Colours Run are a Manchester band, and all hail from the area (except for Tim, who comes from Liverpool). They devote themselves to writing and playing music with genuine emotional depth and catchy hooks. "Could be, and should be, absolutely massive", say www.manchestermusic.co.uk with "the sort of tunes you could imagine filling stadiums".
They've recently recorded and self-produced an EP (The Sticks), which can be previewed at www.myspace.com/coloursrun, and have headlined many of Manchester's finest venues, including Night & Day and The Late Room. Colours Run are currently listening to a lot of Rufus Wainwright and Elbow. "Tim would very much like to meet Guy Garvey since he seems like a really sorted bloke who wears great scarves".
From www.coloursrun.com
On My Side
Colours Run Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shaking my novice heart
The pieces have have fallen, we've all forgotten
Where we're supposed to start
Well, you've got the guns and I've got the money
Maybe we should make a stand
We'll use the confusion, break all the rules
What I found was painfully enlightening
Like a shot, right between my eyes
Cos it hurts trying to do the right thing
When the monsters are all on your side
So I'm dancing on ashes, drinking and giddy
High as a silver swan
You got the guts and I got the glory
How could anything go wrong
Well one day you left me lost in the rubble
Tapping out an S.O.S.
The higher you drift, the swifter you crumble
Crushed by your own success
Now what I found was painfully enlightening
Like a shot right between my eyes
Cos it hurts just trying to do the right thing
When the monsters are all on your side
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Could you ease this hunger
Why do I even wonder
Still alive the quiet morning after
The night, the night I should have died
And I can't believe I've got my absolution
Only to find I slept through half my life
So I'd like to thank you for your kindness
When you bled and severed all our ties
Now my friends drag me from the ashes
Of the monsters on my side
On my side
The first stanza of "On My Side" by Colours Run describes the challenging environment the singer is in, likening it to an earthquake that shakes their "novice heart" and causes them to forget where they should begin. The second stanza introduces the idea of an uneven playing field, where "you've got the guns and I've got the money," but they suggest that they can use this confusion to break the rules and claim victory in a losing hand. The bridge delves deeper into the emotional turmoil of trying to do the right thing in a world where the monsters seem to be on their side. Finally, the chorus repeats the idea that the monsters are on their side, with a resolution to overcome them with the help of friends.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm playing the game with earthquakes around me
I'm living in a chaotic environment where everything is unstable.
Shaking my novice heart
This instability leaves me feeling anxious and inexperienced in dealing with it.
The pieces have fallen, we've all forgotten
The situation is so dire that everyone is lost.
Where we're supposed to start
Nobody knows how to begin fixing things.
Well, you've got the guns and I've got the money
One person has the power, while the other has resources.
Maybe we should make a stand
We should come together and fight for what we believe in.
We'll use the confusion, break all the rules
We can take advantage of the chaos and bend the rules to our advantage.
And win it with a losing hand
Even if the odds are against us, we can still come out on top.
What I found was painfully enlightening
I had a realization that hurt, but was eye-opening.
Like a shot, right between my eyes
It hit me hard and directly, leaving no room for denial or ignoring.
Cos it hurts trying to do the right thing
It's difficult and painful to make ethical choices in tough situations.
When the monsters are all on your side
When the obstacles to doing what's right come from within, it's especially tough.
So I'm dancing on ashes, drinking and giddy
I'm celebrating recklessly despite the destruction around me.
High as a silver swan
I'm feeling invincible and free like a bird in flight.
You got the guts and I got the glory
We each have something valuable to contribute to our joint effort.
How could anything go wrong
We're ignoring the possible negative consequences of our actions.
Well one day you left me lost in the rubble
My partner abandoned me and I was left alone in a chaotic mess.
Tapping out an S.O.S.
I was in desperate need of help and sent out a distress signal.
The higher you drift, the swifter you crumble
If you become too confident and lose sight of your responsibilities, your downfall will be rapid.
Crushed by your own success
Even achieving great things can lead to negative consequences if you're not careful.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
An exclamation to punctuate the previous lines.
Could you ease this hunger
I have an undefined desire that needs to be satisfied.
Why do I even wonder
I'm questioning the point of pursuing something that may not be achievable.
Still alive the quiet morning after
Despite everything that's happened, I'm still alive and facing the aftermath.
The night, the night I should have died
There was a point where I was close to losing my life and it's a miracle that I survived.
And I can't believe I've got my absolution
I'm shocked that I've found a way to escape my past mistakes and receive forgiveness.
Only to find I slept through half my life
I wasted a lot of time and missed out on opportunities because of my past behavior.
So I'd like to thank you for your kindness
I'm expressing gratitude towards someone who helped me get back on track.
When you bled and severed all our ties
They had to sacrifice something to help me, even if it meant ending our relationship.
Now my friends drag me from the ashes
I have a support system that's helping me move past my past mistakes.
Of the monsters on my side
I'm finally able to confront and overcome the obstacles and negative influences that I previously succumbed to.
On my side
The phrase used throughout the song to refer to both negative and positive influences in one's life, depending on how one handles them.
Contributed by Hunter F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.