FAWM: "Running Away"

Running Away

Liner Notes

Started at midnight local time and gave this one about 4 hours. I hadn't written anything since FAWM 2024 so it felt really rough getting back to it. I kinda like this but I'm hoping to do better songs as I get back in songwriting shape!

#country #folk #Americana #johnstaples

Lyrics

Running Away
February 1, 2025
https://johnstaplesmusic.com/FAWM2025/JohnStaples-RunningAway.mp3

did you ever find the love
that you were searching for?
did you cast away the ones
who caused you pain?
have you sheltered from the rain?
or is everything the same?

running away
you never learned
to settle down
running away
another road
another town
tomorrow always better
than today
why are you still
running away?

did you ever find a lover
who would hold you close?
did you break the hearts
of every one who tried?
have you even lived your life?
or has something in you died?

running away
you never learned
to settle down
running away
another road
another town
tomorrow always better
than today
why are you still
running away?

you came up short
you played the part
wrong direction
and false starts
shattered dreams
and broken friends
is this the way
your story ends?

running away
you never learned
to settle down
running away
another road
another town
tomorrow always better
than today
why are you still
running away?

© 2025 John Staples
JohnStaplesMusic.com

Comments

@gindark 4d

Just catching up on your songs! I love the chorus ending and how it goes towards the dark, and the fiddle tails it off. It really elevates it from what could be pat and makes it sound more soulful to me. Great singing, can hear this delivered in an intimate gig with live fiddles and guitars. Great ending chord too.

@crisp1 6d

Sounds like you came out of the gate very strong, John. I'm just catching up on listening and so glad I caught this one. Great music and lyrics and your vocal is spot on. I love the whole vibe of the song. I'll circle back for more of your stuff soon.

@sycophant 1w

Crickey, you wouldn’t know you’d been on a writing hiatus since last FAWM. Great first effort.

@chariotbaldwin 2w

Tomorrow always better than today - that was noice!! Bravo

It's a great song lyrically. I love how you call that person out on past patterns that never seem to lead to the love they're searching for. You've still got it, even if it might not feel like it and the cobwebs are getting thicker. The whole point of FAWM is to shake them all off. have fun with it

I also liked how the character broke the hearts of everyone who tried, you can just see the trail of destruction behind them. great imagery

@aldengriffith 2w

Really nice songwriting and production. The choice and blend of instruments is great!

@phylo 2w

John, you hit this one out of the park, it's an instant classic! I love it when I listen and read along the whole time wishing I had written this! Wow, great write and stellar performance. Well done, Sir.

@toddnorem 2w

This sounds great. I like the line "tomorrow always better than today/why are you still running away." Sounds like you're back in songwriting shape to me.

@boz 2w

Love the melody and your vocals are on point. Great job!

@raspberry33 2w

John - great stuff! Very melodic, and the arrangement suits your voice well. The picked guitar/banjo drives this along nicely. I like your choice of ending the chorus on the G#m instead of the expected B. Another road...another town!

@odetocollaboration 2w

This hits home at 60. Makes me think of an Oscar Wild quote, something akin to most people never really finding themselves but living other people’s lives.
have you even lived your life?
or has something in you died?………pure gold!

@tseaver 2w

Nice write! The shift from questions to statements works really well. Excellent string-band arrangement.

@jorh 2w

Nice lyrics - really like the way you’ve framed the verses as questions, then kept the chorus statement-based before again ending it with a question - very clever! The repetition of running away makes for a catchy hook in the chorus - feels like classic and timeless songwriting.

@fawmer_mitch 2w

Very nice, John. Nice touches with the mando and fiddle!

@odilongreen 2w

Very thoughtful, and I really like the wistful air that surrounds these words and your performance of them. You always do a great job taking heartbreaking words and concepts and staying true to their emotion, while also making the songs so tuneful and absolutely lovely to listen to.

@jeremykazoo 2w

Love this song and the arrangement. Caught myself singing a nice harmony over the chorus. Lots of backup vocal opportunities on this song.

The fiddle/violin has me inspired to try that sound out a bit.

@ccsfrogpond 3w

love your delivery of the lyrics. a really catchy and tragic song, great job!

@bradbrubaker 3w

This is one of my favorites of yours I've heard of the years. And we've both been doing this FAWM thing a while, John! We are bonafide songwriters! I myself have settled these days and do a lot less running, but this song brings those memories back quite clearly.

@karlsburg25 3w

straight out of the traps, John i always adore your seemingly easeful way to find such powerful melodies over your songs. The chord progressions are right up my street. and btw your projection of the vocals totally brings those lyrics to life. Hmmm what i'm trying to say , badly, is its emotionally so powerful with the combinaiton of those elements. Big ups matey

@wizardofarc 3w

I love the pacing - allowing the vocals to breathe and reflect on the lyrics.

@catmisgivings 3w

really like the fiddle and banjo here. the moderate tempo gives them a lot of space to shine.

as someone who has thus far preferred to solve my life problems by leaving ... yeah i relate to these lyrics. wish i could figure out why i do it `:]

@wynia 3w

Yasss, the violin!!! I wouldn't have known it had been after a long break. Great composition

@janeg 3w

I have known people like that! Very relatable and an excellent start.

@youraveragejoe 3w

1. No, 2. Most of them, 3. They must remain anonymous, 4. Yes, 5. No

This is a nice start John! I also haven't made any music since last year, I know how you feel.

Your words are a theme many of us can relate to, and you execute Americana so well - I was transported back home. :) Nice work John!

@tcelliott 3w

I love how you want to do better songs and I think this one is stellar. Great arrangement, and I really like the melody, especially on the chorus.

@writeandwrong 3w

Aww, well, you found the love you were searching for! This is completely relatable and yes, I've been running away hahahahahaha but I'm tired and ready to head back home and settle down for the remainder of my life. (Not FB public yet lol) Beautiful write, as always, @johnstaples !! A winner!!! And I'm so happy you are here for our 13th year! 🎵

@sbs 3w

Great to hear you again! These lyrics are so touching! Brilliant write!

@celineellis 3w

Great opening line - I love the way a question in the first line invites you into the song without fail! Great stuff John, always my go to songwriter on day one. I think the break might have done some good

@gm7 3w

You are back and you haven't missed a beat!!...wonderful job! I always enjoy your mastery of the fiddle and banjo and then those great lyrics !

@coolparadisoMod 3w

The break didn’t hurt you! You’ve hit the ground running. The beat runs with the words. Love the slow pace and clean clear vocals. Cool song John

@grayland 3w

What a great start John!! I love that deep register of your voice!! Love the subtle fiddle throughout and the rhythm... is it a mandola? it's perfect. Really liked the lyrics too.. made me stop and think of what I'm running away from!!! I'm so happy to hear you again!!!!!!

@beckymusic 3w

This is great. I love the lyrics, really poignant message.

@judypie 3w

Ahhhh it’s nice to hear you again dude. This has lulled me into an absolute chill zone! Lilting and beautiful, you make me want to be a better musician so I can make stuff this intricate and pretty ❤️

@catetaylor 3w

Hey John, great start to your 2025 FAWM, especially since you haven't written since the last one! Are you playing all the instruments yourself? What have you recorded on? Great song.

@daveyboy103 3w

Got a Celtic country feel to it. I can feel the emotion in the performance and there is ukulele in there somewhere.

The violin in the chorus is subtle and lovely and again quite Celtic. Nice work

@billwhite51 3w

it has been too long since i have heard one of your songs. this is a fine entry into a new phase. looking forward to many more. solid song, production, and vocals. you are breaking out of the gate in classic form.