Stewart grew up in the coastal resort town of Bournemouth, Dorset. According to Songfacts, in days of youthful folly Stewart played in a beat group with later BBC DJ Tony Blackburn before moving to the capital to seek fortune and fame.
Having bought his first guitar from future Police guitarist Andy Summers, Stewart traded in his electric guitar for an acoustic guitar when he was offered a weekly slot at Bunjies Coffee House in London's Soho in 1965. From there, he went on to compete at the Les Cousins folk club on Greek Street, where he played alongside Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper and Ralph McTell
Although he had his share of the breaks, including a tenure at Bunjees coffee house and a record deal with CBS, life wasn't always easy for the young troubadour; his first serious love affair ended in disaster, and he experienced all the usual insecurities of the stranger in the big city trying to find his way.
In January 1970, Melody Maker named his second release Love Chronicles its Folk Album Of The Year, but in spite of his obviously carving out quite a name for himself, it was not until Year Of The Cat - the single and even more so the monster album - that he really shot to fame.
He emigrated to the United States as his career took off in the mid 1970s, and still lives in California. While studio albums are now few and far between, he still tours extensively in the United States, and, most years, in Europe. Recordings of concerts are often made available through his fan clubs.
Running Man
Al Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're halfway to the door
The voice said 'get out while you can,
There's just 1O minutes, nothing more'
Time only for the essentials
Better gather them and run
The false name inside the passport,
And once again they've come out of the past
And though your mind is cool your heart is beating fast
You've been through it all before
Each time you wish a little more that you could ask
"What do you want from me?
What do you need from me?
There's no rest for the running man
Why can't you let him be?'
It's a long and twisting journey
From the sweeping northern plains
To the outcrops of the jungle
Bowed beneath the tropic rains
In the customs hall the officer
Takes you to one side
And his eyes reveal no feeling
As you hand over the bribe
And once again you've bought a little time
And once again you're fading out of sight
Still the fox is growing older
As he calls over his shoulder to the night:
"What do you want from me?
What do you need from me?
There's no rest for the running man
Why can't you let him be?"
Here, come over here
Beneath a sympathetic moon
We'll sit and talk over old times without a fear
Another beer, from the cafes of the night
The tumbling rhythms of guitars ring loud and clear
One by one they've nailed the others
But you always got away
What it is that keeps you just that step ahead
No one can say
In one last raid the agents
Of the dawn break down the door
Of a house where you were standing
Maybe just an hour before
And still the thread continues to unwind
You take the hidden roads that only you can find
And should they come upon your tracks
There's just a question hanging back you left behind
"What do you want from me?
What do you need from me?
No rest for the running man
Why can't you let him be?"
"What do you want from me?
What do you need from me?
"Running Man" by Al Stewart is a descriptive ballad of a man who lives his life on the run, always one step ahead of his pursuers. The song starts off with a sense of urgency, as the singer receives a call that warns him to leave immediately, leaving him only enough time to gather the essentials - a false passport, gold bars, and a gun. Though he has lived this way before, it's clear that it still unnerves him. Despite wishing he could ask his pursuers what they actually want from him, he knows there's no chance of stopping or losing them, stating that there's no rest for the running man.
The singer travels through various locations, both rural and urban, throughout the song, always maintaining a sense of vigilance and paranoia. The tension breaks as he encounters someone whom he can finally let his guard down with - someone who he has a history with, away from his current life. However, the respite is short-lived, as the song ends with the singer being hunted down once again, but still managing to stay at least one step ahead.
Throughout the song, Al Stewart's storytelling skills are on full display as he vividly describes the settings and emotions of his protagonist. The song also highlights the desperation of a man who is constantly on the run, struggling to find a moment of peace and stability.
Line by Line Meaning
Before the phone hits the receiver
You're in a rush to leave because you got a call warning you that you have only 10 minutes to escape.
The voice said 'get out while you can,
The caller on the phone instructs you to flee while you can.
There's just 1O minutes, nothing more'
You have only 10 minutes and no more to leave.
Time only for the essentials
You must gather only the most important things because time is running out.
Better gather them and run
You must collect your belongings quickly, otherwise, you won't make it in time.
The false name inside the passport,
You carry an incorrectly named passport to avoid any identity tracking or tracing.
The gold bars and the gun
You take a hefty amount of money and a firearm to secure your safety on the run.
And once again they've come out of the past
You've been in this situation before and it seems that it's repeating.
And though your mind is cool your heart is beating fast
You try to stay calm, but the pressure of the situation is getting to you.
You've been through it all before
This isn't your first time running and hiding.
Each time you wish a little more that you could ask
You would like to know what your pursuers want from you.
"What do you want from me?
You question your chaser's motives and why you are a target.
What do you need from me?
You ask them directly what it is that they need from you.
There's no rest for the running man
You can't slow down and rest because there's always something to run from.
Why can't you let him be?'
You question why they can't leave you alone and let you live peacefully.
It's a long and twisting journey
The escape route, from one place to another, is quite unnerving.
From the sweeping northern plains
The escape route covers a vast area from one region to another.
To the outcrops of the jungle
The route involves natural terrains like jungle and forests where it's effortless to hide.
Bowed beneath the tropic rains
You are wary of the heavy rainfall while navigating through the jungle.
In the customs hall the officer
You encounter an immigration officer at the airport.
Takes you to one side
The immigration officer takes you aside for questioning.
And his eyes reveal no feeling
The officer has an inscrutable and blank expression on his face.
As you hand over the bribe
You pay some bribe to the officer to bypass getting caught.
You've bought a little time
Paying the bribe at customs gives you some time to make your escape.
You're fading out of sight
You are gradually distancing yourself from the eyes of the authorities.
Still the fox is growing older
As old age builds up, it's getting tougher for you to evade the authorities.
As he calls over his shoulder to the night:
You are whispering in the night expressively that pursuing you is futile.
"What do you want from me?
You're still curious as to why you are chased and hounded constantly
What do you need from me?
What they want exactly from you is still a mystery
Here, come over here
You invite someone over to join you.
Beneath a sympathetic moon
You sit in the light of the moon, which seems to comfort your heart.
We'll sit and talk over old times without a fear
You try to reminisce about old memories when things were calmer and more peaceful.
Another beer, from the cafes of the night
You take another drink from a bar under the night sky.
The tumbling rhythms of guitars ring loud and clear
You listen to loud and vibrant music that fills you with a zest for life.
One by one they've nailed the others
Most of your accomplices have been caught and put behind bars.
But you always got away
You've escaped every police dragnet that's been cast on you.
What it is that keeps you just that step ahead
You wonder what you have that sets you apart and a step ahead from everyone else.
No one can say
No one knows what keeps you ahead or what exactly you possess.
In one last raid, the agents
In your final hideout, you got caught, and the agents raided you.
Of the dawn break down the door
The arresting officers bust down the entrance of your hideout in the early hours.
Of a house where you were standing
They finally caught you in the very last hideout you were in.
Maybe just an hour before
You were there an hour ago and barely escaped being caught.
The thread continues to unwind
The investigation and chase have been long and exhaustive.
You take the hidden roads that only you can find
You escape taking the maze-like hidden pathways that would be tough for others to track.
And should they come upon your tracks
If they indeed trace you on the hidden pathways, you wonder what question will be left for them.
There's just a question hanging back you left behind
The only thing they'll be questioning is what they wanted from you the whole time.
"What do you want from me?
You still wonder to this day what they needed with you.
What do you need from me?
It's still a mystery as to what your pursuers required from you.
No rest for the running man
Even in the end, there's no resting for someone who's constantly running and hiding.
Why can't you let him be?
You lament on all the things that led you to this fate and wish that you could have a peaceful life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: AL STEWART, PETER WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind