Mr. Little Jeans (born Monica Birkenes) is a Norwegian born singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Mr. Little Jeans (born Monica Birkenes) is a Norwegian born singer-songwriter based in London, England. Birkenes grew up in rural Grimstad, daughter of a ship-builder and secretary who discouraged television, so she performed in the town’s family-oriented plays and musical events. At 18, she moved to London and eventually signed to Neon Gold. In 2010, Birkenes released the Rescue Song and Angel EP. Her album debut, Pocketknife, was released by Harvest in 2014 to favorable reviews.

Her pseudonym comes from Kumar Pallana's character in Wes Anderson's "Rushmore."

Don’t Run
Mr. Little Jeans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fading moon is blocking the sun
Little shadows out on the run

Tell him there is nothing to find
But stone

Don't run
Cut it open

Sever it soft and slowly
Cut it open
Don't run
Two empty never means left lonely

Already under already here
So why wait and see
No four-leaf clover's gonna save us
Gonna let us be
Breathe in the water
You can see it seeping right on through
No four-leaf clover's gonna save us
Gonna make us new

Help won't come
Say it's done
Breaking glass
We wait to walk
We wait to walk

Lose your grip before I lose mine
Paperback-love closing the blinds
Wear it like a hanger our skeleton

Don't run
Cut it open
Sever it soft and slowly
Cut it open
Don't run
Two empty never means left lonely

Don't run
Cut it open
Sever it soft and slowly
Cut it open
Don't run
Two empty never means left lonely

I break
Till we walk
I break
Till we walk

(Don't run
Cut it open
Sever it soft and slowly
Cut it open

Don't run
Two empty never means left lonely)

Overall Meaning

The first stanza of Mr. Little Jeans's "Don't Run" addresses a possible situation of people trying to hide from something - as seen by the "little shadows out on the run". The singer is personalizing the situation by addressing someone, asking that they remain calm and not be afraid since there is nothing to find but stone. It could be interpreted as a metaphor indicating that there is no need to worry about an upcoming problem, the singer believing that the situation is already set in stone and trying to assure someone, possibly a friend or partner, about it. This situation is, however, not met positively implying that there might be a disagreement, tension or a sense of uncertainty that the singer is trying to unleash.

In the second stanza, the singer offers a solution, advising them not to run. He or she then offers the possibility of severing the "it" slowly and softly, which could be interpreted as a solution to be brave and face the problem. It suggests that facing the problem or challenge slowly and calmly, avoiding panicking, will make it easier to come up with a long-lasting solution. The singer is reassuring the listener and emphasizing that being alone doesn't equate to loneliness, thus promoting self-reliance.

The bridge reinforces the message of facing problems without running away since running will not save anyone from difficulty. It introduces the concept of humility as the voice encourages listeners to breathe in water and feel it seeping through, emphasizing the need to face and embrace challenges boldly.

Line by Line Meaning

Fading moon is blocking the sun
The moon is slowly disappearing and obscuring the blazing sun

Little shadows out on the run
Small silhouettes running frantically in the gloom

Tell him there is nothing to find
Inform the searcher that there is nothing to discover

But stone
Only the cold, hard rock remains

Don't run
Stop fleeing and face the problem

Cut it open
Open it to exposure

Sever it soft and slowly
Separate it carefully and gradually

Cut it open
Cut it to reveal

Don't run
Don't flee in terror

Two empty never means left lonely
Lacking companionship doesn't equate to being lonely

Already under already here
It's already present and it's already happening