Van Laere began his career as quite a reasonable tennis player. The story goes that he was standing in front of the mirror one day and turned his racket around into a guitar. Van Laere withdrew into the oeuvre of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Hank Williams and taught himself to play the guitar and the piano. As a musician, he took the name of Admiral Freebee, from On the Road, the novel by Jack Kerouac.
Belgium got its first extensive taste of Admiral Freebee during Humoโs Rock Rally 2000, the most important rock competition in the Low Countries. Backed by a bass player and a drummer, The Admiral won the silver medal and the price awarded by the public. When performing live, Admiral Freebee is versatility itself. Whether he performs solo and acoustically or with a well-oiled rock machine, the audience can only do one thing - according to fans: listen, see and be silent, only to shout out in admiration in the end.
In 2003 his debut album Admiral Freebee appeared, a record that met the high expectations. In the 12 songs Van Laere shows that he can just as easily come up with a moving country/pop ballad (see for instance the phenomenal single Rags 'n' Run) as a stadium rocker (Ever Present), and that he can just as effortlessly melt the two together into one song (There's a Road (Noorderlaan)) without turning it into a gimmick.
March 2005 Admiral Freebeeโs second album was released. It was called Songs and it included 13 of them. Two of them were released as a single: Oh Darkness and Carry On โ more to follow. The album was recorded live over the course of five days at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. John Hanlon (famous for his work with Neil Young & Crazy Horse) sat at the mixing board. The sparing overdubs โ backings and solos โ took place in the Shangri-La Studio a bit further down the road. The Admiral was called 'The Talent'; whenever he was ready to record, the band recorded.
Studio lineup :
* Guitar/vocals/โSongsโ: Tom Van Laere
* Guitar: Jesse Tobias (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Morrissey, Alanis Morissette, The Twilight Singers)
* Bass: Ric Markmann (Chris Cornell)
* Drums and backing vocals: Dean Butterworth (Morrissey, Ben Harper)
* Backing vocals: Tommy Funderburk (Toto)
* Production and technique: John Hanlon (Neil Young & Crazy Horse)
His latest album, Wild Dreams of New Beginnings, has been released to positive critical acclaim in November 2006.
Always on the Run
Admiral Freebee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Always on the run
Bye bye, baby
Baby, goodbye
Iโฒm going away
Bye bye, baby
Baby, so long
I gotta go to Rome
Iโฒve been in this thing to long
I've got my mind made up
I've got my mind made up
Said Iโฒm long gone, baby
Iโฒm leaving now, I'm leaving now
Iโฒm long gone, baby
I'm leaving now, Iโฒm leaving now
I'm always on the run
For the man Iโฒve become
Always on the run
Always on the run
(For the man I've become)
Always on the run
Always on the run
Bye bye, baby
Baby, goodbye
I'm going away
And thereโฒs nothing you can do or say
To make me change my mind and stay
Iโฒve got my mind made up
I've got my mind made up
I only want to be there
Between the first looks and the last farewell
Married to the mystery
And married to my rebel yell
Said Iโฒm long gone, baby
I'm leaving now, Iโฒm leaving now
I'm long gone, baby
Iโฒm leaving now, I'm leaving now
I'm always on the run
I need my freedom
Always on the run
(Always on the run)
Always on the run
(Time to move on)
Always on the run
(Yeah, Iโฒm always on the run)
Always on the run
I said, the more I need love
The more I want revolution
And the more I make revolution
The more I want love
But not with you, baby
(Iโฒm leaving now)
Always on the run
(Always on the run)
Always on the run
(Always on the run)
Always on the run
(Yeah, I'm always on the run)
Always on the run
(I need my freedom)
The song "Always on the Run" by Admiral Freebee talks about leaving someone behind and going towards an uncertain future. The lyrics indicate that the singer of the song is a rebel, someone who cannot be contained or constrained by anyone, even their loved ones. The individual is always on the move, always looking for something new, and feels like they have been in the current situation for too long. They have made up their mind to leave and pursue their dreams. The person is searching for everything they want in life, both love, and revolution, but they indicate that they simply do not want these with their current partner, and they need their freedom.
The chorus of the song, "Always on the run," conveys the idea of constant movement, and the singer is continually searching for something they feel will give them more satisfaction. The song ends with the lyrics, "I need my freedom," which reiterates the idea that the singer cannot be contained, imprisoned, or held back by anyone or anything. The song is an anthem for those who want to be free, chase their dreams, and do not want to be limited by anyone or anything that comes their way.
Line by Line Meaning
Always on the run
Being in a constant state of movement and change, never staying in one place or situation for too long.
Always on the run
Reiterating the singer's restless nature.
Bye bye, baby
The singer saying goodbye to his significant other, who he is leaving behind.
Baby, goodbye
A farewell to his significant other, with a touch of sadness.
Iโฒm going away
Confirming that the singer is indeed leaving his current location and probably not coming back.
Bye bye, baby
A repeated farewell to his significant other to emphasize that he is actually leaving.
Baby, so long
An alternative phrase for goodbye, announcing that he is moving on and not looking back.
I gotta go to Rome
The singer disclosing his destination and implying that he has something important to do there.
Don't ever try to change me
A warning to significant others in the future not to try and change him because it will not happen.
Iโฒve been in this thing too long
The singer acknowledging that he has been in a certain situation for too long, and it's time for him to move on to something new.
I've got my mind made up
The singer has already made his decision and will follow through with it, no matter what anyone else says.
Said Iโฒm long gone, baby
The singer restating that he is leaving and he won't be coming back anytime soon.
Iโฒm leaving now, I'm leaving now
Making it clear that he is actually leaving, and not just talking about it.
I'm always on the run
The singer has repeatedly been in a state of flux throughout his life, never staying in one place for too long.
For the man I've become
The singer is on the move because he wants to continue growing as a person and not become stagnant.
And thereโฒs nothing you can do or say
Regardless of what his significant other tries to do to prevent him from leaving, it won't make a difference.
To make me change my mind and stay
The singer has already made up his mind, and he won't be persuaded to stay put.
I only want to be there
The singer wants to be present during pivotal moments, such as the first look and the last farewell.
Between the first looks and the last farewell
Expanding on the idea of wanting to be present for the most important parts of life.
Married to the mystery
The singer is committed to pursuing the unknown and constantly discovering new things.
And married to my rebel yell
The singer is also committed to his own personal beliefs and values that are nonconformist and may not align with societal norms.
I need my freedom
The singer needs to break free and continue growing as an individual, even if it means leaving behind people and places that are familiar.
The more I need love
Despite needing to move on, the singer still needs love and connection in his life.
The more I want revolution
The more he grows and experiences life, the more he yearns to make a positive change in the world.
But not with you, baby
While he may still need love, he won't pursue it with his significant other who he has left behind.
Time to move on
The singer is ready to move on to the next chapter in his life and see what the future holds.
Writer(s): Tom Van Laere
Contributed by Kaitlyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@orcasem
Blij nog eens echte Belgische rock te horen!
@uppedubke3
The Rolling Stones 2! Love it...
@Omertahun
Classy song.
@thorbe86
zaaaaaaaaaaaaalig liedje, ge ziet Belgische muziek hoeft zeker en vast niet slecht te zijn, in tegendeel.
@ElsjeD
Ik dacht aanvankelijk ook dat dit The Rolling Stones waren. Heel goed nummer!
@ronaldblonk1972
This song reminฤs me of Somestuff...
And the Magical Character of this beautyfull woman.
Love you babe where ever you are bin you Stil rockin my mind and makes me drift away ๐๐๐๐
@lisak5561
agree, sounds way like Jagger in this song (Steel Wheels era)
@anitahlwolfs
best off !!!!!!
@ambulancier
Inderdaad, de stem is precies die van Mick Jagger en de stijl van dit nummer doet helemaal denken aan Rolling Stones
@Chlobsession
Superzalig.;'O