The BoDeans worked with T-Bone Burnett on their debut album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, which appeared in 1986 to warm reviews. They recruited another big-name producer, Talking Head Jerry Harrison, to helm 1987's Outside Looking In, which found the band reduced to a trio after the departure of Hoffman. Outside Looking In broke into the Billboard Top 100, and the BoDeans grew their audience by touring alongside U2, appearing on Robbie Robertson's self-titled solo album, and receiving the honor of Best New Band by Rolling Stone magazine. By the time they released their third album, Home, in 1989, keyboardist Michael Ramos and drummer Danny Gayol had joined. This lineup stayed intact for the release of 1991's Black and White, but the BoDeans went without a drummer once again on their next recording, Go Slow Down.
Following the release of a double-disc live album, Joe Dirt Car, the band returned in 1996 with Blend. Around the time of Blend's release, "Closer to Free" -- a song that had originally appeared on 1993's Go Slow Down -- became a hit, due in large part to its exposure as the theme song for the TV show Party of Five. "Closer to Free" eventually cracked the Top 20, becoming the most successful single of the band's career. The BoDeans were arguably more popular than ever, but the band took a break during the late '90s, with both frontmen devoting time to their solo careers.
By 2004, the band had reconvened and signed with a new label, Zoe. Resolution was released that year, followed in 2005 by Homebrewed: Live from the Pabst. Griffin left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Eric Holden, who appeared on 2008's Still. By this point, the bandmates had found a new home on 429 Records, and they remained with that label for the release of Mr. Sad Clown in 2010 and Indigo Dreams in 2011. That same year saw the departure of Llanas, citing "differences of opinion." The band's 11th studio album, American Made, arrived the following year on the band's own Free & Alive label, and was the first with Neumann as sole leader. The BoDeans toured extensively in support of the release, and in 2014 began work on their next studio project. Released in 2015, I Cant Stop featured a new BoDeans lineup anchored by Neumann, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Hawksley, bassist Eric Holden, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, the latter a well-respected journeyman musician who had played on several BoDeans recording sessions in the '90s. In June 2016, the BoDeans brought out a single, "My Hometown," with the release benefiting the Milwaukee County Historical Society. The single was a preview of the group's next album; titled Thirteen, the 11-song set was released in April 2017.
Runaway Love
BoDeans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the same old fears of being alone keep on coming around
So I'll take my time keep it to myself
Everything gonna be all right
Ain't giving up I've found your love in the lonely night
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
Runaway love runaway love so good
Living day by day without a sign without a saving soul
But you came my way right on time baby I know
Gonna take my time keep it to myself
Everything gonna be all right
Ain't giving up I found your love in the lonely night
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
Runaway love runaway love so good
Everything gonna be all right
Gonna take my time to myself everything gonna be all right
Ain't giving up on your love 'cause in the lonely night
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
Runaway love runaway love so good
The BoDeans' song "Runaway Love" is a lyrical evocation of the challenges of loneliness and the elation of finding hope and love even in the most dire circumstances. The opening lines paint a picture of a long struggle through difficult times. The singer has been on a long journey for over a million years, and has been sliding down a slippery slope towards an overwhelming sense of isolation and abandonment. The singer is haunted by a persistent fear of being alone, which is a common experience for many during challenging times. However, as the chorus arrives, the singer expresses his newfound confidence in love and says that he's found someone special who has helped him change things in his life.
The second verse elaborates on the idea that the struggle against loneliness cannot be faced alone. In uncertain times, one can easily succumb to despair and fear that can consume one's soul. But the singer has found hope through the intervention of another person, who has come into his life at the right time. The singer vows to take his time and hold onto his newfound love, and promises that everything will be alright. The chorus confirms his love, and expresses the joy of being in a happy relationship.
Overall, the song is a testament to the transformative power of love, and how it can lift us out of the vices of despair and loneliness. It acknowledges the challenges associated with finding and keeping love, while also emphasizing the power and resilience of the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Been a million years going by and I been going down
It feels like a very long time has passed and my life has been going downhill.
And the same old fears of being alone keep on coming around
I keep experiencing the same fears of being alone and they won't go away.
So I'll take my time keep it to myself
I am going to take my time and keep my thoughts and feelings to myself.
Everything gonna be all right
I believe things will turn out okay in the end.
Ain't giving up I've found your love in the lonely night
I refuse to give up because I found your love during a dark and lonely time.
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
I can see that our love is like a runaway train, unpredictable and exciting but ultimately going in the right direction.
Living day by day without a sign without a saving soul
I have been living day by day without any direction or hope of salvation.
But you came my way right on time baby I know
You came into my life just when I needed you the most and I am grateful.
Gonna take my time keep it to myself
I am again affirming my intention to take my time and keep my thoughts and feelings to myself.
Everything gonna be all right
Once again, I believe that things will be okay in the end.
Ain't giving up I found your love in the lonely night
I won't give up because I found your love during a dark and lonely time.
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
I am still convinced that our love is thrilling and headed in the right direction.
Everything gonna be all right
Another affirmation of my belief that everything will ultimately turn out okay.
Gonna take my time to myself everything gonna be all right
I am restating my intention to take my time and keep my thoughts and feelings to myself, but reassuring myself that everything will be okay.
Ain't giving up on your love 'cause in the lonely night
Despite any difficulties, I still won't give up on our love because it was there for me during lonely moments.
I see baby runaway love runaway love so good
I am affirming once again that our love is exciting and headed in the right direction.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.