She moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991 with the goal of becoming a country artist. Songwriter Harlan Howard heard Sara as she sung a demo of one of his songs, "Tiger By the Tail" at County Q Studios**, and decided she should sing his music. She went under contract with RCA.
In 1997 Evans released her first album Three Chords and the Truth. Critics praised the album for returning to traditional country and recognized it on many of their top ten of the year lists. Unfortunately, it did not catch on with country radio at the time and none of the three singles made the top 40.
In 1998 Evans released her sophomore album No Place That Far. Critics slammed her for choosing a more pop/country oriented album. Her first single "Cryin' Game" hardly charted. It would be her next single "No Place That Far," a duet with Vince Gill, that would be her first number one single. The album has been certified gold. She actually had been a backup singer for Vince Gill, which definitely played a role in showcasing her talents and leading her ever growing popularity and success.
Evans released her "make it or break it" album, Born To Fly in 2000. Her first single "Born To Fly" hit the number one spot and proved to be her biggest hit until "Suds in the Bucket." The hits kept coming in as her next single "I Could Not Ask For More" hit the number two spot. "Saints and Angels," Evans' favorite song on the album, hit the number sixteen spot and the last single "I Keep Looking" made it to the number five spot. Thus far, the album has been certified double platinum.
Evans led the pack as the most nominated artist at the 2001 Country Music Association awards with seven nominations, and won her first CMA award when her song “Born to Fly” won the award for Video of the Year.
In 2003 Evans released Restless. This album showed her versatility as the songs combined different genres such as country, pop, blues, and soul. The album's first single "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus" went to number sixteen. The next single, "Perfect," went to number two. The next single "Suds in the Bucket" went to number one and became her biggest hit since "Born to Fly" and quickly became a fan favorite among her songs. The next single "Tonight" failed to reach the top 40. Restless has been certified platinum.
In 2004 Evans was the most played female singer on country music radio thanks to singles such as "Suds in the Bucket" and "Perfect."
In 2005, Sara Evans struck gold with the country ballad "A Real Fine Place to Start". With help from this single her album Real Fine Place was propelled to No.1 on the top of the country charts and No. 3 on the pop charts with over 130,000 copies sold in the first week, nearly tripling the sales from her last album debut Restless. Real Fine Place was the best debuting album of her career. The single from the album stood on top of the Billboard and Radio and Record Charts for two weeks. Evans was nominated for two CMA awards, including the prestigious "Female Vocalist of the Year" and prized "Musical Event of the Year" (the latter in part due to her duet with Brad Paisley, "New Again"). However, she lost in both categories. Sara went on the road with Brad Paisley and newcomers Sugarland on Brad's "Time Well Wasted Tour". Her current single "Cheatin'" has quickly become the fastest rising single of her career. Real Fine Place has recently been certified gold.
On December 6, 2005 Sara released Feels Like Home through Cracker Barrel stores. The album consists of alternate versions of some of her most memorable songs. For example, there is an acoustic version of "No Place That Far," a live version of "Born To Fly," and several other versions of her most popular songs.
If I Run
Sara Evans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can forever change the way you see love
But ask anyone who's had it broken more than once
They'll say it's twice as hard to get your heart to trust
So baby, can you tell me this
Can I count on all your promises
Are you gonna be the one that sticks
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
I don't wanna make you feel bad
Or make you pay for the past
I'm so sorry that sometimes
I get twisted up
I'm not saying that I doubt the way you feel
I'm not saying what you're saying isn't real
I just really wanna know the deal
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
And if I'm broken
Feeling hopeless
I gotta know it
Really know it
Yeah, oh
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
Oh, if I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
Baby, if I run
If I run
Sara Evans's song If I Run is a ballad about a woman's struggle with trust in a relationship. The lyrics speak to the pain of past heartbreaks and the difficulty in fully entrusting oneself to another person. The chorus presents a series of questions that the singer is asking her partner: if she were to run away, would he chase after her? If she were lost and in need of help, would he come and find her? The chorus ends with a plea for reassurance: "If I'm broken / Feeling hopeless / I gotta know it / Really know it".
The verses of the song delve deeper into the singer's personal struggles with trust and her fear of being hurt. The first verse suggests that multiple heartbreaks can make it even harder to trust again. The singer is questioning whether her partner's promises are reliable or if he will be like others in the past who have let her down. In the second verse, she expresses her regret with becoming "twisted up" and creating doubt in the relationship, but she still needs to know if her partner is truly committed to supporting her through her struggles.
Overall, If I Run is a poignant expression of the difficulties that come with developing trust in a relationship after past heartbreaks. Evans's powerful vocals and the emotional lyrics make this song a resonant ballad for anyone who has experienced such struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
You know they say that your first heartbreak
It's believed that when a person first experiences heartbreak, it changes the way they view love.
Can forever change the way you see love
That first heartbreak can have a lasting effect on one's perception of love.
But ask anyone who's had it broken more than once
However, those who have been heartbroken multiple times will tell you that it becomes even harder to trust.
They'll say it's twice as hard to get your heart to trust
Multiple heartbreaks can make it twice as difficult to believe in the sincerity of others.
So baby, can you tell me this
Addressing her partner, the artist asks a question.
Can I count on all your promises
She wants to know if she can truly rely on her partner's commitments.
Are you gonna be the one that sticks
She wants to know if her partner is in it for the long haul.
I don't wanna make you feel bad
The artist expresses a desire to avoid causing negative feelings for her partner.
Or make you pay for the past
She doesn't want to hold her partner responsible for previous relationship experiences.
I'm so sorry that sometimes
The artist voices remorse for times when she's been overwhelmed.
I get twisted up
She feels that sometimes she gets confused or disoriented.
I'm not saying that I doubt the way you feel
The artist clarifies that she doesn't doubt her partner's emotions.
I'm not saying what you're saying isn't real
Her partner's feelings are genuine and valid, according to the singer.
I just really wanna know the deal
She simply wants some reassurance and clarity about their relationship.
And if I'm broken
The singer addresses the possibility of a future moment when she's emotionally overwhelmed.
Feeling hopeless
That overwhelming emotion could be a feeling of hopelessness.
I gotta know it
She needs to know if her partner is truly committed to being there for her.
Really know it
The singer emphasizes the importance of her partner's support during difficult times.
If I run
The chorus begins, with the singer posing hypothetical scenarios to her partner.
Baby, will you chase me
She wants to know if her partner will follow her if she runs away.
Be the one who wants to save me
The artist seeks reassurance that her partner cares about her wellbeing and wants to help her.
Never walk away no matter what
She wants to know if her partner will stay by her side through thick and thin.
If I was lost
The singer poses another hypothetical situation.
Would you come and find me
She wants to know if her partner will come search for her if she's lost.
When I forget would you remind me
She wonders if her partner will help her remember who she is when she's lost her way.
Who I am will always be enough
She affirms that her partner's love and support are all she needs to feel grounded and secure.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: KARYN ROCHELLE, SARA EVANS, SHANE STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gina Dale
You know they say that your first heartbreak
Can forever change the way you see love
But ask anyone who's had it broken more than once
They'll say it's twice as hard to get your heart to trust
So baby, can you tell me this
Can I count on all your promises
Are you gonna be the one that sticks
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
I don't wanna make you feel bad
Or make you pay for the past
I'm so sorry that sometimes
I get twisted up
I'm not saying that I doubt the way you feel
I'm not saying what you're saying isn't real
I just really wanna know the deal
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
And if I'm broken
Feeling hopeless
I gotta know it
Really know it
Yeah, oh
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
Oh, if I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
Baby, if I run
If I run
Jamie Rice
Absolutely love this one!!! You're an amazing singer!
Kathleen Woodruff
Love this song and this album, Sara u rock!!
John Giblin
You look just like her...:)
Gina Dale
You know they say that your first heartbreak
Can forever change the way you see love
But ask anyone who's had it broken more than once
They'll say it's twice as hard to get your heart to trust
So baby, can you tell me this
Can I count on all your promises
Are you gonna be the one that sticks
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
I don't wanna make you feel bad
Or make you pay for the past
I'm so sorry that sometimes
I get twisted up
I'm not saying that I doubt the way you feel
I'm not saying what you're saying isn't real
I just really wanna know the deal
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
If I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
And if I'm broken
Feeling hopeless
I gotta know it
Really know it
Yeah, oh
If I run
Baby, will you chase me
Be the one who wants to save me
Never walk away no matter what
Oh, if I was lost
Would you come and find me
When I forget would you remind me
Who I am will always be enough
If I run
If I run
Baby, if I run
If I run
MrJustDIY
Great music Sara like always.
lauryn giesler
Amazing song! 😊😊😍
Myron Manuel
I love this album...
cyndi hart
I was in my car driving when this song came on made me cry.... Love it..
Roberta Shubert
Best song on the new album!!!! Saw her in concert last month. AMAZING!!!
Roberta Shubert
Michigan Feb 14, 2014
She is truly a gifted singer.