Run

The meaning of this song is simple. Many of us are blindly living under a system which the elite have built up to control us. Corporations, the media, politics, etc. are being controlled and many of us "little people" support it without even knowing. The fighters of foo are presenting us with two options: to stay asleep and be ignorant thus not live our lives to our fullest potential, or to wake up and run with them...you can figure out what the latter means. If not, then your first step is to learn how to think. That's something the elite don't want us to do. Also, if you watch the very entertaining music video for this song with the nursing home uprising, the scene for the video is a clear metaphor for the basis of the song. That old mofo who's told to take his pills in the beginning (I won't even get started on the pharmaceutical industry) throws them away instead and later leads the uprising. He's had enough, he's woken up, and he's running from the flawed system. He's running to live his life.

Unite; that's the main impression I get form this song.

First, this song is telling people that something bad, vicious, and I think more importantly, disguised, has won or is winning; "The rats are on parade, The hounds are on the chase". With this the hounds, represent whatever is bad out there, are both attacking something while discussing their actions. The use of "Parade" enforces this idea on both accounts, Parades being a symbol of celebration and generally a place where performers disguise themselves as something else. Finally, by using a Parade and the face that "Hound's" is plural, alludes to this idea of a collective; that this isn't one person's actions but the actuations of many which are the predators to somethings prey.

There also seems to be this hint of an idea that the people are either: are unwilling to admit, are repressed and unable too, are possess a simple blindness, to these actions which are occurring, "Another mad charade, I need some room to breathe, You can stay asleep". The use of three sections, three states of mind if you will seem like (in a very vague, general sense) how people from different classes in in society behave to problems. Middle class represents the first quote, they see a problem, they name it and admit it but do nothing about it as the actions of the "Hounds" don't directly affect them (or potentially indirectly aid them). The second quote, this is the lower class, the victims of the "Hounds" with the idea of their breath, of their life and intern opinions and value being smothered. Finally, the third quote, the upper class. This is referring to those who are untouched by the "hounds" or potentially are themselves hounds but whom don't realise that they are and what their actions are doing.

Additionally, I believe that the Point of View character whom might be Dave himself, see himself as if he's from the middle to upper class though still feels for his lower class rooted. "I need some room to breathe - You can stay asleep, I need some room to breathe - You can run with me". Though "I" could be referring to himself, it also can be taken to emphasise the line and almost itself sounds like a quote itself. Another reason I think Dave sees himself as if he's in the middle of what’s happening is because the way it tells the classes things within the song; there is a lack of exclusivity within these sections, a lack of the initial use of the word "we" within the course. He tells the upper class "you Can stay asleep" yet he tells the lower class "you Can run with me" with the middle being left out, a middle which he is a part of and yet different from.

Next, addressing the uprising idea, though out the song there are two repeats of “Wake up, Run for your life with me, You can run with me If you wanted to” were instead of referring to the upper class exclusively, the lines refer to both upper and lower classes and could figuratively refer to “Run for your life” as an offering to make life meaningful again though the literal sense of people generally do care about if they live for dye. The second repeat section for this chorus is the repetition of “We run” three times, referring to the three classes to join together and potentially behind the PoV character whom could himself be Dave to say no to the actions of the “Hounds”. This won’t be easy though as in the PoV’s words “They say that's nothings free”.

Finally, we address the remaining stray lines linking to the uprising theme which are “Before the time runs out, There's somewhere to run” and “We are the nation's stakes, If everything's erased, What you gonna' do?”. The first line is about the fact that in our lack of action, the “Hounds” are doing more and more damage, time isn’t unlimited and there is another option or in the songs words “There's somewhere to run”. Lastly, we have the finial paragraph. Within the entire song, these are the only lines which referring to something united and hole; “We are the nation's stakes”, stakes meaning a person or in this case in my option, a country, that clams ownership over something and the only single use of “We” in the song refereeing to everyone, every class, race, religion, everyone of said countries peoples being united. The alternative to this being “If everything's erased, What you gonna' do”, asking what is the cost of doing nothing? yes things might be hard to change and in the words of the song again “nothings free”, but I think this quote is explained perfectly with another one “What’s easy, isn’t always right; and what right, isn’t always easy”.

My finial closing thoughts on this song, I must admit, are that this could be about any country on the planet, there is always friction within every country’s people and between neighbouring countries peoples. The PoV character, whom Dave could have very well written to be himself but could also very well be anyone whom thinks themselves within this situation, thinks that they are old fashioned, with old ideas and opinions, and feel as if they are separate from everything as if there from another time (Referring to the old Dave rebelling against a widely accepted establishment whom then draws like minded {old} people in to help him).

Anways that’s my opinion and interpretation which I hope you liked reading, and agree on it or not, there is one thing we can agree on. That drop in the beginning is killer!!

I really agree with sweetbeat12 for so many reasons.

All songs can be interpreted in several ways and end up with multiple meanings.

It definitely appears that the opening scene is squarely addressing dependency on pharmaceuticals:"Don't think for yourself. We'll make you feel better"

The second thing I see is compassion for elderly that are dying away in nursing homes and/or hospice.

No one wants to grow old and die ignominiously. So, "run with me" can mean several things. Notice that the scene includes church windows. One meaning could be "run with me"...into the New World, where death will be no more...

But instead of getting "Churchy" with us, Dave rescues these old folks..They all run out to regain their youth by attacking some millenials in their fuel efficient little car, steal their Vapes, make out with one another and close scene with a zombie dance scene a la Thriller.

It is a music video after all :)

See above: SweetBeat nailed it. I watched a doc last night called "Inside Job" about the corruption not only on Wall Street, but worldwide. Dave G. is definitely a 'thinker' and this song brushes briefly in the intro about the pharma industry, and worldwide corruption in general. His invitation to 'run for your life with' him is essentially the invitation to live our lives, right now, to the fullest, and the best that we can under the huge umbrella of cold, callous corruption. So, go live, and live full, and right. Pharma...rhymes with...there ya go.

In a recent interview, Dave mentioned he wrote RUN out of a sense of hopelessness and despair after DT won the GOP primary. He half jokingly remarked since DT won the Presidency, their next album would be titled "We're F****d".

Guilty until proven a corporate slave or slavedriver. Yeah, I hate us - how about a National hiatus?

Great thoughts but hear me out.....first time I listened to this (on repeat) I had my ear buds in, making supper for the fam (3 daughters and wife). They were fighting, yelling, complaining, etc. Well as the song played again and again I had flashbacks to my high school/college years. Then it was as if a I was in a music video for this based on my life. Kinda went through the decisions I made along the way from being a (semi) star athlete to end up in a kitchen getting yelled at and under-appreciated. And then the song fades and I'm back in the kitchen with only those memories. I wouldn't give up my wife and kids for the world but it made me realize the things I put on the back burner or just plan stopped doing and kinda motivated me to at least try and get back in shape and be a great role model for the kids while also pursuing my own interests and actually start LIVING again.