Second inductee to my song hall of fame:
Run - Snow Patrol
Why?
Since I've been working chronologically so far, let's take a step back. We started off my song list with "Don't Panic" by Coldplay, which was the first band that really impressed me emotionally and made me think more about exploring music. This craving led me to surface-scratching in many different genres: reggae, electronica, R&B, Enigma (which, as we've seen here, has its own category), and others. All of that aside, my musical taste came to revolve around what I call my four core bands, upon which my young musical taste was based. Those four bands are Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Death Cab for Cutie, and Keane. I know now that I had the promise of longevity there. Keane and Snow Patrol released music in 2012, Coldplay last year, and Death Cab for Cutie last month.
Out of those four, the next one to blow away ten-year-old me was Snow Patrol with their masterpiece "Run" in 2003 from the album Final Straw. "Run" is the first love song that I fell in love with. It wasn't superficial. It wasn't arrogant. It wasn't constructed to appeal to the masses, but it still did because it was sincere both in prose and in composition. If you know the album, then you might remember that this song came right after "Chocolate", another massive hit. Those two songs together were an audible powerhouse for the giddy listener I was.
"Run" varies quite a bit from my first choice. Most noticeably, it's slower, moving from a 2-minute to a 6-minute duration, leaving plenty of time for us to revel in the harmonies. It also added strings to the mix, which I always love to death, and it used them very well. I'd say the biggest difference, however, is its shift to a romantic theme, while quite brilliantly maintaining the element of inspiration in the meantime. As somewhat of a hopeless romantic, I appreciate the words and what meaning they might take on later in my life. I'll highlight my favorite lines, but I truly like each one.
I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go.
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done.
And I can barely look at you,
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here.
(Chorus)
Light up, light up
As if you have a choice.
Even if you cannot hear my voice,
I'll be right beside you dear.
Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives.
I can hardly speak. I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say.
To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do.
(Chorus)
Slower, slower,
We don't have time for that.
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads.
Have heart, my dear.
We're bound to be afraid,
Even if it's just for a few days,
Making up for all this mess.
(Chorus)
I think Snow Patrol's always been good with lyrics, particularly in their love songs. Here, the singer reaches a helping hand to his/her lover, addressing both the uplifting strength of their love and the fearful pressures of the dire situation they're caught in. The title shows up in a line we may take for granted because we hear it so much: "We'll run for our lives." They're running together and that makes all the difference. A beautiful concept.
There are two music videos for the song, both of which use the shorter, single-edition. The first is my favorite because that's the one I remember seeing when I was young.
Here's the original-length version, which has some extra space between the verses and a longer finale.
Leona Lewis liked the song enough that she covered it five years later. This is one of the best covers I've ever heard of any song and you may decide you like it better. Not me, but it's excellent.
"Have heart, my dear. We're bound to be afraid."
Run - Snow Patrol
Song #2
