The Desert Rose Band was formed in 1985 by frontman Chris Hillman (born December 4, 1944), formerly a member of The Byrds, and co-founder, along with the late Gram Parsons of the country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers. Additional members included John Jorgenson (born July 6, 1956), who was mainly responsible for the instrumental arrangements of the songs, and Herb Pedersen (born April 27, 1944) for the vocal arrangements. Pedersen sang the high tenor part above Hillman's tenor and each Desert Rose Band album featured Pedersen on one lead vocal. Drummer Steve Duncan (born July 28, 1953) and bassist Bill Bryson (1946-2017) provided background vocals. Pedal steel player JayDee Maness (born January 4, 1945) rounded out the group.
Their eponymous debut album was issued in 1987 on MCA/Curb. It contained their first hit "Ashes of Love", which was originally a Johnnie & Jack song from the early 1950s. It was the second time Hillman and Pedersen recorded "Ashes of Love," the first being on Hillman's just prior album Desert Rose on the Sugar Hill label. The Desert Rose Band's debut also featured a remake of Chris Hillman's "Time Between" which he previously wrote and recorded as a member of the Byrds, as well as the band's first chart-topper "He's Back and I'm Blue".
Their second album Running (1988) featured the John Hiatt-penned hit "She Don't Love Nobody", "Running", and a remake of Buck Owens's "Hello Trouble".
The third album Pages of Life (1990) featured a remake of "Desert Rose" as well as a remake of Pedersen's folk song about his daughter "Our Baby's Gone" which was originally recorded on his 1976 album Southwest. JayDee Maness left the band in 1990 and was replaced on pedal steel guitar by Tom Brumley whom Jay Dee replaced in the Buckaroos. Maness would again play with Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen on their post Desert Rose Band duo albums Bakersfield Bound and Way Out West.
The fourth studio album, True Love, was released in 1991. It was followed by 1993's Life Goes On, released only in Europe. Several prominent country and bluegrass musicians made guest appearances on Life Goes On including Sam Bush on fiddle, Tony Rice and Larry Park (of Boy Howdy) on guitar, and Al Perkins on dobro. Before the release of this final studio album, was the 1993 compilation Traditional.
John Jorgenson and Steve Duncan left the band in 1991. Jorgenson went on to form the Hellecasters with Will Ray and Jerry Donahue; Duncan also joined the Hellecasters. John Jorgenson is currently playing gypsy jazz with his John Jorgenson Quintette. Chris and Herb recorded an acoustic album called The Other Side in 2005. They continue to tour as an acoustic duo. Former Buck Owens steel player Tom Brumley played with Joey Riley's band in Branson, Missouri. He died on February 3, 2009.
On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed The Desert Rose Band among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.
Running
Desert Rose Band Lyrics
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Folks back there are running from life it seems
I left as a young man running from a memory
I'm still running, I'll always be running
My father died a broken man by his own hand
One of life's causalities lost in the sand
He showed us a way to love a way to understand
I can still see the fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight
The love in his heart when he made it all right
Race in his mind that was never won
So if you're gonna run, what you running from
The years flew by like a runaway train
I never caught up I never got used to change
'Cause change is the only thing that I've ever known
I'm still running, yeah, and I'm still running
I can still see the fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight
The love in his heart when he made it all right
Race in his mind that was never won
So if you're gonna run, what you running from
With my face to the wind I stand all alone
Scattered memories taking all I own
A families love can help you along
But I'll always be running,
Yeah, I'll always be running
I can still see the fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight
The love in his heart when he made it all right
Race in his mind that was never won
So if you're gonna run, what you running from
The fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight
The love in his heart when he made it all right
Race in his mind that was never won
So if you're gonna run, what you running from
The Desert Rose Band's song Running is a poignant and introspective take on the idea of running from one's past, and explores the deep-seated issues and emotional scars that come with it. The song opens by describing the singer's hometown as being filled with broken dreams, and how he left as a young man running from a memory. He feels like he's still running, and will always be running, from his past and the pain that comes with it. The lyrics then delve into the singer's relationship with his father who died by suicide, a broken man who never found peace, and who also ran from his own demons. The singer sees his father as someone who showed him a way to love and understand, but who was ultimately unable to find solace from his own pain.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "I can still see the fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight, the love in his heart when he made it all right, race in his mind that was never won, so if you're gonna run what you running from", which appears to be directed at both the singer and the listener. The singer sees himself as still running from his past and his memories, and questions the listener as to what it is they are running from. The song ends on a somber note, with the singer acknowledging that while family love can help one along, he knows that he'll always be running.
Line by Line Meaning
My home town is filled with broken dreams
The singer's hometown is a place where people have lost their aspirations and hopes.
Folks back there are running from life it seems
The people in the singer's hometown are escaping their lives and problems.
I left as a young man running from a memory
The singer left his hometown as a young man because he was running away from a painful memory.
I'm still running, I'll always be running
The artist is still running away from his past and problems; he believes he will always be running.
My father died a broken man by his own hand
The artist's father died feeling hopeless and defeated, having taken his own life.
One of life's causalities lost in the sand
The singer's father was one of many people who failed in the game of life, who lost and disappeared into nothingness like a grain of sand.
He showed us a way to love a way to understand
The singer's father taught his family to care for and empathize with others.
He's finally stopped running, oh he's finally stopped running
The artist's father has finally found peace and is no longer running away from his problems or life.
I can still see the fire in his eyes when he held my mom tight
The artist remembers his father's passion and love for his mother.
The love in his heart when he made it all right
The artist recalls his father's loving and caring nature, especially when he needed to fix something.
Race in his mind that was never won
The singer's father had a mental race or struggle that he never won or understood.
So if you're gonna run, what you running from
The artist wonders why someone would run away from their problems or past instead of facing them head-on.
The years flew by like a runaway train
Time passed by quickly and uncontrollably like a train out of control.
I never caught up I never got used to change
The singer has never been able to keep up with time, and he struggles to accept and adapt to change.
'Cause change is the only thing that I've ever known
The singer has only experienced constant change in his life.
I'm still running, yeah, and I'm still running
The artist is still running away from his past and problems; he has not found peace yet.
With my face to the wind I stand all alone
The artist stands alone, facing the wind or the elements, which could represent the difficulties he still faces.
Scattered memories taking all I own
The singer's scattered memories haunt him, and they consume all of his possessions or mental energy.
A families love can help you along
The love of family can aid and support someone in difficult times.
But I'll always be running,
However, the artist believes he will always be running away from his past and problems.
Yeah, I'll always be running
The artist repeats that he will always be running, highlighting his feeling of helplessness and desperation.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: CHRIS HILLMAN, STEVE E. HILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind