Murphy has performed twice at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and in Italy, France and other European countries. She also teaches Italian cooking and supports outreach programs for middle school-aged girls. Murphy's music features story-telling and personal expression. In her own words, the challenge to her songwriting "is to evoke as many images as possible with as few words as possible."
Murphy made her 2005 record release, Girls Get In Free following a sabbatical from performing and a period of personal difficulties. This record combined Murphy's music with a cause she supports as the CD release party benefitted GENAustin, a non-profit outreach program that helps middle school-aged girls develop strong self-esteem. Murphy is also a member of GENAustin's Board of Directors.
Today Murphy performs solo, with her rock band, and as part of a 70s tribute band, SKYROCKET!. Murphy also teaches Italian cooking using recipes learned from her grandmother at Austin's Central Market and other cooking schools.
Runaway Train
Trish Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a pickup truck.
We were just playing some stupid game
Some stupid kids made up.
Oh, I guess we thought we knew
The damage they could do.
But I bet we showed them a thing or two,
Me and you.
The house turned upside-down.
Runaway freight town sound.
Truer than a one horse town.
The tumbleweeds that summer,
We liked to watch them roll.
We cleared a space in the backseat.
We did it in the road.
We picked up a tumbleweed.
We set it on the floor.
Tearing off your tee-shirt.
We broke the bedroom door.
Runaway freight train sound.
The hosue turned upside-down.
Runaway freight town sound.
Truer than a one horse town.
Standing still in time
We were more than you and I.
Something real and true.
And the wind keeps blowing by.
I hear you in a whisper. I feel you on my skin.
And after all this time I know,
I can't go back again.
Runaway freight train sound.
The house turned upside-down.
Runaway freight town sound.
Truer than a one horse town.
Runaway freight train sound.
The house turned upside-down.
Runaway freight town sound.
Truer than a one horse town.
Trish Murphy's song "Runaway Train" is a reflection on a reckless and carefree time in life, filled with wild adventures and unconventional actions. The lyrics depict two young individuals driving across the interstate, chasing tornadoes and causing havoc. The singer mentions that they were "just playing some stupid game / some stupid kids made up" and that they were unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Despite this, they still believed they knew the extent of the damage they could cause.
As the song progresses, the singer reminisces about their past and how they used to spend time together. They would watch tumbleweeds roll by, clear a space in the backseat of the truck, and do intimate things in public places. They were wild and free, with no care in the world. The chorus repeats several times throughout the song, emphasizing the sound of a "runaway freight train" and a "runaway freight town sound." There is an underlying sense of chaos and unpredictability, as well as a feeling of nostalgia for a time in life when things were not as complicated.
Ultimately, the singer acknowledges that they can never go back to those wild times and that they have moved on from that phase in life. However, they still feel a strong connection to those memories, as they hear their past partner's whisper and feel them on their skin. The "wind keeps blowing by," indicating that life continues to move forward, but the memories and experiences that were shared will always remain.
Line by Line Meaning
We chased tornadoes on the interstate
We drove after tornadoes on the highway
In a pickup truck.
Using a pickup truck to follow the tornadoes
We were just playing some stupid game
We were engaging in a foolish activity
Some stupid kids made up.
An idea conceived by youngsters
Oh, I guess we thought we knew
We believed we understood the situation
The damage they could do.
The devastation that can result from tornadoes
But I bet we showed them a thing or two,
We likely demonstrated something they hadn't seen
Me and you.
The two of us
Runaway freight train sound.
Similar to the noise of an uncontrollable locomotive
The house turned upside-down.
The household was disrupted and disorganized
Runaway freight town sound.
Resounding like a town with unmanageable goods transport
Truer than a one horse town.
More genuine than a tiny, rural settlement
The tumbleweeds that summer,
The large, dry plant debris from the summer
We liked to watch them roll.
We enjoyed observing them tumble
We cleared a space in the backseat.
We created area from the car's back seat
We did it in the road.
We made love on the street
We picked up a tumbleweed.
We collected the dried plant debris
We set it on the floor.
We placed it on the ground
Tearing off your tee-shirt.
Removing your t-shirt messily
We broke the bedroom door.
We shattered the door to the bedroom
Standing still in time
Stationary, in a moment
We were more than you and I.
We were more than simply individuals
Something real and true.
Authentic and sincere
And the wind keeps blowing by.
The wind continues to pass
I hear you in a whisper.
I perceive your voice in a faint tone
I feel you on my skin.
I sense your touch on my skin
And after all this time I know,
Now, after so much time, I understand
I can't go back again.
I cannot revisit that time
Runaway freight train sound.
Comparable to an uncontrollable locomotive's noise
The house turned upside-down.
The household was thrown into disarray
Runaway freight town sound.
Resounding like a town with unmanageable goods transport
Truer than a one horse town.
More authentic than a small, rural settlement
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVID GRISSOM, TRISH MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind