Williams and White met in 2008, during a song-writing session or "writing camp" at a music studio in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Williams, the idea for the band's name came as she "was driving around town looking at all the Civil War monuments." Their first recording was of a 2009 performance at Eddie's Attic in Georgia which they released as a free Internet download called Live at Eddie's Attic. Later that year, they released a digital extended-play album, called Poison & Wine, produced by Charlie Peacock, and the title song appeared on the TV show Grey's Anatomy.
In 2011, The Civil Wars released the album Barton Hollow; which reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 54 on the UK Albums Chart and received Grammy nominations in the Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance categories. The album was included on several critics' Best Albums of 2011 lists, including NPR Music, Paste, Time, Associated Press, AllMusic.com The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and USA Today. They released the singles "Tracks in the Snow" and "Safe & Sound".
In 2012, The Civil Wars partnered with T-Bone Burnett on the film score for the documentary A Place At The Table (previously known as Finding North) and collaborated on the song "Lily Love" with The Chieftains. They released a 7" vinyl album with cover versions of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Portishead's "Sour Times" in April. The duo was featured in American Way magazine, USA Today, on the cover of Billboard, and released a photo book called To Whom It May Concern.
In November 2012, the duo went on hiatus, citing "internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition". In August 2014, The Civil Wars announced an official break-up through press release.
Kingdom Come
The Civil Wars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buy yourself another day
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
So low only you can hear
Run, run, run and hide
Somewhere no one else can find
Tall trees bend and lean pointing where to go
Where you will still be all alone
It'll all be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
Run fast as you can
No one has to understand
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come
Fall back down to where you're from
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll all be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, for you
Don't you fret, my dear (don't you fret, my dear)
It'll all be over soon (it'll all be over soon)
I'll be waiting here
Don't you fret, my dear
Oh, it'll be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, for you (run, run, run away)
(Run, run, run away)
The lyrics to The Civil Wars' song Kingdom Come set a tone of desperation and urgency. It is about someone who is struggling with their current situation and needs an escape. The song opens with the lines "Run, run, run away, buy yourself another day" which creates an indication of running away from a difficult environment to seek refuge for a while. The second verse suggests that it is the surrounding environment that is causing unease for the singer. They want to escape to a place where they can be alone and avoid the pressures of society. The whispering cold wind is a metaphor for the secrets of the world that only the singer is aware of.
The chorus of the song acts as both a message of hope and despair. The singer tells their subject not to worry as they will be waiting for them when they return, yet the lines “no one has to understand” and “fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come” suggest that even the singer acknowledges the improbability of finding a peaceful and happy escape. The song ends where it begins, imploring the subject to run away while reassuring them that the singer will be waiting for them. Overall, it seems like the singer wants to provide comfort to the subject by showing that they aren't alone in their struggles and that they will do their best to offer support.
Line by Line Meaning
Run, run, run away
Escape from your troubles as fast as you can
Buy yourself another day
Delay the inevitable by any means necessary
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and fear
So low only you can hear
These feelings and thoughts are only affecting you
Run, run, run and hide
Find a secluded place away from danger
Somewhere no one else can find
No one else can help or understand your situation
Tall trees bend and lean pointing where to go
Nature is guiding you towards the right path
Where you will still be all alone
Even if you follow nature's guidance, you will still be on your own
Don't you fret, my dear
Don't worry, everything will be okay
It'll all be over soon
This suffering will come to an end eventually
I'll be waiting here for you
You have someone who cares and will support you
Run fast as you can
Move with all your might
No one has to understand
Your struggles are yours alone
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come
Visualize a better future far away
Fall back down to where you're from
Realize that you still have to face reality
Oh, it'll be over soon
The end is near, keep going
For you, for you
This journey is for yourself, no one else
Run, run, run away
Escape from your troubles as fast as you can
(Run, run, run away)
Reiterating the need to escape
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOY WILLIAMS, JOHN WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Agnese
Run, run, run away
Buy yourself another day
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
So low only you can hear
Run, run, run and hide
Somewhere no one else can find
Tall trees bend and lean pointing where to go
Where you will still be all alone
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll all be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
Run fast as you can
No one has to understand
Fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come
Fall back down to where you're from
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll all be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, for you
Don't you fret, my dear
(Don't you fret, my dear)
It'll all be over soon
(It'll all be over soon)
I'll be waiting here
Don't you fret, my dear
It'll be over soon
I'll be waiting here for you
For you, For you
Run, Run, Run Away
Run, Run, Run Away
Lily Ann Queriones
Me in 2020 Still listening to this great amazing nice song
Jaime Lannister
0
Tammy Ward
@Becca April 10th, 2022 still in love with their Hauntingly beautiful voices!! 😍 💜🎶💯
Becca
@Lily Ann Queriones 2022 :D
Lily Ann Queriones
back in 2021 ;)
Alyssa M.
I don't know if it's just me or not but, there is something kind of hauntingly beautiful about this song and I absolutely love it <3
Alicia Monroe
also, love this song.
°BiBi the Demon°
Same
Emily Ward
Alyssa M. I agree
Cleveland A White
You're right- hauntingly, if maybe you think being chased by a powerful "witch" coven is haunting but beautiful, maybe because the song is about an event that served a purpose. Atlantis(water) & Lemuria(seed)!