In mid-1977 the band moved to the UK, where it became apparent that they and their label had different ideas as to how they should be marketed. EMI planned to sell The Saints as a typical punk band complete with ripped clothes. The Saints insisted on wearing collared shirts and sweaters, and left their hair long. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Chris Bailey, guitarist Ed Kuepper and Ivor Hay on drums with Kym Bradshaw and later Algy Ward on bass.
Kuepper, Hay and Ward left the band in 1978, but Chris Bailey continued touring and recording as The Saints with a revolving line-up of musicians throughout the 80's including the late Janine Hall on bass. The Saints' commercial breakthrough into the US came in 1986 with the album "All Fools Day", with the video for "Just Like Fire Would" receiving airplay on MTV.
After releasing a couple of records under his own name, Bailey reformed The Saints in 1996. Once again without any of the other founding members but they have reunited occasionally to perform live. The Saints music could often be heard in the background during episodes of Neighbours in the 1990's!
The current line-up is:
Chris Bailey - Guitar and vocals
Caspar Wijnberg - Bass
Peter Wilkinson - Drums
Other bands:
2) A Reggae Band.
3) Polish klezmer band from Cracow.
4) Saints (sans The) is an experimental group from Goleta, CA.
5) '60s British band recorded by Joe Meek.
6) An American 60's uptown soul group.
Run Down
The Saints Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
front cover stuff
you're a scream
posed in such a careful way
there is nothing you can't do
you think you have seen it all
got pictures habging on your wall
fame is nothing new to you
You're rundown now out of time
don't want to hear the same old line
c'mon now my little friend
don't you know now that this is the end
Call up the chaueffer & the hire car
down the west end to your favorite bar
talk is going to save you life
before the pills can go too far
You're lost in a masquerade
old girls live on they never fade
fame is nothing new to you
but the good old days are through.
You're rundown etc etc...
Call up you managers & your friends
no one wants to see you
but they pretend
You're such a star
& we all live for you
Night time can't bear to be alone
so find yourself a crowd until the dawn
fame is nothing new for you
but the good old days are through
You're rundown etc etc...
The lyrics to The Saints' song Run Down are about the emptiness and loneliness that can come with fame and success. The singer describes someone who is like a "magazine front cover" in their image and persona, with fans who think they have "seen it all" and pictures hanging on their wall. The song reflects on the fatigue and consequence of the celebrity lifestyle by saying "but the good old days are through", indicating that things can only go downhill from here. The refrain repeats "You're rundown now out of time/don't want to hear the same old line", highlighting the singer's frustration with the subject's inability to change their ways.
The call to action in the song suggests reaching out for help: "Call up the chauffeur & the hire car/down the west end to your favorite bar/talk is going to save your life/before the pills can go too far". The singer believes that talking to someone can be a solution to preventing the subject's self-destruction. However, the remaining lyrics suggest that the subject is too far gone, surrounded by sycophantic enablers who pretend to care.
Overall, the song is a meditation on the price of fame and the toll it takes on individuals who pursue it. The lyrics are poignant and reflective, with a definite edge of bitterness and frustration at the situation. The music is passionate and high-energy, with a driving punk rock beat that matches the urgency of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You are just like a magazine
You present a carefully chosen image of yourself, like a glossy magazine cover.
Front cover stuff
You are the epitome of what people deem as perfect and desirable.
You're a scream
You're highly amusing or entertaining (perhaps deliberately).
Posed in such a careful way
You craft your image very carefully, in order to present a specific persona to the world.
There is nothing you can't do
You believe nothing is beyond your capabilities.
You think you have seen it all
You believe that you have already experienced everything there is to experience.
Got pictures hanging on your wall
You display photographs or images of yourself and your accomplishments.
Fame is nothing new to you
You are accustomed to being recognized and receiving attention for your accomplishments.
But the good old days are through
You've passed your peak and can no longer rely on the same level of success.
You're rundown now out of time
You're experiencing a decline in your career or status, and you're running out of time to turn things around.
Don't want to hear the same old line
You're tired of hearing platitudes and empty promises.
C'mon now my little friend
You're being addressed in a patronizing way, probably by someone who used to look up to you.
Don't you know now that this is the end
You're at the end of the road, and it's time to accept that your time in the spotlight is over.
Call up the chauffeur & the hire car
You're trying to hold onto your status by showing off your wealth and indulging in a luxurious lifestyle.
Down the west end to your favorite bar
You're going to a trendy or exclusive venue to be seen and admired.
Talk is going to save your life
Sharing your problems and feelings may help you avoid a destructive path.
Before the pills can go too far
You're at risk of becoming overly reliant on substances to cope, and it's important to address this before it gets worse.
You're lost in a masquerade
You're putting on a show or facade for others, but on the inside you feel lost and disconnected.
Old girls live on they never fade
Other people who've been in the same position as you have adjusted to their decline and moved on.
Call up your managers & your friends
You're reaching out to the people who used to help you maintain your status, but who are now less reliable.
No one wants to see you, but they pretend
Your associates are no longer interested in your work or your company, but they're pretending to be for their own benefit.
You're such a star & we all live for you
You're being flattered and praised for your past accomplishments, but it's not sincere.
Night time can't bear to be alone
You're afraid of being alone with your thoughts or feelings, and seek the company of others to distract yourself.
So find yourself a crowd until the dawn
You're using others as a crutch, and hoping the feeling of belonging will help dispel your anxiety or emptiness.
Fame is nothing new for you
You're no stranger to receiving accolades or attention for your accomplishments.
But the good old days are through
Your glory days are in the past and you must accept that it's time to move on.
You're rundown etc etc...
A repetition of the chorus, emphasizing that your decline is inevitable and irreversible.
Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.