White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
He took our game for his own need

We fought him hard, we fought him well
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came, too much for Cree
Oh, will we ever be set free?

Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children are cowards, attack

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing's a game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Yeah
Ah, ah, ah, ah

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives


Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by JackTStripper, RookieGTO, penisklaus, greanbanana

Run To The Hills Lyrics as written by Stephen Percy Harris

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Run To The Hills song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

68 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    Actually I think it is the Americans that the song refers too.

    Joey is right...It is about the Indian Massacres.

    Reasons why I disagree with Drav:

    1. The English did not fight the Indians on the plains, they never made it that far west.
    2. "Soldier BLUE on the barren wastes". Everyone knows that the British were redcoats and the Americans were blue.

    I really don't think they are sympathetic or not sympathetic. I think they are just narrating it from each sides point of view. They seem to remain neutral to me.

    Mitch1on September 09, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    It is hard to determine exactly which time period Maiden is referring to, mainly because of a small error in the lyrics. The Cree, I believe, lived in the Dakotas or somewhere else on the Great Plains, so to them the Europeans would not have come accross the sea. If Maiden had changed the lyrics to leave out any reference to the sea, it would make more sense. I think the song is just about the conflict between the Native Americans and Europeans in general and spans different regions, time periods, and povs.

    Testaheadon March 09, 2003   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    First and foremost: This song rocks.

    Secondly: The lyrics are about 50% bullshit. I'm so sick of people lumping every American Indian tribe together and labelling them "The Noble Red Man" who was happy and free and clean and industrious till we fucked them over, like a real life version of Disney's Pocahontas or something..

    Fact is, we did fuck the Indians. Some of them were decent, industrious tribes. A lot of them, including the Apaches, Mescaleros, Blackfeet, etc. were monstrously brutal savages who practiced torture and rape on their prisoners, valued their men by how many scalps he'd taken, and had been massacring the women and children of any OTHER INDIAN tribe nearby for many years before we got there.

    Just like different European cultures, there's different Indian cultures. Some of them were Klingons and literally spent their days raiding and massacring anybody who came close.

    Most of the tribes didn't deserve the two-timing crap they got from us. But at least a few of the ones who got ground out of existence by the US Army were the ones who built their entire tribe on war and murder and had been killing their neighbors for a long time already.

    Go read the reports of somebody who actually saw what things were like instead of some shithead bleeding-heart "I'm embarassed to be white" cultural anthropologist who wouldn't know a real Indian if he fell over one.

    Bullzeyeon September 06, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I came here because I love this song and wanted to look deeper into its meaning. I am Indian. For me, I feel like the song is a history lesson, although slightly inaccurate only for the sake of artistry - sometimes meanings and facts can be obscured when we struggle to create a rhyme, lol. Some of my friends are horrified that I enjoy this song - can't help it. I know great metal when I hear it, and appreciate it, and I honestly don't think Iron Maiden was trying to sway listeners to one side or the other. They were simply telling what happened - from both perspectives, and not glossing over the horror and the atrocities. The lyrics drive home the feelings of desperation on both sides. I'd like to ask people to step back for a moment and not take things so personal...to analyze with human ears and eyes, and accept truth in history, even when it makes us uncomfortable. Musicians are artists, and great artists don't care about your feelings - their work is a reflection of raw, human emotion and experience. If it can strike a nerve or make you see yourself in it, then job well done.

    MetallicMaidenon September 23, 2017   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    ok so this song is about the american army and the native americans and the wars they had in the 1800's. it appears to portray the whites as bastards and the netives as victims which is more or less true in most peoples oppinions. anyway a brilliant song, one of maidens best.

    joeytheboyon July 07, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Your right on that one joey.

    BoneofFearon August 06, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The song potrays what was going on from both armies own point of view extremely clever and effective

    BeastWithinon August 23, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song is about the french indian war from 1754 – 1763. The English did not fight the Indians on the plains, they never made it that far west but the french did. "Soldier BLUE on the barren wastes". Everyone knows that the British were redcoats and the Americans were blue. But seeing as America was not a country at the time it must have been the french because there uniforms were blue (militaryheritage.com/bearn.htm). and thank you mitch1 for the comment there...you really helped me piece this one together lol

    ethan10441on November 01, 2015   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    BeastWithin is right, Joey is kinda wrong. It's not one person's point of view, but both sides as Beast pointed. Anyway, a phenomenal song and I love it.

    Teufelon September 01, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Firstly, America did not exist in those days, it was the Europeans, namely England and France who came to North America and ran down the Natives.

    I find it difficult to decide whether Maiden is sympathetic towards the Natives, as expressed in the beginning of the song, or if they are proud of what has happened throughout the rest of the song.

    Dravon September 02, 2002   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.