Kina started playing shows at the age of four in front of her stuffed animals. Now she plays in front of people, though it wasn’t the quickest transition for the admittedly shy songstress. While attending college at USC, Kina often retreated to the secluded stairwells around campus where she could write and sing without being heard. Protected by their quiet confines, she found a safe haven and a creative outlet for her music. Armed with a guitar and a cup of tea, Kina wrote in every stairwell she came across. And it was within these stairwells that she developed her confidence as a songwriter and her poise as a performer.
In 2007, Kina joined YouTube, made a music video and entered herself into a contest. A few months later, her video for “Message From Your Heart” aired during the Superbowl and its 97 million viewers (or 194 million eyeballs, depending on how you’re keeping track) and she walked away with a record deal. Since then, Kina has regularly posted her songs on YouTube, amassing many millions of views, and toured throughout North America. Her songs have been heard on television shows such as ABC’s General Hospital and MTV’s College Life.
running away
Kina Grannis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't help whats wrong, you've found your light
And no I, I can't fall down
Wherever we were lost, you've returned from but I have not been found
And you're running away from what's here
But what you've found is not another place or year
And you're running away from what's real
When darkness falls I feel we're led by separate powers and I know
You see much more than stars above
And yet your smile still fades
I noticed as you're trailing blindly behind an absent hand you made
And you're running away from what's here
But what you've found is not another place or year
And you're running away from what's real
Ignoring your past and what you feel
And not 10 minutes before crushing metal blinding lights
And fire he had raised his eyes to the icon on the dashboard and he said
"Is it enough for me to live in theory?" sipping down his sorrow he set the bottle down, having never thought this life was for himself
Cause he was running away from what's here
And what he found was not another place or year
He was running away from what we feel
Never giving himself the chance to live for real
The song "Running Away" by Kina Grannis portrays the feelings of an individual who is struggling to cope with life's challenges. The first stanza expresses the singer's difficulties in facing her problems and the sense of being helpless while a friend or partner is able to overcome them. The line "And no I, I can't fall down" indicates a strong desire to hold on and carry on despite the hardships. The second stanza touches on the differences between the two individuals, with one having a clearer vision of the future while the other remains in darkness. The image of an absent hand signifies the feeling of being lost and without support.
The chorus emphasizes the theme of running away, not just from one's current situation but from oneself. The person is avoiding what is real and ignoring their past and emotions. In the final stanza, the song takes on a more poignant note, describing a moment before a tragic accident where a man questions the validity of his life and his purpose. His act of drinking to numb his sorrows and not wanting to face reality mirrors the theme of the song. The line "Never giving himself the chance to live for real" is a reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the need to seize the moment.
Overall, "Running Away" conveys a message of self-realization and the importance of facing one's fears and emotional struggles. It presents a relatable situation that many people experience, including the desire to escape from life's complexities, but ultimately highlights the need to confront them.
Line by Line Meaning
I hide my face I'm trying harder than you'd ever know and
I'm putting up a strong front, even though I'm struggling internally.
I can't help whats wrong, you've found your light
I can't seem to fix my problems, while you've found your way out of them.
And no I, I can't fall down
I can't let my guard down and show my vulnerability.
Wherever we were lost, you've returned from but I have not been found
Even though we were both lost, you managed to find your way back, but I'm still searching for mine.
And you're running away from what's here
You're trying to escape from your current problems
But what you've found is not another place or year
However, running away won't solve them, and you'll only find the same issues elsewhere.
And you're running away from what's real
By avoiding your past and emotions, you're escaping reality.
Ignoring your past and what you feel
You're disregarding your past experiences and emotions.
When darkness falls I feel we're led by separate powers and I know
I believe that we're being guided by different forces in the dark.
You see much more than stars above
You have a greater understanding of the world and the universe.
And yet your smile still fades
Despite this knowledge, you're still not content and happy.
I noticed as you're trailing blindly behind an absent hand you made
I observe that you're blindly following a plan that you created, even though it may not be working.
And not 10 minutes before crushing metal blinding lights
A metaphor for the sudden realization of a fatal mistake.
And fire he had raised his eyes to the icon on the dashboard and he said
Moments before the accident, he prayed for guidance.
"Is it enough for me to live in theory?" sipping down his sorrow he set the bottle down, having never thought this life was for himself
He questions whether it's enough to merely plan for the future without living in the present, and regrets not living life to the fullest.
Cause he was running away from what's here
He was trying to escape from his current problems.
And what he found was not another place or year
His escape from reality ultimately revealed the same underlying issues elsewhere.
He was running away from what we feel
By avoiding his emotions and past experiences, he was trying to escape from the human experience.
Never giving himself the chance to live for real
By not fully experiencing life, he missed out on the opportunity to really live.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KINA KASUYA GRANNIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind