by Jessica Shelton·Published · Updated
On the song “Run”, the singer is clearly addressing someone whom he is very fond of.And the moment in which “Run” is set is also when they are parting ways, apparently for an indefinite amount of time.This becomes most obvious in the third verse when the vocalist is fighting back tears as the two of them ‘say their long goodbye’ to each other. Then later he is telling this person to have courage in the coming days, implying that the future will be fearful without them having each other to lean on.
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You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Snow Patrol's Run at Lyrics.org.
What Gary Lightbody has said about the meaning of “Run”
But that then brings us to what Snow Patrol’s lead singer – Gary Lightbody, who is recognized as the primary writer of “Run” – has said about its origin and meaning.The composition came about after he had what can safely be presumed to be one of the worst nights of his life.
During one of the earlier days of Snow Patrol, apparently back when the band was still known as Shrug, Lightbody gotthoroughly boozed at the Glasgow School of Art.This was at a stage in his life when he was, according to his own words,“a liability”.
On that fateful day, the singerfell down whathedescribed as “a full flight of stairs”. The fall resulted inhim suffering from a “split… head”, ‘closed eye’ and losing “a few teeth”.In factGary’sbandmate, Jonny Quinn, who discovered him post-accident, thought that Lightbody had indeed left the mortal plane.
Tomake the situation worse, Gary had to endure the embarrassment offlyinghome to his parents inthatdeplorable,injuredstate and dealing with the associated shame.However, he was still a hothead, i.e. privy to destroying musical instruments and all. For instance, there was one particular ‘little guitar he tried to smash up’ while still in Glasgow fresh after the injury.Andthatselfsameguitarended up being the onethathecomposed“Run” on.
Lightbody contradicts himself
It should be noted that Gary has made a few different statements concerning its meaning.Originally he said that the opening phrase of the chorus, “light up, light up”, is meant to serve as “a beacon”.The second is that the lyrics are set in “an imagined world”, a fantasy if you will, which the singer perceives as being “better times”.And finally his ultimate goal is for listeners to derive their own meaning from the song, as he did not want to “spoil” the track by giving away its secrets.
However, later he revealed that “Run” was actually dedicated to his family, in the sense of being representative of his desire to take care of them. And the setting of the song is in fact “an imagined apocalyptic situation”. Indeed as presented in the lyrics, he is stating that he and the addressee are ‘running for their lives’.
So this would mean that the “imagined world” he referred to earlier wasn’t perhaps as optimistic as he first implied.Or perhaps another way of looking at it is that yes, the setting is apocalyptic.But the reason Lightbody envisioned this scenario to be better than his current life is because in it, in some kind of roundabout way, he is actually able to care for his family.
AdditionallyLightbody also stated at another later date that the line “light up, light up” wasactually the result of the electricity going out in the house while he waswriting the song.
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So based on that understanding then, the addressee would not be a romantic interest, as the lyrics areoft interpreted,at all.Rather it was about someone like his close family or ‘any future family that he has on his own’.And what he is telling this individual, as the title suggests, is to “run”.
Narrator and Addressee have no choice but to part ways
Thus based on the above explanation, they are not parting ways by choice. Under the circ*mstances, he is painfully telling him or her goodbye. However, he is expressing optimism that even though they may not be together, wherever they find themselves they will survive and thrive.
Furthermore, he is expressing something like eternal love, i.e. his affection for this person being palpable even if they are not with each other physically. Thus when he is telling this individual to “light up, light up”, this sentiment is more along the lines of entreating him or her to remain positive.
Music Video
The music video to “Run” had Paul Gore as its director, and the track itself was produced by Irish musician Jacknife Lee.
Facts about “Run”
This is the secondsingle Fiction Records and Polydor Records released from Snow Patrol’s 2003album “Final Straw”. They did so on 26 February 2004.
This song was written by members of Snow Patrol – G. Lightbody, M. McClelland, N. Connolly and J. Quinn – along with their frequent collaborator, I. Archer.
Gary Lighthouse hasstated that “Run” did indeed achieve its purpose, not only in regards to how ithas been received by fans but also in providing him with the “financial stability” to actually care for his family.
In Snow Patrol’shomeland of Ireland, this track peaked at number 25 on the Irish SinglesChart. It did better in the UK itself, reaching number five on the UKSingles Chart.“Run” also impressed by managing to get as high as number15 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks in the United States and also charting ina handful of other countries.
The above is a composite of the chart history of Snow Patrol’s “Run” from 2004 to 2010.And it was not certified Platinum in the UK until 2018.That’s because a cover of the song Leona Lewis released in 2008 proved to be more-successful than the original.In fact it helped Snow Patrol’s version re-chart even better than it performed the first time in the United Kingdom.This seems to be at least partially due to the fact the Lewis’s rendition was not immediately available for download.
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17 Responses
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Anjelvixen says:
November 15, 2020 at 8:46 pm
To me, this beautiful song is about someone dying…and encouraging someone he loves…partner? child? to not be sad…not to cry, but to live and know that although they can’t see or hear him, he’ll always be right beside them. Telling them that he doesn’t want to leave them either, but he must…but only on this plane….in this realm…and they’ll be together again…on the other side? I guess we can all make of it what speaks to us, but this is what, for me, I deeply feel and hear in it.
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14G_Lucky says:
December 4, 2020 at 3:28 pm
I feel the same vibes from this song.
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Anonymous says:
December 22, 2020 at 2:42 am
I love this comment. I lost my parents within the last couple of years. Losing my mom in particular was extremely painful. Hearing this song yesterday for the first time in many years, brought her right back to me. I used to listed to this song a lot when it was first released in the house I grew up in. I can’t help but think of my mother and really appreciate your song interpretation.
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Linnh says:
May 16, 2022 at 2:40 am
Me too 💔 It’s my mum passing and telling me we will meet again 💞 It always makes me weep 😢 but remember that unconditional LOVE 💕
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Anonymous says:
February 4, 2021 at 9:50 pm
Yes, my wife died of cancer and I think this song reflects a bittersweet goodbye.
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Anonymous says:
August 9, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Omg, your comment just made me cry…I never thought of it this way…With so much loss I’ve had to endure of the past 5 years…It makes perfect sense..Thanks! E. Novoczynski. SCRANTON, P.A
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14G_Lucky says:
December 7, 2020 at 6:44 am
I love the lyrics to this song, im a truck driver and u have to leave for long periods of time between visits home to be with the love of my life, she is everything to me and saying goodbye every time I leave is very hard, I can relate to this song and its meaning.
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Anonymous says:
March 22, 2021 at 10:43 pm
i agree, this song makes me cry no matter how many times i listen to it
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Mary Alice Schaefer says:
March 27, 2021 at 3:24 pm
This song to me was the loss of a beloved dog. I had had for 18 yrs. I loved you SO LONG and still….SNOW PATROL.
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D0ll79 says:
March 29, 2021 at 8:45 am
🖤
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Amanda says:
June 28, 2021 at 4:01 pm
This beautiful song was playing while my dog Jake and I were on the last walk we would take together. Now any time I hear it I picture that last walk together and will cherish it forever.
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A very devastated family says:
March 3, 2022 at 7:20 am
This song was played at our only son’s funeral who was brutally taken from us all. He loved this song and would sing it often in the car. As he had the most beautiful blue eyes this was always thought of as his song. It’s so difficult to listen to without seeing his beautiful face and hearing his infectious laugh.
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Philip..... says:
January 25, 2023 at 2:50 pm
My beloved brother and best friend was taken from us when he had so much more to give this life, a life he gave so much to,, this song is so emotive and I always think of him listening to this,,,,,,,
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Philip says:
January 25, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Just a thought provoking beautiful song,,,,,
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Adrian says:
June 2, 2023 at 5:37 pm
I always imagined this was a song written by a mother giving up a baby for adoption. Reading Lightbody’s confused and contradictory accounts of the story behind it are disappointing as the song seems far more powerful and emotional for that.
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Anonymous says:
June 20, 2024 at 9:34 pm
Oh I like that!
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Bobncase58 says:
July 5, 2023 at 5:58 pm
I totally agree with Anjelvixen. Loss and encouragement to go on by the person who is permanently leaving. I cry every time I hear it. Great song with universal interpretation.
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