54•40 is an alternative rock band which formed in Tsawwassen, British Colum… Read Full Bio ↴54•40 is an alternative rock band which formed in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada in 1981. For most of their career, the band consisted of Neil Osborne (vocals), Phil Comparelli (guitar, trumpet, vocals), Brad Merritt (bass) and Matt Johnson (drums). Comparelli left the band in 2005 and was replaced by former Matthew Good Band guitarist Dave Genn. The band's best known songs include "Baby Ran", "Ocean Pearl" and "I Go Blind", the latter of which was covered by Hootie & the Blowfish. The band takes their name from the slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight," coined to express the expansionist agenda of James K. Polk's presidency, intent upon controling a contested U.S.-Canada border area.

The group formed in 1981 as a trio consisting of Brad Merritt (bass), Ian Franey(drums), and Neil Osborne (vocals). In 1983, Phil Comparelli was added on guitar and vocals, and Franey was replaced by Darryl Neudorf. Matt Johnson replaced Neudorf on drums by 1986. The band announced in March of 2005 that Comparelli had officially passed on guitar duties to Dave Genn, formerly of Matthew Good Band.

The band's self-titled second album, released in 1986, began to attract attention from radio and record buyers across Canada, with the single "Baby Ran" gaining significant radio airplay. The band's third album, Show Me, became their commercial breakthrough in Canada, with the hits "One Gun" and "One Day in Your Life".

Although the band was popular on college radio in the United States, they never had a commercial breakthrough -- 1992's Dear Dear was their first album not to have a U.S. release. Ironically, though, it was their best-selling album in Canada, leading to a new U.S. contract for the follow up, Smilin' Buddha Cabaret, which had a significant hit in "Ocean Pearl".

The band's song I Go Blind was covered in the mid-1990s by American band Hootie & the Blowfish.

The band's most recent album is 2008's Northern Soul released September 30th,2008 and they wrapped up their tour of Canada at the end of November 2008.

Runaway John
54-40 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Run away run away John
Run away run away John
Evil's coming for you
Run away run away John
And while it eats me I keep on breathing
And when it leaves me I still believe
I want to tell her she is kind
(kindness is only a shelter from under the rain)

I want to tell her of my life
(the time that you borrow is nothing without feeling pain)
I want to tell her she is good
(and when the animals love you they hold you up high)

I want to tell her I'm alright now
Run away run away John

Overall Meaning

The song "Runaway John" by Canadian band 54-40 tells the story of someone named John who is trying to escape from the clutches of evil. The repeated refrain, "Run away run away John" serves as a warning and an encouragement for John to keep fleeing. The lyrics suggest that John is haunted by something malevolent, represented by the line "Evil's coming for you." Despite the fear and pain John is feeling, the singer is able to find hope in the idea that even when things are at their darkest, there is still a chance for it to get better. This is represented by the lines "And while it eats me I keep on breathing / And when it leaves me I still believe."

The singer in the song yearns to tell someone special that she is kind, good, and that everything is going to be alright. However, the lyrics also suggest that life is not always easy and can be painful. The line "The time that you borrow is nothing without feeling pain" suggests that pain is an inevitable part of life and that it is important to experience it in order to appreciate the good things. Ultimately, the song is about the struggle to overcome fear and the importance of finding hope even in the darkest of times.

Line by Line Meaning

Run away run away John
The singer urges John to run away because danger is coming.

Run away run away John
Repeating his encouragement for John to flee.

Evil's coming for you
The singer warns John that something bad is on its way to get him.

Run away run away John
Reiterating his advice for John to escape.

And while it eats me I keep on breathing
Even though something terrible is happening, the singer is still alive and fighting.

And when it leaves me I still believe
Despite the hardships, the singer hasn't given up hope.

I want to tell her she is kind
The singer wants to express appreciation for someone's kindness.

I want to tell her of my life
The singer wants to share details about his experiences and struggles.

I want to tell her she is good
The singer wants to acknowledge someone's positive qualities.

I want to tell her I'm alright now
The singer wants to assure someone that he is doing well.

Run away run away John
Closing the song with another plea for John to escape to safety.