In 2009 the bands went on to make a split single, "Can't Stop Rockin'", in order to support their current tour. The single includes, besides the title track, both "Blue Collar Man" and "Roll With The Changes" from the "Arch Allies" album.
Renegade
Styx & REO Speedwagon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my running
And I'm so far from my home
Oh, Mama, I can hear you a crying
You're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long (yeah)
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Nevermore to go astray
This will be the end today of the wanted man
Oh, Mama, I've been years on the lam
And had a high price on my head
Lawman said, "Get him dead or alive"
Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear Mama, I can hear you a crying
You're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Nevermore to go astray
The judge will have revenge today
On the wanted man
Oh, Mama, I'm in fear for my life
From the long arm of the law
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
And I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Nevermore to go astray
This will be the end today of the wanted man
The wanted man
And I don't wanna go, no-no
Mama, don't let 'em take me!
Hey, hey
No, no, no, I can't go
The lyrics of Renegade by Styx & REO Speedwagon depicts the story of a man who has been living as a fugitive for years and has finally been caught by the authorities. The man is in fear for his life and feels remorse for his actions, realizing that he won't be able to go back home or see his mother again. He's resigned to his fate as a criminal and knows that the hangman is coming for him. The chorus repeats the phrase "this jig is up, the news is out, they've finally found me" emphasizing that the fugitive has been caught and that his days are numbered.
The song highlights the idea of justice and how it's always served in the end. The "renegade" who once "had it made" is now being punished for his wrongdoings, and the judge is seeking revenge. The singer portrays the mother as a figure of sorrow, showing the emotional impact of crime on loved ones.
The song was released in 1978 on the Styx album "Pieces of Eight." It became a hit and rose to number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Since then, the song has been used in various movies, TV shows, and commercials. Billboard even voted it as the 87th biggest song of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Mama I'm in fear for my life
I am terrified and worried about my life
From the long arm of the law
From the authority who enforces the law
Lawman has put an end to my running
The officer has stopped me from running away
And I'm so far from my home
I am very far away from my home
Oh mama I can hear you a crying
I can hear you cry and it breaks my heart
You're so scared and all alone
You are scared and alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows
The executioner is coming to hang me
And I don't have very long
I am running out of time
This jig is up the news is out
My luck has run out and everyone knows
They've finally found me
They have finally caught me
The renegade who had it made
The outlaw who thought he had it all
Retrieved for a bounty
Captured for the reward money
Never more to go astray
I will never run away again
This will be the end today of the wanted man
Today marks the end of the man who was wanted
Oh mama I've been years on the lam
I have been on the run for years
And had a high price on my head
There was a large reward for my capture
Lawman said get him dead or alive
Officer ordered to capture me, dead or alive
Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
I am certain that the lawman will kill me
The judge will have revenge today
The judge will seek justice and punish me
On the wanted man
On me, the man who was wanted
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tommy R. Shaw
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bighairycanary
Oh, Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Law man has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
Oh, Mama I can hear you a-cryin', you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This will be the end today
Of the wanted man
Oh, Mama, I've been years on the lam and had a high price on my head
Lawman said, 'Get him dead or alive.' Now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear Mama, I can hear you cryin', you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
The judge will have revenge today
On the wanted man
Oh, Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They've finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This will be the end today
Of the wanted man
The wanted man
And I don't wanna go, oh, no
Oh, Mama, don't let them take me
No, no, no, I can't go
Hey, hey
@Zangetsu666
Lyrics:
Oh mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
Oh mama, I can hear your crying you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up the news is out they've finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This will be the end today of the wanted man
Oh mama, I've been years on the lam and had a high price on my head
Lawman said get him dead or alive now it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear mama, I can hear you crying you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out they finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
The judge'll have revenge today on the wanted man
Oh mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out they finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This'll be the end today of the wanted man, the wanted man
I don't want to go oh No
No, no, no, no
Oh mama, don't let him take me
Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no, no
@campbellsoup93
Every time I hear this song I think of my dad yelling "YEEEAAAHH!" at the top of his lungs while we were driving and this was playing on the radio. I knew it was coming, but I wasn't expecting him to scream it. Scared the shit out of me. Good memory.
@tokmetaljeebus25
It's the right way to listen to the song after all
@smill1985
HA HA HA!
@kayjackson8922
thats GREAT!!!
@maestroh2986
BWAHAHA, that just made my night!
@InformationIsTheEdge
campbellsoup93 Your quick memory here made me laugh so hard it hurt my throat. Thank you!
@troysuza2065
One of the best vocal openings of all time.
@kenrutherford1109
I agree!
@theymademepickaname1248
Yeaaaaaaah!
@deusluxmeaest8400
Cough cough
Halo song......