Fastbacks were a pioneering Seattle band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/gui… Read Full Bio ↴Fastbacks were a pioneering Seattle band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch (born August 28, 1960), and friends Lulu Gargiulo (guitar and vocals, born October 12, 1960) and Kim Warnick (bass and vocals, born April 7, 1959), they disbanded in 2001. Their sound mixed a generally punk approach to vocals and sound textures with poppy tunes and strong musicianship. Bloch is also a member of The Young Fresh Fellows as well as Thee Sgt. Major III. The Fastbacks reunited for a show in West Seattle in the summer of 2011.

Run No More
Fastbacks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I waved riding down the road
I drove away from there with everything I own there by me
It seems to me there is a way to walk away from yesterday I wonder
. . . And if I ever find the way to go you know I'm gone to stay
I'll run no more
Run no more again
I'm out hitch-hiking down the road
They stopped and took away everything I had to let me be

They told me life always goes on

They didn't tell me why the meaning of my life I'd never see

Overall Meaning

In the lyrics to Fastbacks' song "Run No More," the singer seems to be reflecting on their past and the decisions they've made. The opening verse describes the singer driving down the road with all their possessions, perhaps after leaving a relationship or a difficult situation behind. The singer wonders if there is a way to truly move on from the past and start anew. The chorus repeats the idea that the singer is done running and wants to put an end to the cycle of constantly trying to escape their problems.

The second verse introduces a new character, someone who picks up the singer while they are hitchhiking. This person takes everything the singer has, leaving them with nothing. In response, the person tells the singer that life goes on, but doesn't offer any explanation for why things happen the way they do. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the idea that life is unfair and unpredictable, and that sometimes bad things happen without any clear reason.

Line by Line Meaning

I waved riding down the road
While driving away, I said goodbye to the past

I drove away from there with everything I own there by me
I left with all my belongings and nothing to hold me back

It seems to me there is a way to walk away from yesterday I wonder
I think it's possible to leave the past behind and move on, but I'm not sure how

... And if I ever find the way to go you know I'm gone to stay
If I discover the secret to moving forward, I'll never look back again

I'll run no more
I won't keep running away from my problems and my past

Run no more again
I won't fall back into the habit of running away from my issues

I'm out hitch-hiking down the road
I'm traveling alone, trying to find my way

They stopped and took away everything I had to let me be
Someone took my possessions away, but it allowed me to be free from material things

They told me life always goes on
Someone reassured me that life will continue no matter what happens

They didn't tell me why the meaning of my life I'd never see
However, they didn't explain why I may never understand the purpose of my existence

Contributed by William N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.