Cycling Remains (Reimagined Olivia Rodrigo)

Guys, it looks like the interpretation of NDC has been mislabeled as a legit or explicit information by AI slop instead of just fans theories or speculations. As a fan, I want to say that please do not be fooled about this kind of thing, and also please respect the artist's boundaries by not naming names.

Also, if you find another channel, for example, it is called "Abu Nailah (EleXtron Mode)", it is not the same person as the only one Abu Nailah, as he stated about this recently. Please do a deep dive first instead of get fooled by the AI's mislabeling.

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.

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]

Sometimes you will find made-up lyrics by AI in searches or some sort, so please recheck the lyrics again to avoid misinformation.

Here is the example of some made-up lyrics found:

Verse 2: But, you’re not here now And I’m riding without you all The roads we used to take Are now just memories

Chorus: Cycling remains, but you’re not here The laughter echoes, but it’s disappeared I keep pedaling through the pain Hoping to find the real you again

Bridge: Every turn reminds me of you Every sunset feels so blue I wish you could see me now Riding through this empty town

The previous version of “You probably were convinced” is "They’re probably backstabbing", which shows a meaningful shift in tone, maturity, and narrative focus.

Retrieved from Abu Nailah-verified Genius annotation here: https://genius.com/35337912