Only Someone Running
Matt Sweeney And Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

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Only someone running
Would run right into me
Unless that someone was someone free like me

There are things I will not do
I will even be mean and cruel
And I will not stay with you
Unless you give me all of yourself

When I was a sandy blue
And friendship dwelled in Western true
Smoke and pill and lovely too
That was before you gave of you

We'll make our future dream be ours
Through your eyes, I swallow flowers
And disdain the winter showers
Choosing them to bath in you

And I sing evil, I sing good
I sing as a seagull should
And if you melted then I would
Melt myself all into you

Can you love the one that god does?
Can you love the lily of the field?
Can you tend the soil inside of her
Until all has been revealed?

And I sing evil, I sing good
I sing as a seagull should
And if you melted then I would
Melt myself all into you

Can you love the one that god does?
Can you love the lily of the field?

Can you tend the soil inside of her
Until all has been revealed?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Only Someone Running" by Matt Sweeney & Bonnie "Prince" Billy are about a free-spirited person who is open to love, but only if it is given fully and wholeheartedly. The first stanza suggests that the singer is guarded and not interested in a relationship with someone who is not on the same wavelength as them. They want someone who is free-spirited, and the reference to running suggests the idea of someone who is not tied down or bound to any particular path or person.

The second stanza goes on to say that the singer is not afraid to be cruel or mean if someone is not willing to give all of themselves. They value genuine connection and give-and-take in a relationship, and will not settle for less. The third stanza is more poetic and vague, but seems to be a nostalgic reflection on a time when the singer was more carefree and happy. However, they acknowledge that everything changed when they met someone who gave to them.

The last stanza is the most enigmatic, and poses a series of questions about the nature of love and devotion. The singer wonders if someone can love unconditionally, regardless of what God or society deems acceptable. They ask if someone can love the simple things in life, like flowers and soil, until the true essence of a person is revealed. The chorus reinforces the idea that the singer has both good and evil inside them, but is willing to meld with another person if they are truly compatible.

Line by Line Meaning

Only someone running
Only someone who is constantly moving and seeking new experiences

Would run right into me
Will unexpectedly enter my life

Unless that someone was someone free like me
Unless that person is as carefree and independent as me

There are things I will not do
There are certain things I am not willing to do

I will even be mean and cruel
I will even be unkind and harsh

And I will not stay with you
I will not remain with you

Unless you give me all of yourself
Until you fully open yourself up to me

When I was a sandy blue
In a time when things were simpler and easier

And friendship dwelled in Western true
When my friendships were honest and sincere

Smoke and pill and lovely too
When I indulged in vices and pleasures

That was before you gave of you
That was before you opened up to me and changed things