Runnin'

Album: Trespassing (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This frantic song finds Lambert singing about how he keeps running from his heart. The Nashville songwriters Catt Gravitt and Robert Marvin wrote it for him after Lambert recorded another song they co-wrote, "Underneath," and asked for another. Lambert is also credited on the track along with Fred Williams and David Marshall. The Nashville influence explains why a bottle of whiskey shows up in the lyric.
  • The track and vocal melodies were written by David Marshall, who at the time was a struggling songwriter working at a hair salon in Nashville. Robert Marvin had the track on his computer along with about 10 others from different composers. He played all of them for his co-writer Catt Gravitt, and she picked Marshall's from the bunch. He didn't tell her until the later that Marshall worked at her salon.

Comments: 1

  • Gem from Ummm So the meaning is he’s running from his problems and he only finally faces them
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.