Dé Danann were first to find her - see her web site www.mauraoconnell.com for more information.
When We Ran
Maura O'Connell Lyrics
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Could have been the death of me
Could have been that I was just too scared
To wait around and see
You could have been a guardian angle
I could have been the wicked one
Besides the buttons on our shirts, girl,
When we ran
When we ran
When we ran
When we ran
Was it just the time slippin' through our hands?
Right through our hands
Maybe I was tryin' to tell ya
I'd never known a love so strong
Maybe in the shadows of the night
We just couldn't tell right from wrong
Maybe its a real-life story
Livin' with the sad regrets
Maybe it was just a sweet dream baby
Somethin' that I can't forget
When we ran
when we ran
when we ran
Was it just the time slippin' through our hands?
You only had to say the word
I would have turned around and heard
But as it is we can't turn back
The mind's just a trash can, baby
And the memories, rolling dice
We had something one time, girl,
But we thought about it twice
When we ran
when we ran
When we ran
When we ran
We ran
we ran
we ran
When we ran
When we ran
Maura O'Connell’s song “When We Ran” is a poignant reflection on a love that never was. The song tells the story of two people who met and fell for each other, but for some reason, decided not to pursue their feelings. “Could have been the kiss of my life, could have been the death of me,” the lyrics begin, setting the stage for a love that was potentially dangerous, but somehow irresistible.
The first verse suggests that the singer was too scared to wait around and see what might happen with this person. The second verse is more reflective, with the singer wondering whether they might have been the “wicked one” and the other person a “guardian angel”. The chorus repeats the phrase “when we ran” four times, emphasizing the speed and urgency with which the two people rushed away from each other.
The third verse is more melancholic, with the singer questioning whether they might have missed out on something special. The chorus repeats again, with the added line, “we ran, we ran, we ran”. The last verse is rueful, with the singer acknowledging that they could have turned back if they’d wanted to, but now it’s too late. The final chorus repeats one last time, the words “when we ran” haunting and wistful.
Overall, the song is a beautiful meditation on lost love, regret, and the passage of time. It’s a reminder that sometimes, love doesn’t work out the way we want it to, and that we have to live with the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Could have been the kiss of my life
That moment could have been the highlight of my life.
Could have been the death of me
That moment could have been the finale of my life.
Could have been that I was just too scared
It's possible that I was simply fearful.
To wait around and see
So, I chose not to wait and watch what happened next.
You could have been a guardian angle
You had the potential to be a protector and helper.
I could have been the wicked one
In contrast, I could have played the sinister role.
Besides the buttons on our shirts, girl,
Apart from the buttons on our clothing, my dear,
What else did we leave undone?
What other things did we fail to complete?
When we ran
At the time when we decided to flee.
Was it just the time slippin' through our hands?
Did it feel like we were letting time slip away?
Maybe I was tryin' to tell ya
Perhaps I was attempting to explain to you,
I'd never known a love so strong
That I had never experienced such an intense love before.
Maybe in the shadows of the night
It's possible that in the cover of darkness,
We just couldn't tell right from wrong
We were unsure of what was right versus what was wrong.
Maybe its a real-life story
Perhaps it's an actual incident that occurred in our lives.
Livin' with the sad regrets
Now, we are living with sorrowful remorse.
Maybe it was just a sweet dream baby
Maybe it was nothing more than a delightful fantasy, my dear.
Somethin' that I can't forget
Something that I can't erase from my memory.
You only had to say the word
All you had to do was utter the word,
I would have turned around and heard
And I would have stopped and listened.
But as it is we can't turn back
But now, unfortunately, we cannot go back.
The mind's just a trash can, baby
The brain is merely a garbage can, my love
And the memories, rolling dice
And the memories are like the outcome of a game of chance.
We had something one time, girl,
We had a special bond at some point, my lady,
But we thought about it twice
But, we had second thoughts about it.
We ran
We fled the scene.
we ran
We ran away from everything.
we ran
We ran without looking back.
When we ran
At the time when we decided to flee.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind