Hit the Ground Running
Tim Finn Lyrics
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strangely silent strangely empty
His graffiti filled the subway
But where's my brother
He could keep you up for hours
in a town of wilting flowers
I can more or less continue my life
I can give in or I can try
Hit the ground running for your life
Deadly virus so few survivors
creeps up quickly leaves you darkly
But where's my brother
when you're standing shoulder to shoulder
Fear and anger make you bolder
I can more or less continue my life
I can give in or I can try
Hit the ground running
Hit the ground running for your life
He could keep you up for hours
He could keep you up for hours
I can more or less continue my life
I can give in or I can try
Hit the ground running
Hit the ground running for your life
I can always hit the street swaying
but there's no one there to catch you when you fall
Hit the ground running
Hit the ground running for your life
I went to the river on the Lower East Side
cried and cried and cried and cried
Went to the River on the Lower East Side
I cry cry cry cry cried
The lyrics to Tim Finn's song "Hit the Ground Running" evoke a sense of displacement and disorientation. The song opens with two cities that are ordinarily busy and bustling, San Francisco and New York City, being "strangely silent" and "strangely empty." The singer is searching for his brother and feels lost in a town of "wilting flowers," where everything seems to be falling apart. The establishment of this sense of loss and emptiness is reinforced by the graffiti that fills the subway. Graffiti is traditionally an act of claiming space, of making a mark on the world, but here it only serves to underscore the absence of the singer's brother.
The song then turns its attention to the deadly virus that is "creeping up quickly" and leaving people in darkness. The fear and anger elicited by the pandemic make people bolder, but the singer is still searching for his brother, who could keep him up for hours. The song then concludes with a repeated assertion that the singer can either "give in or...try" and hit the ground running for his life. This final phrase is repeated over and over, underscoring the idea that, in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, the most important thing is to keep going, to keep moving forward.
Overall, "Hit the Ground Running" is a powerful meditation on loss, fear, and resilience. The song's melancholic tone reflects the sense of dislocation that many people feel in times of crisis, while its repeated insistence on the need to keep moving forward offers a hopeful message of survival.
Line by Line Meaning
San Francisco New York City
The two famous cities are unnaturally quiet and empty.
strangely silent strangely empty
Despite being bustling cities, they feel like ghost towns with no hustle or bustle.
His graffiti filled the subway
The singer's brother left a mark in the community by leaving his art on public transit, but now he can't be found.
But where's my brother
The artist is searching for his brother who has mysteriously disappeared.
He could keep you up for hours
in a town of wilting flowers
The brother had immense energy and was a ray of sunshine in a city that felt lifeless and dull.
I can more or less continue my life
I can give in or I can try
Hit the ground running
Hit the ground running for your life
The singer has a choice: to give up or keep going. The chorus urges to keep going and fight for survival.
Deadly virus so few survivors
creeps up quickly leaves you darkly
A deadly virus has affected the city and taken many lives, leaving it in shambles.
when you're standing shoulder to shoulder
Fear and anger make you bolder
When facing adversity with others, fear and anger can fuel courage.
He could keep you up for hours
He could keep you up for hours
Reiterated from earlier, the artist's brother had a contagious energy that drew others to him.
I can always hit the street swaying
but there's no one there to catch you when you fall
Hit the ground running
Hit the ground running for your life
The artist can keep moving, but no one will be there to support them when they stumble. The chorus repeats as encouragement to keep fighting.
I went to the river on the Lower East Side
cried and cried and cried and cried
Went to the River on the Lower East Side
I cry cry cry cry cried
The singer turns to the river as a place to grieve and release emotions after the loss of their brother.
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.