Raised in New York City, Carroll who attended several Catholic Grammar Schools from 1955 to 1963. In fall 1963, he entered public school, but was soon awarded a scholarship to the elite Trinity High School (a private school). He entered Trinity High School in 1964.
Apart from being interested in writing, Carroll was a passionate basketball player throughout his grade school and middle school career. He entered the "Biddy League" at age 13 and participated in the National High School All Star Game in 1966, hence the title of his most famous book.
As a teenager, Carroll was a heroin addict who sometimes prostituted himself to afford his habit. The novel The Basketball Diaries concerns his life in New York City's hard drug culture and his struggle to rid himself of his addiction.
Carroll published his first book, Organic Trains, at age 17. Several of his poems have been published in such magazines as Paris Review and Poetry. In 1970, his second collection of poems, 4 Ups and 1 Down was published. That same year, Carroll started working for Andy Warhol. At first, he was writing film dialogue and inventing character names; later on, Carroll worked as the co-manager of Warhol's Theater. Carroll's first above-ground publication, the collection Living At The Movies was published in 1973.
He formed The Jim Carroll Band, a New Wave/punk rock group, in 1980. Their biggest commercial success was the single "People Who Died," from their debut album, Catholic Boy. He has also collaborated with many influential punk and hard rock musicians, including Lou Reed, Blue Öyster Cult, Boz Scaggs and Rancid.
Carroll died on September 11, 2009 of a heart attack. He was 60.
Runaway
Jim Carroll Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made lots of friends, many different races
I've had such fun around the world it's true
African skies with a Nairobi mood
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
The one thing missing was you
Runaway with me my love,
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I woke up with an Australian breeze
And danced the dance with Aborigines
Oh under the moon glow down in Mexico I dreamed
One thing was missing that's you
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We'll sail the waters of many colors
We won't need a compass, love will guide our way
Don't need nobody, as long as we got each other
No need to hurry, we've got everyday
I wanna share the world with you, you see
Spring time in Paris feels so good to me
Oh this is for me reality
So please make all my wishes come true
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And I just know we'll have a good time
And I just know we'll have a good time
"Runaway" is a song that celebrates the joy of traveling around the world and experiencing various cultures. The first verse mentions the different places the singer has visited, and how they made friends with people from diverse backgrounds, and had fun. The second verse highlights how the singer saw the beauty of different countries, and yet felt incomplete without having their loved one beside them. The chorus is an invitation to the listener to join them on their adventures and run away with them.
The bridge is about a shared spiritual connection that they share, signified by the fact that they don't need a compass because love guides their way. They don't need anybody else except each other, and even though they have all the time in the world, they want to explore and capitalize on every second by sharing it with each other. They want to share everything with their lover, including springtime in Paris, which feels wonderful. The final line repeats the chorus and suggests that good times are just around the corner.
One of the most interesting facts about this song is that Jim Carroll's biggest hit before "Runaway" was "People Who Died," which was much darker in tone and subject matter. However, "Runaway" demonstrated that Jim Carroll could write catchy, upbeat songs as well. Another fact is that although the song didn't make the Top 40, it was featured prominently in the movie "The Basketball Diaries," which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and was based on a book by Jim Carroll. Furthermore, the music video for the song featured footage of Jim Carroll dancing with various indigenous people from around the world. The song has been covered by several artists, including Bon Jovi and Jefferson Starship. In terms of chord progression, the song uses a simple G-C-D pattern, with an occasional Am thrown in.
Chords: G C D Am (in that order)
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen the world, been to many places
I have travelled extensively around the globe and seen many exotic locations.
Made lots of friends, many different races
As part of my travels, I have had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people.
I've had such fun around the world it's true
My experiences travelling have been enjoyable and fulfilling.
African skies with a Nairobi mood
I have visited Nairobi, Kenya and been captivated by the beautiful African skies and the mood that it creates.
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
I have visited the picturesque region of Tuscany and had a wonderful dream while there.
The one thing missing was you
Despite the beauty I have witnessed, I feel incomplete without my loved one by my side.
Runaway with me my love, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I implore my beloved to accompany me on a romantic escape.
I woke up with an Australian breeze
I have experienced the refreshing Australian breeze to begin my day.
And danced the dance with Aborigines
I have had the pleasure of dancing with the Indigenous Australians known as Aborigines.
Oh under the moon glow down in Mexico I dreamed
I have dreamed in the beautiful, romantic atmosphere of Mexico under the moonlight.
One thing was missing that's you
Despite the countless beautiful experiences I have had, I still feel incomplete without my significant other by my side.
We'll sail the waters of many colors
Together, we will sail on adventurous journeys across a multitude of beautiful ocean shades.
We won't need a compass, love will guide our way
We won't require a device to navigate our way, as love will lead us in the right direction.
Don't need nobody, as long as we got each other
We don't require anyone else's company or assistance since we have each other.
No need to hurry, we've got everyday
We don't need to rush as we have endless time to be together.
I wanna share the world with you, you see
I want to experience the wonders of the world with you.
Spring time in Paris feels so good to me
The arrival of spring in Paris brings me immense joy and happiness.
Oh this is for me reality
The experiences I have had are not merely a dream but a real part of my life.
So please make all my wishes come true
I appeal to my beloved to fulfill my wish of being together and embarking on exciting adventures.
And I just know we'll have a good time
I am positive that our time together will be nothing short of unforgettable.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Del Shannon, Max D. Crook
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Penney
It sucks that Jim didn't put out like a dozen albums.
Then again, what he left us with is perfect.
tomb613
Beautifully done!!! Loving this.... Sonic Perfection.
JC Haywire
JC's tremulous vocal fry will forever move me.
Tiago
Underrated song