I've known it for a long time
Daddy wakes up to a drink at nine
Disappearing all night
I don't wanna know where he's been lying
I know what I wanna do
Wanna run away, run away with you
Gonna grab clothes, six in the morning, go

How long you leaving?
Well, dad just don't expect me back this evening
Oh, it could take a bit of time to heal this
It's been a long day, thumb on side of the roadway, but

I love him from my skin to my bones
But I don't wanna live in his home
There's nothing to say 'cause he knows
I'll just run away and be on my own (own)

I've never seen my dad cry
Cold as stone in the kitchen light
I'll tell you it's about time
But I was raised to keep quiet
This is what I'm gonna do
Gonna run away, gonna make that move
Gonna grab clothes and when it's morning, go

How long you leaving?
Well, dad just don't expect me back this evening
Oh, it could take a bit of time to heal this
It's been a long day, thumb on side of the roadway, but

I love him from my skin to my bones
But I don't wanna live in his home
There's nothing to say 'cause he knows
I'll just run away and be on my own (own)

Backpack and a flat cap turned to the back
As I packed my clothes up
My dad wasn't down with that plan to attack, intends to show love
I don't wanna live this way
Gonna take my things and go, but
If things change in a matter of days
I could be persuaded to hold on
Mama was the same
None of us are saints, I guess that God knows that
I don't wanna run away
And one of these days I might just show that
Put my home in a suitcase, tie both shoe laces, and hope that
Things change, but for now I'll leave town with a backpack on my shoulder

I love him from my skin to my bones
But I don't wanna live in his home
There's nothing to say 'cause he knows
I'll just run away and be on my own (own)

Overall Meaning

The song "Runaway" by Ed Sheeran is a poignant ballad about a daughter who wants to escape a toxic home environment and start a new life somewhere else. The lyrics are full of emotional depth, as the singer reflects on her relationship with her father and her desire for a better life. The song is a masterpiece of storytelling, as it captures the complex emotions and experiences of a person struggling to break free from a difficult situation.

The opening verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The daughter has long known about her father's drinking problem and his tendency to disappear at night. She is tired of the lies and secrets and wants to escape with someone who understands her. The chorus is a declaration of her intentions to run away with her companion and start a new life. Despite her love for her father, she cannot bear to live in his home any longer.

The second verse further explores the singer's relationship with her father. She has never seen him cry or show any kind of emotion. She has been taught to keep quiet and not reveal her true feelings. The bridge of the song features a heart-wrenching reflection on the singer's decision to leave her home. She packs her bags and hopes that things will change someday, but for now, she needs to get away. The song ends with a hopeful note, as the singer looks forward to a new life with a backpack on her shoulder.

Line by Line Meaning

I've known it for a long time
I've been aware of my father's drinking problem for quite some time

Daddy wakes up to a drink at nine
My father starts drinking as early as 9 in the morning

Disappearing all night
He leaves the house and doesn't come back for the whole night

I don't wanna know where he's been lying
I don't want to know where my father has been when he disappears

I know what I wanna do
I have made up my mind on what I want to do

Wanna run away, run away with you
I want to leave this place and escape with you

Gonna grab clothes, six in the morning, go
I plan on leaving early in the morning and packing my clothes

How long you leaving?
For how long are you planning on leaving?

Well, dad just don't expect me back this evening
I won't be returning home anytime soon

Oh, it could take a bit of time to heal this
Leaving home might take some time to get over

It's been a long day, thumb on side of the roadway, but
I've had a long day and I'm hitchhiking on the side of the road

I love him from my skin to my bones
I love my father more than anything in this world

But I don't wanna live in his home
I just don't want to live with him anymore

There's nothing to say 'cause he knows
My father already knows where I stand on this matter

I'll just run away and be on my own (own)
I'll just leave and start a new life on my own

I've never seen my dad cry
I've never seen my dad express his emotions

Cold as stone in the kitchen light
My father is always emotionless, even in the presence of light

I'll tell you it's about time
I believe it's about time for me to leave

But I was raised to keep quiet
I was raised to just keep my thoughts and opinions to myself

Backpack and a flat cap turned to the back
I have a backpack and a cap turned backwards

As I packed my clothes up
I'm packing my things to leave

My dad wasn't down with that plan to attack, intends to show love
My father doesn't approve of my plan to leave, but he wants to show that he still loves me

I don't wanna live this way
I don't want to continue living in this situation

Gonna take my things and go, but
I'm just going to take my things and leave

If things change in a matter of days
If things change quickly

I could be persuaded to hold on
I might be convinced to stay

Mama was the same
My mom was just like my dad

None of us are saints, I guess that God knows that
None of us are perfect, and I'm sure even God knows that

I don't wanna run away
I don't want to escape my problems forever

And one of these days I might just show that
Someday I'll prove that I'm not just running away

Put my home in a suitcase, tie both shoe laces, and hope that
I'm packing my home into a suitcase and getting ready to leave, hoping things will get better

Things change, but for now I'll leave town with a backpack on my shoulder
Things might change in the future, but for now I'm leaving town with just a backpack on my shoulder

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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