Run Run Run
Lou Reed & The Velvet Undergrond/The Velvet Underground Lyrics
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I sold my soul, must be saved
Gonna take a walk down to Union Square
You never know who you're gonna find there
You gotta run, run, run, run, run
Take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run
Gypsy Death and you
Marguerita Passion had to get her fix
She wasn't well, she was getting sick
Went to sell her soul, she wasn't high
Didn't know, thinks she could buy it
And she would run, run, run, run, run
Take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run
Gypsy Death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Seasick Sarah had a golden nose
Hobnail boots wrapped around her toes
When she turned blue, all the angels screamed
They didn't know, they couldn't make the scene
She had to run, run, run, run, run
Take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run
Gypsy Death and you
Tell you whatcha do
Beardless Harry, what a waste
Couldn't even get a small town taste
Rode the trolleys down to forty seven
Figured he was good to get himself to heaven
'Cause he had to run, run, run, run, run
Take a drag or two
Run, run, run, run, run
Gypsy Death and you
Tell you whatcha do
"Run Run Run" by The Velvet Underground is a song about the disoriented youth of the 1960s who resorted to drugs for pleasure or as a way to escape their reality. The song tells a few stories of individuals who are lost in life and are trying to find their way through different ways of escaping. In the first verse, Teenage Mary realizes that she has sold her soul and needs to be saved. She heads to Union Square, where she meets curious people who are searching for something, just like her. The chorus, "run, run, run" signifies the underlying theme of running away from problems and indulging in drugs to numb their emotions.
The second verse talks about Marguerita Passion, who is dependent on heroin for her fix. She is willing to sell her soul to get it because she is so sick from withdrawal symptoms. The third verse tells the story of Seasick Sarah, who is losing her mind and turning blue when she is high. The angels can't help her, and she is trapped in a cycle of addiction. Finally, the song talks about Beardless Harry, who rode the trolleys down to forty-seven. He is trying to find heaven on earth since he can't even taste a small town. The use of gypsy death in the chorus refers to the feeling of getting high, as if you're about to die.
In summary, the song is a commentary on the '60s culture of drug use and the idea that young people were trying to escape their realities by getting high.
Line by Line Meaning
Teenage Mary said to Uncle Dave
A young girl named Mary spoke to her relative Uncle Dave
I sold my soul, must be saved
Mary reveals that she sold her soul to someone and needs saving
Gonna take a walk down to Union Square
Mary plans to take a walk to Union Square
You never know who you're gonna find there
Mary is aware of the unpredictable nature of the people who gather at the square
You gotta run, run, run, run, run
Mary states that one must run multiple times
Take a drag or two
Mary suggests smoking a few puffs of a cigarette or marijuana
Run, run, run, run, run
Reiteration of the importance of running from the previous line
Gypsy Death and you
A reference to the likelihood of meeting someone dangerous or deadly
Tell you whatcha do
Mary offers advice on how to handle the situation
Marguerita Passion had to get her fix
Marguerita is a woman who requires her fix of something
She wasn't well, she was getting sick
Marguerita is feeling unwell and is getting worse
Went to sell her soul, she wasn't high
Marguerita wanted to sell her soul but wasn't under the influence of any drug
Didn't know, thinks she could buy it
Marguerita didn't know that buying her soul was impossible
And she would run, run, run, run, run
Marguerita, like Mary, would run multiple times
Seasick Sarah had a golden nose
Sarah is a woman with a particular bodily feature, a golden nose
Hobnail boots wrapped around her toes
Sarah wears hobnail boots on her toes
When she turned blue, all the angels screamed
When Sarah turned blue, angels screamed in horror
They didn't know, they couldn't make the scene
The angels were not able to handle the situation
She had to run, run, run, run, run
Sarah also had to run multiple times
Beardless Harry, what a waste
Harry, a beardless man, is a waste of space
Couldn't even get a small town taste
Harry couldn't even get a taste of the small-town experience
Rode the trolleys down to forty seven
Harry rode the trolleys to a location called forty-seven
Figured he was good to get himself to heaven
Harry was confident that his actions would get him to heaven
'Cause he had to run, run, run, run, run
Like the others, Harry had to run multiple times
Take a drag or two
Repeated from the earlier verse, suggesting smoking as a coping mechanism
Run, run, run, run, run
The importance of running, reiterated once again
Gypsy Death and you
The potential danger of encountering someone like the Gypsies
Tell you whatcha do
Mary, or the artist of the song, concludes with advice on how to handle the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lou Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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