Howard and Crisp met while in college in Wilmington, North Carolina. That fall, they moved to nearby Raleigh to form The Rosebuds. Merge Records discovered their demo in early 2003 and released Make Out as a full-length debut album that October.
The Rosebuds Unwind EP, an EP with six songs, was released in April 2005, followed by Birds Make Good Neighbors in September. Night of the Furies was released in April 2007 and "Life Like" in October 2008.
The Rosebuds will release their next album in the summer of 2011 on Merge Records.
I Better Run
The Rosebuds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm supposed to take it when she's dead
My aunt Diane has a lifetime right
I'll have to tell her if she's still alive
She's probably dead but dead in a secret place
From drugs, dirty murder or some such thing
Under a bridge, in a trailer or in the woods
I better run
I better run
I think my father built an awful flame
He burned his eyes, his mouth, it burned his brain
Now he writes songs about his made up life
At least I think so if he's still alive
He's probably dead but dead in a secret place
From drugs, dirty murder or some such thing
Under a bridge, in a trailer or in the woods
I've got to leave, yeah, I think I should
I better run, I better run
I better run, I better run
I better run, I better run
I better run, I better run
I better run, I better run
The lyrics to The Rosebuds's song I Better Run are introspective and contemplative, telling the story of two family members who have likely died, one possibly due to addiction and the other from a self-inflicted injury. The singer reveals that their grandfather has left them a piece of land and their Aunt Diane has a lifetime right to it. However, the singer believes that Aunt Diane may have already passed away – “She’s probably dead but dead in a secret place, from drugs, dirty murder or some such thing.”
The second verse reveals that the singer’s father has suffered a similar fate, “He burned his eyes, his mouth, it burned his brain / Now he writes songs about his made-up life.” The singer is left questioning the truth of their family history and the impact that addiction and mental health issues have had on their family.
The repeated line “I better run” suggests a need to distance oneself from the harsh realities of their family’s history and the narratives that have been passed down to them.
Overall, the lyrics to I Better Run explore themes of family trauma and the aftermath of addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I think my grandma has a piece of land
I believe my grandma owns a property
I'm supposed to take it when she's dead
I am expected to inherit the property upon her demise
My aunt Diane has a lifetime right
My aunt Diane owns a lifetime right to the property
I'll have to tell her if she's still alive
I should let my aunt know if she is still alive
She's probably dead but dead in a secret place
It's likely that she passed away and her death was concealed
From drugs, dirty murder or some such thing
The cause of her death is possibly due to drugs, a heinous crime or a similar reason
Under a bridge, in a trailer or in the woods
Her body could be disposed of at different locations like under a bridge, in a trailer or in the woods
I've got to leave, yeah, I think I should
I feel the need to leave the area or situation
I better run
I need to leave quickly
I think my father built an awful flame
I believe my father created a terrible situation
He burned his eyes, his mouth, it burned his brain
He suffered severe physical and mental damage from the situation
Now he writes songs about his made up life
Currently, he is composing songs about his fictitious life
At least I think so if he's still alive
I'm not sure if he is still alive or not
I better run, I better run
I need to escape the situation urgently
I better run, I better run
I must flee as soon as possible
I better run, I better run
It's necessary for me to escape promptly
I better run, I better run
I need to leave quickly to prevent any harm
I better run, I better run
Escaping is crucial for me
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ivan Howard, Kelly Crisp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind