I'm A Runnin'
Golden Earring Lyrics


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On the stroke of ten
I slipped into the van
And hid myself behind some boxes
Waitin' for the driver yeah

The first time I was lucky
For the van took me to Kentucky
The first time too I slept in a railway station

I woke up wondering you're running to nowhere
But at the same time I was here, oh and I didn't care
Oh where am I accompanied by
Good hopes, and believe me I'll get by

Yeah, I'm a runnin', well I'm a runnin'
I'm a runnin' till I can't go on
Till I find where I belong
Yeah I'm a runnin'
Oh I'm a runnin' till I can't go on
Till I find where I belong

So I ramble through the country
And most of the time
Nature doesn't care less about me
And sometimes when I'm alone
I hear my father say: Son you gotta do something
Take that advice from me now
So I drop down to South Carolina
With a little luck and a little sunshine yeah
I say, here I stay, here I pray
For happiness, oh every day

But until now I'm a runnin'
Yeah, I'm a runnin'




I'm runnin' till I can't go on
Till I find where I belong

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Golden Earring's song "I'm A Runnin'" narrate a story about the singer who runs away from his past and constantly drives through different areas in search of a place to belong. In the opening lines of the song, the singer hides in a van and waits for the driver. He reminisces about the first time he was on the road, and how he slept in a railway station. He reflects on this experience, wondering if he is running towards nowhere but at the same time feeling like he belongs where he is.


As he continues his journey across the country, nature remains indifferent to his presence - this indifference from nature is personified throughout the song. His father's voice echoes in his head, advising him to find his path in life. As he reaches South Carolina, he finds a glimmer of hope and decides to stay there and pray for happiness. However, he acknowledges that he is still running until he finds where he belongs.


"I'm A Runnin'" is a song that talks about the universal feeling of searching for a place to belong, and the urge to escape one's past. It promotes the message of persistence while searching for the place where one feels the most comfortable.


Line by Line Meaning

On the stroke of ten
Right at 10 o'clock


I slipped into the van
I got into the van undetected


And hid myself behind some boxes
I concealed myself behind some boxes


Waitin' for the driver yeah
I was waiting for the driver eagerly


The first time I was lucky
I was fortunate the first time


For the van took me to Kentucky
The van transported me to Kentucky


The first time too I slept in a railway station
I slept in a railway station during my first trip


I woke up wondering you're running to nowhere
I woke up questioning whether I was running aimlessly


But at the same time I was here, oh and I didn't care
Although I was uncertain of my destination, I was content with where I presently was


Oh where am I accompanied by
I was unsure of my location while accompanied by


Good hopes, and believe me I'll get by
Hopeful thoughts, and a firm belief that I will triumph


Yeah, I'm a runnin', well I'm a runnin'
I am currently running, and have been running for some time


I'm a runnin' till I can't go on
I will continue running until I can no longer do so


Till I find where I belong
Until I find my rightful place


So I ramble through the country
I wander aimlessly through the countryside


And most of the time
Usually


Nature doesn't care less about me
Nature is indifferent to me


And sometimes when I'm alone
Occasionally when I am by myself


I hear my father say: Son you gotta do something
I recall my father advising: Son, you need to take action


Take that advice from me now
I currently remember and follow that guidance


So I drop down to South Carolina
As a result, I visit South Carolina


With a little luck and a little sunshine yeah
With a bit of good fortune and good weather


I say, here I stay, here I pray
I declare that this is where I will remain and where I will appeal to a higher power


For happiness, oh every day
To obtain happiness each day


But until now I'm a runnin'
However, I am currently still running


Till I find where I belong
Until I locate my rightful place




Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Kasia Kram

My favourite πŸ‘

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