Take the children and yourself
And hide out in the cellar
By now the fighting will be close at hand
Don't believe the church and state
And everything they tell you
Believe in me, I'm with the high command

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

There's a gun and ammunition
Just inside the doorway
Use it only in emergency
Better you should pray to God
The Father and the Spirit
Will guide you and protect from up here

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Swear allegiance to the flag
Whatever flag they offer
Never hint at what you really feel
Teach the children quietly
For some day sons and daughters
Will rise up and fight while we stand still

Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?
Can you hear me, can you hear me running?
Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?

Can you hear me, can you hear me running (can you hear me calling you?)
Can you hear me hear running, can you hear me calling you?
(Can you hear me running) Can hear me running (can you hear me calling you)?
Can you hear me
Hear me calling you
(Can you hear me running) hear me running, babe
Can you hear me running (hear me running)
Calling you


Lyrics submitted by IronHalo

Silent Running Lyrics as written by Mike Rutherford B.a. Robertson

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Silent Running song meanings
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    General Comment

    I wondered what different interpretations i might find, were I to check this site. Some interesting ones yes, especially the last one. But if you saw the video, you'd see the meaning was clear. They borrowed footage from a Hollywood film to give the video a more sci-fi edge. Men in space suits, holograms, computer graphics, etc, and then at the end the kid teleports in to nothing like "beam me up scotty"

    The song is pretty straightforward. Its a warning to this guy's family to prepare themselves and protect themselves from some kind of Invasion. Remember that this WAS the 80s, time of the Ruskie Menace as well as Ronald Reagan's creepy speech about hypothetical threats, "not of this world". So there are a mix of influences and images in this song. It's not very anti-Communist at all, and this was a British rock band keep in mind. Keep your heads down, pretend to follow along, teach the children to remember Freedom, don't trust the government, and most of all stay alive for the future.

    This song, mixed with the crazy, UFOs, men from outer space theme of the video would make a helluva good movie. Anyway, if space aliens were about to take over the planet, wouldn't this be sound advice from your father who's with the High Command? Dead, or fighting in space, whichever.

    Back in the 80s, music videos had everything to do with the song. Music videos were still new, and they were supposed to be a visualization of the music. Where today, video directors think that's much too easy, and try to be more "artistic" and "subtle".

    grimjackon April 30, 2008   Link

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