You Run Away- the song

[garyrulez]

Over the past few days I've had the chance to really listen to You Run Away a few times, and I've discovered that not only is it a very sad song, it's also quite angry at points.

For example, when Ed sings "I'll give you something to cry about....hold a mirror shoulder high" that's a REALLY angry thought. The way I'm interpreting it, he's saying that eventually Steve's going to look in the mirror and hate what he's become. Really intense stuff.

Also, I had a question about one of the other lyrics: "You made me guess 'who was it?'"

Any thoughts on this? Is he saying Steve wasn't letting Ed know who he was becoming or is the "who" referring to someone else?

[Philip]

Out of interest, has the band said that this song is about Steve or are people just assuming that it is?

(And shouldn't this thread should be in the 'Music' section?)

[PolyesterAngel]

I thought the band had said that the song wasn't about Steve...

[Mobitz]

I don't think they said.... this is the closest check out at 2:56

http://www.youtube.com/user/bnlmusic?blend=1&ob=4&rclk=cti

[garyrulez]

(And shouldn't this thread should be in the 'Music' section?)

Really??? Look, if anybody wants to move the thread, move the stupid thread.

And if you watched any of the video BNL posted of their radio appearance, Ed says at one point when specifically asked about the song "it could be about anyone we were in a band with for 20 years".

[Mobitz]

[QUOTE=garyrulez;3625]
Also, I had a question about one of the other lyrics: "You made me guess 'who was it?'"

QUOTE]

No matter who the song is about, I think this lyric could mean not 'who' was it but rather was it me or you.

But that's just a thought. I have not had time to think this song out yet ;)

[garyrulez]

That's a good thought- I hadn't looked at it like that. Like, you made me wonder if it was your fault or mine.

[barenakedfanband]

Regarding the lyrics,

I had a good listen to the song on a few different live performances and confirmed what I had on my music sheet;

The line is "You made me guess who was in"

As if to say, "who's out, you or me?"

Cheers! :cool:

[TheHYPO]

I think I agree with most of your interpretations so far. One thing that caught my eye is the following:
"I made a mess – who doesn’t? I did my best, but it wasn’t enough"

Presuming that Ed is being candid in his statement that the song is about Steve, that sounds to me like Ed saying that he screwed something up and Steve wouldn't forgive him, or that Ed tried to work things out, or something... but taking some responsibility for "making a mess". I also disclaim fully that these songs are often "rooted" in a true experience, (a song about Steve leaving), but then the lyrics take on a fictional twist to make them more generic and accessable to a wider audience, or simply to make the song more powerful (eg: "It would sound better if the singer did something to push the other person away) even though that's not the true story.

I just thought that part was a bit interesting. But it adds to the part about "who was it" (you or me?) that caused this to happen?

[TheHYPO]

Regarding the lyrics,

I had a good listen to the song on a few different live performances and confirmed what I had on my music sheet;

The line is "You made me guess who was in"

As if to say, "who's out, you or me?"

Cheers! :cool:

Mind if I ask what you mean by "on your music sheet"? It sounds pretty much like "who was it" to me on the recording... though I admit that some of the lives could be interpreted as "in" - do you have an official lyric sheet of some sort?

[PolyesterAngel]

Over the past few days I've had the chance to really listen to You Run Away a few times, and I've discovered that not only is it a very sad song, it's also quite angry at points.

You know, you're right. Incredibly sad, incredibly angry. Incredibly good...

[Amicustoall]

Phillip from my point of view it belongs here as much as a thread about restaurants mentioned by the band or announcement regarding when the single was being released. I mean all of the forums, with the exception of the Misc one are all band related.

I love this song more and more every time I listen to it. I think it is a good example of fantastic lyrics. I prefer if the writer never confirms what he was thinking when he wrote it. To me it is for the listener to interpret.

[barenakedfanband]

Sure thing, Hypo,

I know you have a site for this stuff and I confess that it was the first place I went to get the correct lyrics. You hadn't put it up yet, so once the song started to make appearances on YouTube videos, I listened to as many of them as I could to get the right words (a few seconds at a time - type - pause - listen - type, etc...)

I will admit, after listening to the official release of the song, (as well as about three other live performances of the song), it was difficult, at best, to extrapolate what is said, as Ed didn't enunciate the last letter of the word in the recordings I viewed.

I'll concede that it very well may be "it" rather than "in" but in the end, I guess we'll have to wait for the official release of the album so we can look at the lyric sheet in the liner notes, :D:cool:
Either way, it's a powerful song from the first note to the last and I can't wait to hear the rest of the album :p

For reference, Here's the link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K8-t6-aTjM)that I used to write the sheet I have (marker @ 2:47)
Also This one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCNTON0v_8o)which I found just this morning....(marker @ 2:25).

[garyrulez]

I thought it was "it" just because of the cadence of the music- "who was in" sounds very forced, musically. Also, if it were this, I wouldn't use "guess" I'd use "choose".

Also, Hypo- I really like your comments on Ed's pseudo-admission that he may have had some blame for...well, for whatever...and that that may not have gone well. I was definitely wondering about the "I made a mess, who doesn't?" line.

[Philip]

Phillip from my point of view it belongs here as much as a thread about restaurants mentioned by the band or announcement regarding when the single was being released. I mean all of the forums, with the exception of the Misc one are all band related.

Well, if a thread looking at the lyrics and meaning of a song doesn't belong in the section headed: Music, Talk about BNL's songs -- the lyrics, the notes, the tunes, the beats, the hidden and not-so-hidden meanings, I'll eat my mouse mat, but, as teenagers on occasion say so wisely, whatever.

I prefer if the writer never confirms what he was thinking when he wrote it. To me it is for the listener to interpret.

Yes, I agree. And from this song, which seems to record the painful collapse of a relationship, we get a really interesting stew of emotions - anger, blame, guilt, regret and loss - which is very affecting. But, while I understand the temptation, I don't see anything worthwhile in using it to infer anything about the relationship between Steve and Ed.

If, on the other hand, the song was called You Run Away, Steve, or And Take Your Line 6 Variax With You , fair enough.

[Amicustoall]

Phillip I did not defend this thread being in this forum, I merely pointed out that there are others that do not seem to be in the proper location either! Geesh :D

[garyrulez]

Yeah, Geesh, Philip- who cares, honestly?

And I'm sorry I opened the giant can of worms and mentioned the "S" word in the context of "You Run Away". I don't want to give anyone a stroke here, but that's what the song is about. Sorry.

[Amicustoall]

And you as the listener are free to and encouraged, from my perspective, to have it mean that to you gary!

[Philip]

And you as the listener are free to and encourage from my perspective to have it mean that to you gary!

And I as the listener are free to and encourage from my perspective to have it mean that to you too! Or something.

[Amicustoall]

I really can't understand what the says or means Phillip sorry.

[Den of Antiquity]

I also disclaim fully that these songs are often "rooted" in a true experience, (a song about Steve leaving), but then the lyrics take on a fictional twist to make them more generic and accessable to a wider audience, or simply to make the song more powerful (eg: "It would sound better if the singer did something to push the other person away) even though that's not the true story.



HYPO - great point. I do this a LOT in my songwriting, not only to make it more accessible to the listener, but also to not bare ALL of my soul in three and a half minutes. We know some of what happened between Steve and Ed, but only they know all - and they each probably even have their own interpretation of it. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm not going to try to read in too many gory details into the lyrics, just knowing that some of the feeling is shared through the song is powerful enough. (I always loved "Half a Heart" for the same reason.)

I'd like to make one other positive comment on the MUSIC part of the song, in that even though the melody, vocals and lyrics are pure Ed, the production and tone layering is very Kevin. And Jim's bass line is so perfect it almost makes me weep (I thought his bass playing was fanstastic at the Sarah Mc show in S&DV too. He can really drive the emotion of a song.)

This song is a really cool start to the CD in that it is clearly a full band effort. Sometimes it felt like the band was "playing a Steve song" or "playing an Ed song" or on those rare occasions when the ping pong balls fell the right way "playing a Jim song." This one really feels to me, musically, like it is the band playing their song and I can't wait to hear more.

[Michelle in WI]

I have to say, I was not sure how I felt about the song when I first heard it. I wasn't instantly in love with it, perhaps because of the very fact that it is so painful, angry, emotional, and unexpected. This was not what I thought a first-release was going to sound like. I, like everyone else, have been listening to it quite a bit, and it has really grown on me. It may sound weird, but I felt...uncomfortable (?)...listening to it at first. Almost like I was invading this private, personal matter, which I know is completely ridiculous, as it is a song that has been recorded for the masses.

Didn't Steve give Ed's wife a foot massage? I think that's why he took him out that window.

[garyrulez]

Didn't Steve give Ed's wife a foot massage? I think that's why he took him out that window.

Well, yeah, but it's not like he touched her holiest of holies.

[jonmatthews]

Wow, that's the first I heard of anything like THAT. Where and when is that alleged to have occured? Yikes.

[garyrulez]

Dude, sorry to mislead you- those are lines from Pulp Fiction.

[TheHYPO]

I'll concede that it very well may be "it" rather than "in" but in the end, I guess we'll have to wait for the official release of the album so we can look at the lyric sheet in the liner notes, :D:cool:
Either way, it's a powerful song from the first note to the last and I can't wait to hear the rest of the album :p

For reference, Here's the link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K8-t6-aTjM)that I used to write the sheet I have (marker @ 2:47)
Also This one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCNTON0v_8o)which I found just this morning....(marker @ 2:25).

Cheers, man. I was just curious if you had an official lyric sheet (I'm honestly not sure if those exist. I'd think they probably do in those kind of "press release" things labels sometimes put out, but when you see "lyrics listed/in a review/of the album", I'm never sure if that's from a lyric sheet, or if the person just transcribed what they heard.

Like you said, we'll have to see when a lyric sheet comes out with the album (I certainly hope one does) - but THAT said, I've seen typos in those sheets too...

[Den of Antiquity]

Well, yeah, but it's not like he touched her holiest of holies.

Maybe not, but I bet he took her to Jackrabbit Slim's and she accidently snorted something in his trenchcoat....

[garyrulez]

exactly!!!