRESSIONS

Numbers: bars/measures

Tempo: 144 BPM

Tonality: F major

Additional 7th and beyond: Possible, mainly in choruses and the bridge, usually by piano and synths

[Intro] = No chord progressions, only SFX layers.

[Verse 1 & Verse 2] = F (4) – Dm (4) – B♭ (4) – F (2)

[Chorus]

1. Main chorus = B♭ (4) – F (2) – B♭ (4) – F (2)

2. Fast-paced section = Dm (0.5) – C (0.5) – F (0.5) – Am (0.5) – B♭ (2)

3. Ending cadence = Gm (1) – C (1) – F (2)

[Verse 3] = Same as Verse 1 & 2

[Bridge] (Repeated 4 times) = Dm (2) – B♭ (2) – F (2) – C (2)

[Chorus] (reprise) = Same as earlier chorus sections, but the fast-paced one is Dm (0.5) – C (0.5) – Am (0.5) – C (0.5) – B♭ (2)

[Outro] = Gm (1) – C (1) – Dm (ending)

INSIGHT

1. The verses establish a grounded I–vi–IV–I cycle, melancholic yet stable.

2. The choruses soar with IV–I interplay and inject urgency through the fast-paced run.

3. The bridge shifts into ii–IV–I–V, a classic ballad lift that heightens emotional intensity.

4. The outro closes with a ii–V–vi cadence, leaving the listener suspended in the relative minor, which feels unresolved and haunting — a fitting emotional echo of the song’s theme.

One of the most quietly haunting choices in Abu Nailah’s “cycling remains” lyric video is the inclusion of a machine-translated Javanese version. At first glance, it might seem like a simple accessibility gesture or a nod to the local culture of Yogyakarta. But when viewed through the lens of Abu’s personal journey, it becomes something far more layered—and far more poignant.

Abu Nailah is not originally from Yogyakarta. He hails from Batam, Riau Islands, and moved to Jogja to study at ISI Yogyakarta, one of Indonesia’s most respected art institutes. In this context, the machine-translated Javanese takes on a symbolic weight. It reflects the experience of an outsider trying to integrate into a new cultural and linguistic environment, attempting to connect with people who speak a language he’s still learning—both literally and emotionally.

The Javanese translation, verified by Abu as machine-generated, read with a kind of syntactic stiffness and emotional detachment. They lack the warmth and nuance of natural Javanese speech. But this awkwardness may be intentional. It mirrors the emotional disconnection between Abu and the Jogja-native friends he once held close. The language is technically correct, but spiritually absent—just like the friendships that inspired the song.

What makes this even more compelling is that the story behind “cycling remains” is rooted not in campus life, but in the world outside it. This distinction matters. It suggests that the heartbreak Abu sings about isn’t confined to academic or artistic circles—it’s part of his broader experience of navigating a new city, forming bonds, and watching them unravel. The machine translation becomes a metaphor for that unraveling: a shared language that no longer feels mutual, a connection that now feels foreign.

In this way, the Javanese version isn’t just a translation—it’s a symbol of estrangement, cultural tension, and the limits of language. It’s a quiet but powerful statement: even when we speak the same words, we may no longer understand each other.

To experience the full trilingual lyric presentation, including the official machine-translated Javanese version, you can visit the official translation page here: https://genius.com/Genius-terjemahan-jawa-abu-nailah-sisan-pit-pitan-interpretasi-balen-tembang-lisensi-driver-nduwe-mbak-olivia-rodrigo-basa-jawa-lyrics.

Pada lirik lagu, “unknown-lings” merujuk pada tekanan eksternal, apalagi jika kita melihat konteks emosional lagu ini secara keseluruhan. Dalam kerangka ini, unknown-lings bisa dimaknai sebagai:

A. Penyebar rumor atau bisikan liar: Mereka bukan tokoh utama dalam cerita, tapi justru punya peran besar dalam merusak hubungan yang ada.

B. Simbol dari ketidakpastian sosial: Orang-orang yang tidak dikenal secara personal, namun punya pengaruh besar lewat opini, komentar, atau bahkan fitnah.

C. Representasi dunia luar yang mengintervensi: Mereka hadir sebagai kekuatan tak terlihat yang memecah kepercayaan dan menciptakan jarak emosional.

Dengan begitu, Abu Nailah tampaknya ingin menyampaikan bahwa kadang yang merusak bukanlah konflik langsung, melainkan suara-suara samar dari luar yang perlahan menggerogoti fondasi persahabatan.

Correction: The roman numerals for the repeated chord progression in the bridge have to be vi – IV – I – V and not ii – IV – I – V. Also, I have to correct it here because the chord progression commentary cannot be edited. That progression is the one of a simple ballad pop chord progression. For the alphabetical one is Dm – B♭ – F – C.

In Verse 1, the song starts with sounds from a door key opening and jangling, a distant saxophone playing, and a bicycle pedalling that I recorded myself instead of using the original sound effects directly from “drivers license”. All of this represents changes from my previous phase of life, such as the surroundings, the boarding house itself, etc.

The bicycle pedalling sound itself has been added in every song’s section transition (and a key jangling at Verse 3) to give the nostalgic feeling within the silent part (no yapping) of the song.

A little bit of an ad here: Ecosmo is the brand name of this new one, which was given to me a day before my 20th birthday–about a month or so before our breakup.

I realized that there were more new friends from a nearby village at that time, so yeah…

"Belum ada satu bulan…"💫 ~a reference to Bernadya's "Satu Bulan"

My parents suggested I have a motorcycle. Instead, I only want a bicycle again, which coincidentally connects with the reimagined title of the song.

There is a previous version of this cover, which is still a short one (that was around the time we broke up).

1. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abu_nailah2004/reel/DBmOaV4ykT5
2. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abunailah_official/video/7527475829203373330

There were around three months or so before I posted the full version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Im1oj7mGjUo

What made me buy another bike (the Ecosmo one) was that my previous bike was damaged. Also, because it couldn’t be repaired anymore, I just gave it to a bike repair shop. The repair shop took it apart, and luckily, I still had time to take pictures of the rest as souvenirs for me.

There are stickers (both from buses mania and majelisan) that we used to share attached to both bikes, if you look closely. However, there are still some shared stickers from my remaining friends (see Verse 3) on the new bicycle.

The villages' trivia is explained in this annotation: https://genius.com/35337927

"I only mentioned their initials, NDC, for their privacy in the tribute credit at the end of the lyric video.

(a screenshot of the end credits written like this: "an NDC tribute directed by me")

There are more places than just their villages, though.

It’s quite hard for me to move on. Moreover, they’re only across my current street.

Image description (an image of the villages taken from Google Maps)

I might make an MV if I have the time lol."

[Edit: forgot a closing quote sign]