After such a whirlwind year, Sarah has returned to Los Angeles to set up ho… Read Full Bio ↴After such a whirlwind year, Sarah has returned to Los Angeles to set up house and begin work on her next solo album. The first full-length album from Sarah Winters highlights her signature heartbreaking lyrics and intimate vocals. The album, titled “Smallest Bones”, was released in April 2010 and is an assortment of love songs. Sarah’s voice is one that often catches people off guard. She’s not afraid to use her full range, and there’s a weakness in her voice that lends itself well to the heartbroken lyrics she pens. Sarah is venturesome enough to go to an awkward place vocally, whether it’s holding a note a little too long or using unusual phrasing. The way she displaces syllables is sometimes Tori Amos-like, and she also has a vocal flip like Tori’s, showing a distinct difference between upper and lower registers. On “Smallest Bones”, the vocals are immediate and exposed, having a sound similar to St. Vincent or Rachel Yamagata albums. It’s as if she’s sitting in the same room as you. Every single vowel, consonant, inhale, exhale, and spit movement is heard. The lyrics Sarah writes are often true stories from relationships past, painfully honest and painfully intimate. Sarah plays the piano in a very deliberate patterned style, similar to Kate Bush or Regina Spektor. This provides the perfect backdrop for lyrics and vocal melodies, which are the focal point of the songs.

Runaway
Sarah Winters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And I′ll always find, yeah, I'll always find something wrong
You′ve been puttin' up with my shit just way too long
I'm so gifted at finding what I don′t like the most
So I think it′s time for us to have a toast
Let's have a toast for the douchebags
Let′s have a toast for the assholes
Let's have a toast for the scumbags
Every one of them that I know

Let′s have a toast for the jerkoffs
That'll never take work off
Baby I′ve got a plan
Run away fast as you can
She'd find pictures in my email
I sent this bitch a picture of my dick
Don't know what it is with females
But I′m not too good with their shit
See I could have me a good girl
And still be addicted to them hood rats
But I just blame everything on you
′Least you know that's what I′m good at
Run away from me baby
Run away
Run away from me baby
Run away
Doesn't have to get crazy
Why can′t she just run away?
Baby I got a plan
Run away fast as you can
Never was much of a romantic
I could never take the intimacy
And I know it did damage
Plus the look in your eyes is killin' me
I guess you knew in advantage
Guess you can blame me for everything
But I don′t know how I will manage
If one day you just up and leave
I'll always find something wrong
You've been puttin′ up with my shit just way too long
I′m so gifted at finding what I don't like the most
So I think it′s time
For us to have a toast
Let's have a toast for the douchebags
Let′s have a toast for the assholes
Let's have a toast for scumbags
Every one of them that I know
Let′s have a toast for jerkoffs
That'll never take work off
Baby
I've got a plan
Run away
Run away
Run away
As fast as you can
Run away
Run away

Run away
As fast as you can

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sarah Winters's song Runaway tell a story of a toxic relationship where the singer, who is filled with insecurities and self-doubt, constantly finds faults with their partner. They are aware of their flaws but instead of trying to work on them, they deflect the blame onto their significant other. The lines "I'm so gifted at finding what I don’t like the most, so I think it's time for us to have a toast” emphasizes the self-destructive behaviour of the singer, who is aware that they are the problem but takes no steps to try and change it.

In the second verse, the singer admits to cheating and sending inappropriate pictures to someone else. They justify their actions by claiming that they are not good with females and that it's the girl's fault for not understanding them. The line "But I don't know how I will manage if one day you just up and leave" is a moment of vulnerability for the singer, showing that they do care about the relationship, but their actions and behavior have led to the possibility of their significant other leaving.

The chorus, "Run away from me baby, run away, run away from me baby" is an appeal to the girl to leave the relationship before it gets worse. The repeated line to "run away" is the singer's way of acknowledging that they are problematic and a cause for concern. Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a toxic relationship where the singer is aware of their flaws but does nothing to change, instead shifting the blame onto their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

And I’ll always find, yeah, I'll always find something wrong
I have a habit of being critical and finding flaws in everything, and it's starting to wear on you.

You’ve been puttin' up with my shit just way too long
You've been tolerating my behavior and attitude for a while now, and I understand how difficult that's been for you.

I’m so gifted at finding what I don’t like the most
I have a particular talent for pinpointing things that I dislike intensely, even if they're small or insignificant.

So I think it's time for us to have a toast
I think it's time for me to acknowledge my own flaws and shortcomings, and celebrate the fact that you've put up with me for so long.

Let’s have a toast for the douchebags
Let's raise a glass to the men who are selfish, insensitive, and generally awful partners.

Let’s have a toast for the assholes
Let's cheer for the guys who are rude, inconsiderate, and generally unpleasant to be around.

Let’s have a toast for scumbags
Let's raise a glass to the men who are dishonest, untrustworthy, and sleazy.

Every one of them that I know
I've had encounters with plenty of guys who fit into these categories.

Let's have a toast for jerkoffs
Let's celebrate the guys who are lazy, uncommitted, and unreliable.

That’ll never take work off
These are the guys who never take time off from their work or their own self-interest, even if it means neglecting their partners.

See I could have me a good girl
I could have a healthy and loving relationship with a woman who treats me well.

And still be addicted to them hood rats
But I'm still drawn to women who are irresponsible, reckless, and generally bad influences.

But I just blame everything on you
Instead of taking responsibility for my own actions and emotions, I tend to deflect and blame you for any problems that arise.

‘Least you know that's what I’m good at
At the very least, I'm good at finding fault and deflecting blame.

Run away from me baby
It would be in your best interest to leave me and this toxic relationship behind.

Run away
Just get out of here as fast as possible.

Doesn't have to get crazy
We don't need to make a huge scene, but you do need to leave.

Why can’t she just run away?
I don't understand why you haven't left me yet, given how much I've hurt you and how toxic our relationship has become.

Never was much of a romantic
I've never been very good at expressing love or affection.

I could never take the intimacy
The thought of truly connecting with you on an emotional level frightens me, so I've always held back.

And I know it did damage
I understand that my lack of emotional intimacy and inability to love properly has hurt you and damaged our relationship.

Plus the look in your eyes is killin' me
Seeing the pain and hurt that I've caused you is incredibly difficult and painful for me.

Guess you can blame me for everything
I know that I'm the one responsible for the problems that have arisen in our relationship, and that you could put all the blame on me.

But I don’t know how I will manage
I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle it if you decide to leave me.

If one day you just up and leave
I'm aware that one day you may leave me behind, whether I'm ready for it or not.

As fast as you can
Just leave as quickly as possible, for your own sake.

Writer(s): Peter Phillips, Mike Dean, Kanye West, Malik Yusef El Shabbaz Jones, Jeff Bhasker, Terrence Thornton, Emile Haynie, John Roger Branch

Contributed by Logan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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