You Run Away

Obviously we do not know this. But i feel this song is subtly or overtly about Steven Page and the drama involved with that. We never really heard what happened behind the scenes after Steve's arrest and subsequent leaving the Band. Of course this could have been about anyone, but it seems to fit.

I love this song but the subject of the song makes me sad. Its just not the same .............

"People have been reading a lot into 'You Run Away' in particular, but honestly that song could be about anyone I've been in a band with for 20 years..." - Ed Robertson

Steven Page made a joke on his Twitter about his new song "I Run Away." Both sides have made it obvious what this song is about.

It is quite obvious about what this song is about.

If you don't know the story, here is the reason Steven Page left the band:

Back in about late 2008, the band was going to do a tour in DisneyWorld for their new kids album, Snacktime. But literally days before the tour, Steven's girlfriend broke up with him, and he flew into a rage. What happened next was appalling. He proceeded to start snorting cocaine in the front window of his house, where people on the street stop and stared. Eventually, someone called the police, and Steven Page was publicly arrested for cocaine possession. This was a huge blemish on the Band's record, and they cancelled the tour, for fear that the story would be a bad influence on kids. After that, Steven Page felt guilty for putting himself over the band. He had had problems in the past with drugs, but this was the last straw. He volunteered to leave the band, with a lot of pressure from Ed Robertson. When he left, Ed wrote this song to show how Steven Page had "run away" from the band.

I just want to clairify a few things:

1) Steven Page didn't just leave because he wanted to. The rest of the band pressured him to do it, so I don't like the fact that the song implies that Steven was a coward. He was humble and courageous enough to own up to his mistake, and to help his band.

2) Ed Robertson is an OK singer, but Stevven Page was the best. He made the BNL what they are today, and without him, BNL will never make it anywhere. He was the most increadible singer of the 21st century, and we should respect him as such. Never mke this incident make you thik less of him.

I heard this song for the very first time yesterday on the way to work and I was Stunned ,I can honestly relate . GREAT SONG!

I think Ed's comment is obviously facetious and the song is definitely about Steven. So sad. I predict they'll all be back together inside 10 years, if Steven gets his stuff sorted out. Such a talented guy.

Oddly enough, this song and Golden Boy are pretty much the songs I like from All In Good Time. Angry? More or less. Bitter? I suppose so, yeah.

But I'm talking about the lyrics (which is what I always previously valued about BNL). To me, they hold a sense of coherency that much of the album seems to be missing.

Songs like "Ordinary"? "How Long?" Frankly, I don't have a clue what they're about. I don't even have enough to make something up - it's like the lyrics have become too esoteric to allow any interpretation at all.

"You run away, You could turn and stay, But you run away from me. I tried to be your brother, You cried and ran for cover"

Very personal, not related to the band. Not us, but me. This wasn't him simply wanting to be a bandmate and work through professionally, but instead this is him upset that Steven didn't give him the chance to help him out like a friend (or brother) of 20+ years.

"I made a mess, who doesn’t, I did my best but it wasn’t enough."

Sometimes when we try to be that friend, or try to intervene with someone who's screwing up their lives, that makes the mess worse. Maybe it only started as the drug addiction, and the potential circus around the arrest. Maybe there was an overreaction from Ed...these guys have been friends for so long, people grate on you after awhile. I'm guessing Ed tried to help, and it just backfired.

"I’ll give you something you can cry about, One thing you should try it out Hold a mirror shoulder high, When you’re older look you in the eye"

Paraphrase of the altercation at the crux of this. Mirror probably a reference to his cocaine use.

"I tried but you tried harder"

A reference to Ed's own addiction? Maybe they started using together, but Steven's use went out of control.

"I lied but you lied smarter"

The song carries this sentiment of "you should have been a bigger man about this." Maybe Ed was confronted about his problems by his family (or the band), and he worked hard to right his own ship. But Steven didn't, he just hid his addiction, and when he was called out, he took off.

"You made me guess who was it. I did my best but it wasn’t enough."

I gather Steven was a different person when he was using. Ed was sick of going to his bus or room or whatever and wondering if he was going to find him sober or not.

"But that’s not something to cry about (crrryyyy!), It’s not something to lie about"

Guessing Ed was sick of the tears in the end. Basically telling Steven to man up and accept his choice of a lifestyle over the band (and Ed's friendship). At least from my perspective, it seems like Steven has run from responsibility over the years, and I guess this is Ed asking Steven to grow up.

ha