Lyric discussion by Jesse24 

Cover art for Long Time Running lyrics by Tragically Hip, The

I always took this song as a father's point of view on a divorce with an impossibly manipulative woman.

The first verse seems to be directed towards the child, whom the mother has been trying to turn against the father.

I have no idea what the weather man thing is about, but that's why the hip is great.. you'll find meaning to verses even years after hearing the song. All I know is this verse expresses a lot of frustration.

The 'just on trips' is probably about how futile a little family vacation is...as in it can't patch an apparent void between the parents.

The final verse seems to be directed towards the woman herself. Call her out for what she is and shut her out in the cold.

i agree jess

reminds me of a father with his child whom he hasn't seen very often and now they are on some 'mini vacation' (or so he would tell the child) - but all the father can afford is to drive from one motel to another across the prairies or 'up north'... or maybe the father can't bring the child home for any one of various reasons...

the weatherman on tv is just the weatherman on the tv in the mundane moth-balled motels each night

he doesn't really know where he is going, but it's a 'safe mistake' because...