Produced by New Order.
Released January 1989 on Technique.
Notes John Denver successfully sued the band for this song's similarity to his own Leaving On A Jet Plane. As a result, the remixed single version (entitled Run 2) has never been allowed to be re-released.
Run
New Order Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why won't you answer me
I can't recall the day that I last heard from you
Well you don't get a town like this for nothing
So here's what you've got to do
You work your way to the top of the world
Then you break your life in two
When you've got what you don't need
Anyone would think you were hardened too
What do you want me to believe
What the hell is happening
I can't think of everything
I don't know what day it is
Or who I'm talking to
But I know that I'm ok
'Cause you're here with me today
I haven't got a single problem
Now that I'm with you
So what's the use in complaining
When you've got everything you need
Anyone would think you were hardened too
What do you want me to believe
The song "Run 2" by New Order is a complex and deeply introspective piece of music that touches on themes such as loneliness, isolation, and disillusionment. The lyrics suggest a sense of detachment that can arise from striving toward success and reaching the pinnacle of one's career, realizing that the journey is ultimately an empty one. The singer is pleading with a partner who has seemingly disappeared, asking them to clarify their intentions and to offer some indication of what is happening in his life.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is confused and searching for answers, unable to remember the last time he heard from his partner. He then offers some advice to new arrivals in a town that offers limitless opportunities: work your way to the top of the world, and then break your life in two. This line suggests a certain nihilistic cynicism about what it means to achieve success in a competitive, capitalist society.
As the song progresses, the singer questions why he should bother complaining when he has everything he needs, and yet he still feels unfulfilled. The final lines offer a glimmer of hope, that maybe everything will be okay as long as his partner is with him. However, the song as a whole suggests that even with love, it can be difficult to find meaning and purpose in life.
Overall, "Run 2" is a powerful meditation on the complexities and contradictions of modern life, expressed through the lens of a romantic relationship. It speaks to the ways that we can feel lost, even when we achieve our goals, and the difficulties of connecting with others when we feel detached from ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Answer me
Please respond to me
Why won't you answer me
I don't understand why you're not responding
I can't recall the day that I last heard from you
It's been so long since I heard from you that I can't remember when
Well you don't get a town like this for nothing
This town has value and didn't come about by chance
So here's what you've got to do
I'm going to tell you what you need to do
You work your way to the top of the world
You need to strive for success and reach the highest level
Then you break your life in two
But success often comes at a cost and may require significant sacrifice
Well what's the use in complaining
There's no point in expressing dissatisfaction
When you've got what you don't need
Especially when you already have everything you could possibly want
Anyone would think you were hardened too
Others might perceive you as emotionally tough
What do you want me to believe
What is the truth and what should I take to heart?
What the hell is happening
I'm confused and don't understand what's going on
I can't think of everything
I can't keep track of every detail or possibility
I don't know what day it is
I'm so disoriented that I can't even remember what day it is
Or who I'm talking to
Or even who I'm currently conversing with
But I know that I'm ok
Despite all this confusion, I'm still feeling alright
'Cause you're here with me today
Because you're here with me right now
I haven't got a single problem
There isn't a single issue bothering me at the current moment
Now that I'm with you
Thanks to your presence
So what's the use in complaining
Again, there's really no point in voicing frustration
When you've got everything you need
Especially when you already possess all you could ever desire
Anyone would think you were hardened too
Others might perceive you as being tough-minded
What do you want me to believe
So what is the truth here, and what am I supposed to believe?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, JOHN DENVER, PETER HOOK, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@japagirl
Answer me
Why won't you answer me
I can't recall the day that I last heard from you
Well you don't get a town like this for nothing
So here's what you've got to do
You work your way to the top of the world
Then you break your life in two
Well what's the use in complaining
When you've got what you don't need
Anyone would think you were hard done to
What do you want me to believe
What the hell is happening
I can't think of everything
I don't know what day it is
Or who I'm talking to
But I know that I'm ok
'Cause you're here with me today
I haven't got a single problem
Now that I'm with you
So what's the use in complaining
When you've got everything you need
Anyone would think you were hard done to
What do you want me to believe
@joeywright8431
Love this song. The bass is perfect,whole song is perfect.
@mdf7215
Truly an amazing band. They have such a special place in my heart.
@autoecolelamusardiere59
Chanson incroyable de New Order, encore une, et ce clip, clairement leur chef d'oeuvre, tout est parfait, avec cette jeune fille époustouflante qui parvient à tout éclipser, même David Warrilow !
@telophasemusic
Probably my second favorite song off of Technique.
And for some inexplicable reason, the video for this one always gets me a bit emotional.
Maybe it's the rising synth arrangement and John Denver-pastiche guitar playing. Or Barney's earnest vocal delivery of some of his finest lyricism on the record; interspersed with live footage of the band that creates a strange nostalgia im too young to feel in a proper context.
or maybe it's the fact that the girl in the video reminds me of my younger sister who i haven't seen in a long time, and the old man is dressed like how my granddad used to, and the fact that this song reminds me of when they were still around.
Who knows? Emotions are weird
@MrBeen992
Its the John Denver ripoff riff
@rumplestiltskin5443
@Hansel McDonald curious . . What JDenver song. I grew up with JD. There is another song on this album that has a very similar bass riff to the Gorillas song ARES featuring new order’s bass player.
@MrBeen992
@rumple stilt skin "Leaving On A Jet Plane"
@rumplestiltskin5443
@Hansel McDonald evidently they thought enuf to bring suit . . And it was settled. For what remains unknown.
It’s Peter Hooks base beat in the Gorillas’ ARES that sounds similar to a New order song.
Cheers
@rumplestiltskin5443
@Hansel McDonald my bad. John Denver got a “writer share” for “inadvertently copying”
@raulgovea665
I love it so profoundly, one of their best songs ever ❤️🔊🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶