Nowhere To Run
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
Got nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide.
It's not love, I'm a running from,
It's the heartbreak I know will come.
'Cause I know you're no good for me, but you've become a part of me.
Ev'rywhere I go, your face I see, ev'ry step I take, you take with me yeah
Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide
Got nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide.
I know you're not good for me, but free of you I'll never be, no.
Each night as I sleep, into my heart you creep.
I wake up feelin' sorry I met you, hoping soon that I'll forget you.
When I look in the mirror to comb my hair
I see your face just a smiling there.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from you baby,
Got nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide.
I know you're no good for me, but you've become a part of me,
How can I fight a lover, that shouldn't be, when it's so deep,
So deep, deep inside of me
My love reaches so high I can't get over it
It's so wide I can't get around it, no
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from you baby
Just can't get away from you baby, no matter how I try to
I know you're no good for me, but free of you I'll never be,
Nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide, got nowhere to run to baby.
In Martha Reeves & The Vandellas's hit song "Nowhere To Run," the narrator sings about being trapped in a tumultuous romance. The opening lines of the chorus, "Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide / Got nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide," suggest a sense of desperation and a feeling of being caged in. The lyrics continue to describe the narrator's struggle to escape the heartbreak that they know will come. Though they recognize that their partner is no good for them, they can't seem to shake them off, and they've become a part of them. Everywhere they go, they see their partner's face, and every step they take, their partner is there. The narrator is constantly haunted by their lover, and they can't seem to find a way out.
The second half of the song's lyrics continue with the same theme of entrapment. Each night when the narrator sleeps, their partner crawls into their heart. Even when they wake up, they can't seem to shake off their partner's memories: "When I look in the mirror to comb my hair / I see your face just a smiling there." The lyrics suggest that the narrator is emotionally attached to their partner, even though they know it's not good for them. The song suggests that the narrator is in a bind, unable to escape the clutches of their lover, and is resigned to the fact that they may never be free from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide
Feeling trapped and exposed
Got nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide.
Feeling helpless and vulnerable
It's not love, I'm a running from,
Not wanting to escape love
It's the heartbreak I know will come.
Fearing pain and loss
'Cause I know you're no good for me, but you've become a part of me.
Recognizing a toxic relationship
Ev'rywhere I go, your face I see, ev'ry step I take, you take with me yeah
Constantly haunted by memories of the person
I know you're not good for me, but free of you I'll never be, no.
Feeling trapped, unable to escape
Each night as I sleep, into my heart you creep.
Unable to escape their presence, even in dreams
I wake up feelin' sorry I met you, hoping soon that I'll forget you.
Regretting meeting the person and longing to forget them
When I look in the mirror to comb my hair, I see your face just a smiling there.
Feeling like the person is everywhere and in everything
My love reaches so high I can't get over it, It's so wide I can't get around it, no
Feeling trapped by the intensity of their love
Just can't get away from you baby, no matter how I try to
Unable to escape their presence
Nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide, got nowhere to run to baby.
Feeling trapped and exposed, unable to escape the situation
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWARD JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" Read Full BioMartha Reeves & The Vandellas were one of the most successful groups in the Motown roster during the 1960s and fully active from 1960 to present, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, rock and roll and soul.
The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelley replacing Sterling. In 1967, Kelley was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972., however, Reeves still performs with sister Lois and another Reeves sister, Delphine.
Tarantulisimo
Martha Reeves - Lead vocals
Rosalind Ashford & Betty Kelly - background vocals
The Funk Brothers - All instruments
Benny Benjamin: drums
James Jamerson: bass guitar
Earl Van Dyke: Wurlitzer electric piano
Jack Ashford: percussion, tambourine, vibes
Ivy Jo Hunter: Detroit snow chains
Robert White: guitar
Eddie Willis: guitar
Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr. - songwriters
Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland - producers
Gregory M
It's so mellow
Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide
I got Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide
It's not love I'm runnin' from,
Just the heartbreak I know will come
Cause I know you're no good for me (You're no good)
But you've become a part of me
Everywhere I go, your face I see,
Every step I take, you take with me, yeah
Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide
Got Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide
I know you're no good for me,
But free of you, I'll never be, no
Each night as I sleep, into my heart you creep,
I wake up feeling sorry I met you,
Hoping soon, that I'll forget you
When I look in the mirror, to comb my hair
I see your face just-a-smilin' there
Nowhere to run, Nowhere to hide, from you baby
I got Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide
I know you're no good for me.
But you've become a part of me
How can I fight a love, that shouldn't be?
When it's so deep, so deep, deep inside of me
My love reaches so high, I can't get over it
It's so wide, I can't get around it, no
Nowhere to run, Nowhere to hide from you babe
Just can't get away from you baby, no matter how I try
I know you're no good for me,
But free of you, I'll never be
Nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide (Nowhere to hide)
Got nowhere to run to baby, Nowhere to hide (Nowhere to hide)
Lee Sher
The best Motown tunes ever. Great lyrics, great orchestration, great musicians, and of course great vocalists.
ginny white
the Funks could make Micky Mouse sound good
Geoffrey Jonathan Wilson
Oh yes!
trademark1874
Jack Ashford on the tambourine right here!!!
Andrew Betsargis
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus Christ loves you all!β€β
HiddenPandaCapital
Behind every good singer / vocalist / Motown group was ..... THE FUNK BROTHERS !
sickvokals
I hear their live set was smoking back in the day. "Nowhere to Run", "Heat Wave", "Dancing in the Street". They ROCK!
Robyn Kern
It was!
William Pavichevich
All Excellent Tunes. Classic Hits. π»π§π€πΆπ
ARTEATURE
Damn that comment is 11 years old