Run by OneRepublic Lyrics Meaning – The Audacious Dash Through Life’s Twists and Turns


You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for OneRepublic's Run at Lyrics.org.
Article Contents:
  1. Music Video
  2. Lyrics
  3. Song Meaning

Lyrics

When I was a young boy living in the city
All I did was run, run, run, run, run
Staring at the lights, they look so pretty
Momma said, “Son, son, son, son, son
You’re gonna grow up, you’re gonna get old
All that glitter don’t turn to gold
But until then, just have your fun
Boy, run, run, run, run, run”

Yeah, run, run, run
Run, run, run

When I was a young kid living in the city
All I did was pay, pay, pay, pay, pay
And every single dime that good Lord gave me
I could make it last three, four, five days
Living it up, but living down low
Chasing that luck before I get old
And looking back, oh, we had some fun
Boy, run, run, run, run, run

They tell you that the sky might fall
They’ll say that you might lose it all
So I run until I hit that wall
Yeah, I learned my lesson, count my blessings
Look to the rising sun and run, run, run

Yeah, one day, well, the sky might fall
Yeah, one day, I could lose it all
So I run until I hit that wall
If I learned one lesson, count your blessings
Look to the rising sun

And run, run, run
Run, run, run

Didn’t get everything that I wanted
But I got what I need, yeah, yeah
I see that light in the morning
Shining down on me
So take me up high, take me down low
Where it all ends, nobody knows
But until then, let’s have some fun, yeah
Run, run, run, run, run

They tell you that the sky might fall
They’ll say that you might lose it all
So I run until I hit that wall
Yeah, I learned my lesson, count my blessings
Look to the rising sun and run, run, run

Yeah, one day, well, the sky might fall
Yeah, one day, I could lose it all
So I run until I hit that wall
If I learned one lesson, count your blessings
Look to the rising sun and run, run, run

Run, run, run
Yeah, run, run, run

Yeah, I learned my lesson, count my blessings
Look to the rising sun

Yeah, I learned my lesson, count my blessings
Look to the rising sun

Yeah, if I learned one lesson, count your blessings
Look to the rising sun, yeah, run, run, run

Full Lyrics

With pulsing beats and an expansive chorus, OneRepublic’s ‘Run’ offers more than just an auditory adrenaline rush. It’s an intricate patchwork of nostalgia, ambition, and wisdom cloaked in the guise of a foot-tapping anthem. As listeners, we’re invited to a journey that intertwines the recklessness of youth with the prudence of experience.

Lead singer Ryan Tedder channels a universal tale of growth and discovery, where the literal act of running serves as a powerful metaphor for navigating life’s unpredictable landscapes. As we dissect these compelling lyrics, we’re transported back to the city streets of youth, the crossroads of adulthood, and the serene acceptance the dawn brings.

Chasing the Neon Dreams: The Allure of City Lights

In the vibrant stanzas of ‘Run,’ the city isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character, embodying the magnetic pull of dreams and lights that beguile every young aspirant. Tedder reflects on the bewitching spell, reminiscing about an era of ceaseless motion where the pursuit of glittering desires seems endless.

Yet, amidst this enchanting pursuit lies a mother’s warning, a foreshadowing that tempers the protagonist’s run. The city’s luster might fade, and the gold one chases could be mere illusions. It propels a deeper query: are these fervent sprints towards an ever-elusive finish line worth the chase?

The Economics of Dreams: Portraits of Youthful Abandon

In ‘Run,’ every dollar and day encapsulates a youthful spirit determined to stretch the finite into the realm of infinite possibilities. The lyrics paint a portrait of a protagonist living ‘up’ and ‘down low,’ bounds of society that offer a playground for the young to chase luck — their gambits against time.

As Tedder highlights the frugal existence of his youth, he instills a poignant sense of what it means to truly ‘live.’ Pay, run, chase—the cycle spins interminably. But within this relentless rotation, OneRepublic uncovers a simple truth about life’s ephemeral nature.

When Walls Talk: Hitting Barriers and Learning Lessons

Tedder’s chorus does not shy away from existential dread—the literal and metaphorical sky that threatens to crash down. As adulthood looms, ‘Run’ speaks to the stark realization that to sprint through life is to occasionally collide with walls.

These collisions mark a turning point. Through these moments of impact, the song reflects on resilience, the counting of blessings, and an acknowledgment that the sun will rise anew. It’s a reframing of failure, suggesting that each obstacle redefines our trajectory, laden with concealed wisdom.

Sprinting Toward Sunrise: The Pursuit of What Truly Matters

Even when ‘Run’ touches on not getting ‘everything that I wanted,’ it circles back with the hopeful resilience of recognizing and cherishing what one needs. This perspective sheds the burdens of fruitless desires, propelling one forward towards the light of a new morning.

OneRepublic weaves the notion of highs and lows, fortunes and misfortunes, into the fabric of existence. Here, the sun symbolizes clarity and gratitude—an invitation to thrive amidst uncertainty, to chase after the sun as it escapes the horizon, knowing that its warmth will touch us regardless of the outcome.

The Echoing Anthems: OneRepublic’s Lore of Survival

Through ‘Run’s recurring anthemic cries, Tedder isn’t just singing; he is laying down a mantra for survival—the incantation of a generation always moving. The thrum of ‘run, run, run’ becomes a chant of relentless pursuit, the score to a life lived at full sprint.

Hidden within the layers of synthetic beats and the rhapsodic chorus, OneRepublic imparts life’s greatest teaching: to live is to move, to dance through doubt, to embrace each dawn eager for the day’s race. In this melodic saga, they summon the listener to an unfettered existence, daring all to run with them into the beckoning sunrise.

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