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Run for Your Life Lyrics
I’d rather see you dead, little girl,
Than to be with another man.
You’d better keep your head, little girl,
Or I won’t know where I am.
You’d better run for your life if you can, little girl,
Hide your head in the sand, little girl.
Catch you with another man,
That’s the end - ah, little girl.
Well you know that I’m a wicked guy
And I was born with a jealous mind,
And I can’t spend my whole life tryin’,
Just to make you toe the line.
You’d better run for your life if you can, little girl,
Hide your head in the sand, little girl.
Catch you with another man,
That’s the end - ah, little girl.
Let this be a sermon,
I mean everything I said,
Baby, I’m determined,
And I’d rather see you dead.
You’d better run for your life if you can, little girl,
Hide your head in the sand, little girl.
Catch you with another man,
That’s the end - ah, little girl.
I’d rather see you dead, little girl,
Than to be with another man.
You’d better keep your head, little girl,
Or I won’t know where I am.
You’d better run for your life if you can, little girl,
Hide your head in the sand, little girl.
Catch you with another man,
That’s the end - ah, little girl.
The basic message of this song is: if you cheat on me, I'll kill you.
Creepiest Beatles song EVER, IMO.
Great song. John was known for his sometimes apparent "jealous mind." Very bitter lyrics..."I’d rather see you dead, little girl, Than to be with another man."
But did you know that John "borrowed" those two lines from an Elvis song, "Baby Let's Play House"? He always regretted doing that, saying it was lazy, and it was apparently his least favourite of his own songs. He later did the same with Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" for the first two lines of "Come Together".
this song is one of the few lennon "regretted writing"
Yeah, John was actually quoted as saying he hated this song. It's a good tune, so I'm not sure why he would hate it. However, John was a feminist, so he might have hated the somewhat chauvenistic lyrics - being so possessive of a woman that you threaten to kill her.
@TangeledUpInBlue somewhat? The lyrics are batshit crazy. You mean totally misogynistic.
@TangeledUpInBlue somewhat? The lyrics are batshit crazy. You mean totally misogynistic.
I can see why John regretted writing it. This is one of the more problematic songs on Rubber Soul. There seems to be a theme running through the love songs on the album - they're less poppy and more cerebral, adding analysis to what was previously goofy lyrical love. Most of the other songs - "Think For Yourself," "I'm Looking Through You," "Girl" - take the moral high road, however, while this one is actually masochistic. At least Lennon's later "Jealous Guy" inspires a bit more sympathy. Catchy tune, but I don't care for the lyrics.
On a side note - on the Rubber Soul tribute album released last year, the Cowboy Junkies cover this song, flipping the gender roles. It's interesting.
@maddsurgeon You mean sadistic not masochistic.
@maddsurgeon You mean sadistic not masochistic.
@maddsurgeon You mean sadistic not masochistic. And the Cowboy Junkies version sounds stupid.
@maddsurgeon You mean sadistic not masochistic. And the Cowboy Junkies version sounds stupid.
harsh lyrics by lennon. songs good
this song reminds me of my ex messed up i know lol
@elderlymechanic lol? Your poor ex. I hope she's okay.
@elderlymechanic lol? Your poor ex. I hope she's okay.
I sort of like how scary it is. It's full of passion like he really digs into his voice as he sings it sort of...run for you life if you can little girl...little girl. I can see why he would have hated it, though, having written it himself. If I had written something so bluntly jealous and threatening, I would hate it, too, worried that people would get the wrong impression of me. But the song itself is really powerful. I like it.
This is quite a song. Lennon was definitely feeling brave and scared when he wrote this one. He is also 100% trying to be Dylan in the verses as well, not a bad impression.