Band on the Run
Foo Fighters Lyrics


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Stuck inside these four walls
Sent inside for ever
Never seeing no one, nice again,
Like you, mama
You, mama... you...

If I ever get out of here
Thought of giving it all away.
To a registered charity
All I need is a pint a day
If I ever get out of here
(If I ever get out of here)

Well the rain exploded with a mighty crash
As we fell into the sun
And the first one said to the second one there
I hope you're having fun.

Band on the run; band on the run
And the jailer man, and sailor Sam,
Were searching everyone
For the Band on the run...
Band on the run [x3]

Well, the undertaker drew a heavy sigh
Seeing no one else had come
And the bell was ringing in the village square
For the rabbits on the run,

Band on the run; band on the run
And the jailer man, and sailor Sam,
Were searching everyone
For the Band on the run...
Band on the run [x3]

Band on the run [x4]
Well the night was failing
As the desert world began to settle down
In the town they're searching for us everywhere
But the never will be found

Band on the run; band on the run
And the country judge, who held a grudge
Will search for ever more.




For the Band on the run
Band on the run [x7]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Band on the Run" by Foo Fighters are about the desire for freedom from confinement and the consequences of running away from societal expectations. The singer describes feeling trapped and isolated within four walls, never seeing anyone nice again like their mother. However, he holds onto the hope of one day escaping and giving everything away to charity, suggesting that material possessions and societal norms hold no value to him.


The chorus of "Band on the Run" describes a group of people on the run, being chased by law enforcement and authority figures. The lyrics "the jailer man and sailor Sam were searching everyone for the band on the run" suggest that the group is being pursued for breaking the law. The chaotic imagery of "the rain exploding with a mighty crash as we fell into the sun" and "the undertaker drew a heavy sigh seeing no one else had come" further depict the desperation and intensity of the situation.


Overall, "Band on the Run" is a commentary on societal constraints and the desire for freedom, even if it means breaking the law and being constantly pursued. The chorus suggests that the consequences of running away may be severe, but the desire for escape is worth the risk.


Line by Line Meaning

Stuck inside these four walls
Trapped and isolated inside of a confined space


Sent inside for ever
Forced to remain in this situation permanently


Never seeing no one, nice again,
Unable to connect with others in a positive way


Like you, mama
Longing to be around a maternal figure for comfort


You, mama... you...
Emphasizing the importance of the maternal figure


If I ever get out of here
Expressing desperate hope for escape from current circumstances


Thought of giving it all away.
Considering completely abandoning possessions and current life


To a registered charity
Donating everything to a legitimate organization


All I need is a pint a day
Desire for substance abuse to cope with despair


(If I ever get out of here)
Reiterating hope for escape


Well the rain exploded with a mighty crash
Dramatic description of nature's power


As we fell into the sun
Contrasting the explosive downpour with the hope of soaring into a bright future


And the first one said to the second one there
Two characters communicate in midst of chaos


I hope you're having fun.
Sardonic comment on the absurdity of the situation


Band on the run; band on the run
Chorus emphasizing the central theme of escaping confinement


And the jailer man, and sailor Sam,
Individuals who would prevent escape


Were searching everyone
Exhaustive effort to find those who seek freedom


For the Band on the run...
Continuation of emphasis on escaping


Well, the undertaker drew a heavy sigh
Symbolic of the idea that all is lost


Seeing no one else had come
Hopelessness and abject failure


And the bell was ringing in the village square
Signaling danger or doom


For the rabbits on the run,
Metaphor for those who are desperate and seek escape


Band on the run; band on the run
Repetition of chorus and motif of escape


And the jailer man, and sailor Sam,
Obstacles in the way of escape


Were searching everyone
Leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of those seeking freedom


For the Band on the run...
Repetitive, seemingly endless chase


Well the night was failing
Darkness and hopelessness


As the desert world began to settle down
As the world outside calmed, those trying to escape must continue on the run


In the town they're searching for us everywhere
The search for escapees is all-encompassing


But the never will be found
Those who seek escape thrive on hope and continue to evade capture


And the country judge, who held a grudge
Powerful figure motivated by personal vendetta


Will search for ever more.
Endless, futile pursuit


For the Band on the run
Reiteration of the central theme of desperate escape


Band on the run [x7]
Final repetition of the chorus and the endless search for freedom




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@gomalley411

LYRICS
Stuck inside these four walls
Sent inside forever
Never seeing no one
Nice again like you
Mama you, mama you

If I ever get out of here
Thought of giving it all away
To a registered charity
All I need is a pint a day
If I ever get outta here
If we ever get outta of here

Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash
As we fell into the sun
And the first one said to the second one there
I hope you're having fun
Band on the run, band on the run
And the jailer man and sailor Sam
Were searching every one

For the band on the run
Band on the run
For the band on the run
Band on the run

Well, the undertaker drew a heavy sigh
Seeing no one else had come
And a bell was ringing in the village square
For the rabbits on the run

Band on the run
Band on the run
And the jailer man and sailor Sam
Were searching every one
For the band on the run
Band on the run

Yeah, the band on the run
The band on the run
Band on the run, hey
Band on the run

Well, the night was falling as the desert world
Began to settle down
In the town they're searching for us everywhere
But we never will be found

Band on the run
Band on the run
And the county judge who held a grudge
Will search for evermore

For the band on the run
The band on the run
Band on the run, yeah
Band on the run, yeah



All comments from YouTube:

@ecurewitz

one of the greatest rocks stars of all time doing a cover of a song by one of the greatest rock stars of all time

@freemarketjoe9869

These guys would have been just another band back in the seventies and eighties. No offense but hardly that great. Paul McCartney's version is still far superior, much more focused and genuine. A lot of groups think overpowering you with guitar riffs carries the day. It doesn't.

@tommydavies9744

Dave grohl is great but he's nothing on McCartney

@jackcunningham2404

@@tommydavies9744 dave grohl is better for me an I'm from Liverpool

@tommydavies9744

@@jackcunningham2404 better than who Paul Mccartney it doesn't matter where you are from that's not true hahahha get a grip lad

@wanderer1955

Hmm the first part of your statement is questionable. Very questionable indeed.

23 More Replies...

@OmegaMapDesign

The latter half of the song really sounds like a Foo Fighters song. They made it their own.

@mcoopcoop

+OmegaMapDesign Agreed! It's always good when a band makes a cover their own a bit

@LordGandor3

But who wrote the song ? I'll give you a clue, he goes by many names, in fact hundreds perhaps thousands of names throughout history....Jack, Nick & Louis just to name a few

@emilioloera5780

Wow wow wow stop ✋ burn this and never talk about it again !!!

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