Side A, “Red Face Boy,” is a blistering journey through the madness and insecurity of love, feet on the floor, glossy ‘n raw. Tight Virginia funk with obvious nods to the city formerly known as Minneapolis. Side B, “Pillows,” is a honeyed dream ballad, the trademark Spacebomb sound draped in silk: ravishing strings, stinging horns, and above all, an insistent and persuasive rhythm section. This is bedroom music and party music, music for the wedding and the honeymoon, for work or play or swimming through the city at night. This is the music of Spacebomb & Howard Ivans, the music of our minds.
The game may have changed, but the Spacebomb players are still the same: Pinson Chanselle and Cameron Ralston, drum and bass rhythm kings; string arrangements by Trey Pollard; and horn charts by Matthew E. White. Hear the attic studio move and shake like a well-oiled machine, making records the Spacebomb way. A perfect match for Ivans’ vision, for the man who made a song-by-song cover album of Sade’s Love Deluxe, channeling all his love for the history of satin-lined R&B into creating (and crooning) these two remarkably heartfelt songs.
The 21st century has a soul-shaped void in its heart and Howard Ivans is going to fill it until the grooves run out.
Keep Me Running
Howard Ivans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would lock it up but you keep going out you won't let me close let me close
I've been through enough, I said the right words bought you everything told you everything
But I can't let go, every taste lingers you left me with, but I don't regret it
Oh you keep me running to you
Oh I just can't stay away
Oh you keep me running to you
You're so dangerous, you never call me back only late at night when you're feeling right
I just can't say no, but you wont settle down you won't come around, you just get around
Oh you keep me running to you
Oh I just can't stay away
Oh you keep me running to you
oh you keep me running oh you keep me running
You're so dangerous, it's bad for the both of us
Why can't I get enough, you're so dangerous, so dangerous
Oh you keep me running to you
Oh I just can't stay away
Oh you keep me running to you
Oh you keep me running oh you keep me running
Oh I just can't stay away ,yeah
Oh you keep me running to you
Oh you keep me running oh you keep me running
The lyrics to Howard Ivans's song "Keep Me Running" depict a relationship that is intense and toxic, yet the singer finds it difficult to let go. The opening lines suggest that the person they are involved with has a power over them, constantly occupying their thoughts and keeping their mind tethered to them. Despite any attempts to distance themselves, the person keeps pulling them back in and preventing any form of closure or resolution. The singer admits to going through enough struggles, saying all the right things and providing everything for this person, yet they cannot break free from the hold they have on them.
Throughout the song, the singer acknowledges the destructive nature of this relationship. The person they are involved with is unreliable and only reaches out at night, suggesting a lack of commitment and emotional availability. Despite knowing the consequences, the singer finds it difficult to resist their temptations and keep saying no. It is clear that the person in question is always seeking new experiences and refuses to settle down, which only adds to the chaos and unpredictability in the singer's life.
The repeated refrain of "Oh you keep me running to you" signifies the irresistible draw and magnetic pull the person has on the singer. They confess that they cannot stay away, even though they recognize the adverse effects it has on them. The closing lines reveal the singer's frustration with their inability to resist this person, acknowledging that the situation is detrimental to both of them, yet they cannot seem to get enough.
Overall, "Keep Me Running" explores the complex and dangerous dynamics of an intense and unstable relationship. It delves into the struggle of being torn between the attraction and the detrimental consequences, highlighting the inability to break free from the hold of a toxic individual.
Line by Line Meaning
You're so dangerous, you keep my mind tied up with only you
You have a power over me that keeps my thoughts solely focused on you
I would lock it up but you keep going out you won't let me close let me close
I want to protect myself emotionally, but you continuously distance yourself and prevent me from getting too close
I've been through enough, I said the right words bought you everything told you everything
I have already made enough efforts, said and done everything I thought would please you
But I can't let go, every taste lingers you left me with, but I don't regret it
Despite the lingering impact you've had on me, I still can't bring myself to move on, even though I don't regret our time together
You're so dangerous, you never call me back only late at night when you're feeling right
You exhibit a pattern of only contacting me late at night when it suits your mood, never prioritizing our communication
I just can't say no, but you won't settle down you won't come around, you just get around
I find it difficult to resist you and say no to your advances, but you refuse to commit and only seek temporary encounters
You're so dangerous, it's bad for the both of us
Your presence and influence are harmful to both of us
Why can't I get enough, you're so dangerous, so dangerous
I can't understand why I keep craving more of you, even though I know how much harm you bring
Oh you keep me running to you
You continuously draw me back to you
Oh I just can't stay away
I struggle to distance myself from you
Oh you keep me running to you
You have a hold on me that keeps me coming back to you
Oh you keep me running oh you keep me running
You have me constantly chasing after you
Oh I just can't stay away, yeah
No matter how hard I try, I can't resist the temptation to stay away from you
Oh you keep me running to you
You compel me to constantly return to you
Oh you keep me running oh you keep me running
You make me feel like I'm always on the run, chasing after you
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Ivan Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind