Aurora’s “Runaway” is a synth-pop song about the need for safety and belonging. Written when Aurora was still a teenager, the song is about wanting to escape the chaos of the world and go home. Its lyrics mix memories, fantasy, and the feeling of being lost yet knowing there’s somewhere to go back to.
Below is a section-by-section breakdown of the lyrics in “Runaway.”
- Song: Runaway
- Artist: Aurora
- Songwriters: Aurora Aksnes, Magnus Skylstad
- Released: 2015
- Album: All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend
- Genre: Synth-pop
What is “Runaway” About?
Verse 1: Memories
I was listenin’ to the ocean
I saw a face in the sand
These lines describe a quiet moment by the sea, where imagination turns the shifting sand into a familiar face.
It seems like she’s longing for someone who is not physically present, a memory that comes alive for just a moment.
But when I picked it up
Then it vanished away from my hands
The image disappears as soon as she tries to hold onto it, showing how memories and connections can slip away when grasped too tightly.
This could be about the common frustration of trying to hold onto something that no longer exists in reality.
I had a dream I was seven
Climbin’ my way in a tree
Here she dreams of a carefree childhood moment, climbing a tree at the age when the world still felt magical. This dream probably comes from a real memory.
It’s a return to a time of innocence before life became complicated.
I saw a piece of Heaven
Waitin’ impatient for me
“Heaven” could represent adulthood or the future she’s eager to reach. The impatience could come from wanting to grow up fast, but looking back, there’s also a wish to have slowed down and stayed in that time longer.
It’s a mix of hope and regret tied to how fast life moves.
Pre-Chorus: The Urge to Escape
And I was runnin’ far away
Would I run off the world someday?
Nobody knows, nobody knows
Running away means she wants to escape everything that feels overwhelming, with a thought of escaping so far that the world itself might fall away.
Wondering if anyone would notice adds to the feeling of being invisible and cut off from others. She might also be saying “nobody knows” because she keeps these feelings to herself.
And I was dancing in the rain
I felt alive and I can’t complain
Dancing in the rain becomes another kind of escape. It’s a moment of freedom where worries fade for a while. It’s the simple thrill of doing something playful and unrestrained, the kind of joy that can make even heavy feelings easier to bear.
Since this is a very personal story, Aurora may have actually danced in the rain, losing herself in the moment and forgetting her homesickness for a little while.
Chorus: The Pull of Home
But no, take me home
Take me home where I belong
I can’t take it anymore
She’s worn out from running and just wants to be somewhere she truly belongs. Nowhere else feels safe or comforting.
Later in the song, the added line “I got no other place to go” shows that only one place feels like home. Everywhere else feels empty, as if all other options have already failed.
Verse 2: Grief and Denial
I was painting a picture
The picture was a painting of you
She tries to hold on to the past through art, putting a familiar image on the canvas.
It’s a way to hold the memory of someone important, whether it’s one person or a blend of different faces from the past.
And for a moment I thought you were here
But then again, it wasn’t true
For a brief moment, the memory feels so real it almost brings them back.
When that feeling fades, the absence hits her harder and the ache becomes stronger.
And all this time I have been lyin’
Oh, lyin’ in secret to myself
She admits to hiding the truth from herself, avoiding the full weight of her own sadness.
This self-deception shows how hard it is to face feelings of loss and isolation.
I’ve been putting sorrow on the farthest place on my shelf
She has been pushing her grief as far away as possible, trying to bury it so she won’t have to deal with it. But that sorrow still stays with her, making her want to find a safe place.
Bridge: Searching for Safety
But I kept runnin’ for a soft place to fall
Repeated throughout the bridge, this line shows the endless search for a safe landing, a place where pain can finally ease.
The “soft place” represents home, where unconditional comfort and safety can be found.
“Runaway” Song Meaning: Yearning for Safety and Home
“Runaway” is about the strong pull of home and the want to escape the pain of growing up. The lyrics mix images of childhood innocence with the struggles of feeling lost and disconnected. Running away here is not about rebellion but about searching for safety and familiarity.
The memories of family and early happiness act like a guiding star, a reminder that there is a place where belonging is possible. Even when moments of freedom bring brief joy, the desire to return home remains the strongest force driving the journey.
Songs Like “Runaway”
If you’re a fan of “Runaway,” here are some songs with similar themes:
1. “Home” by Michael Bublé
“Home” is about missing the comfort of the place and people that feel like home while being far away. It captures the ache of wanting to return to where you truly belong.
Related: Best Songs About Missing Someone
2. “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane
“Somewhere Only We Know” describes a place that holds deep personal meaning, where the weight of the world seems to lift. It shares the same yearning for a safe space where everything feels right again.
Related: “Somewhere Only We Know” Song Meaning
3. “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges
“Coming Home” expresses the warmth and relief of returning to familiar love and shelter. The lyrics echo the idea that no matter how far one roams, the heart knows where it truly belongs.
Related: Best Songs About Home
4. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” captures the pull of returning to the place where one feels most at peace. It celebrates the deep bond between personal identity and the idea of home.
Related: Best Campfire Songs
Conclusion: Finding a Way Back
“Runaway” is a song about the powerful desire to find safety when the world feels overwhelming. The memories of childhood and the imagined comfort of home create a destination worth running toward. No matter where she goes, the pull to return to that safe place remains strong.
Check out more 2010s Song Meanings.
