Help me with some lyrics, please.

[sabasgr68]

REO Speedwagon song. Take it on the run. I like it.

I don´t know what this expression means. I know what it literally means, but I guess that´s a way of saying something more, in the context of the song.

My best guess is that she is making him believe that she´s going to sleep - so, staying home -, but I´m not totally convinced.

Can you help me understand it?

Third verse, after the first chorus, the line in bold and bigger letter size:

"You're thinking up your white lies
You're putting on your bedroom eyes
You say you're coming home but you won't say when"

Putting on your bedroom eyes?

What does it mean that she (or anybody) is putting on her bedroom eyes?

Thanks.

PS: And now, don´t blame me if you can´t get the song out of your head for the rest of your day or night.

[mickey]

Looking sexy?
i.e., Looking ready for sex.

[sabasgr68]

Looking sexy?
i.e., Looking ready for sex.

Well, this seems to be the meaning of that; you´re right.

I´ve just found this, and even though it is an interpretation of somebody, the person gives that phrase that meaning. In short, she puts a face of "let´s go to the bedroom, honey", where you don´t have to be a NASA specialist to understand what for, given the context of the song.

But let me tell you, those lyrics are confusing - or are just simply bad lyrics? Or maybe I´m not getting the point?-. In particular, the moment when he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the whole song is about he trying to figure out if she´s cheating on him. Maybe he doesn´t want to believe it, and that´s different; he wants to trust her, and is given her the benefit, but...

Anyway, I like the song, I first listened to it when I didn´t understand much of English, so I was hooked first with the melody and the music, without knowing what was it about, and the solo, that even though it´s not that complicated, it´s still very good and goes very well with the song.

So, I think this settles this thread down.

Here´s the "interpretation" of that part of the song:

"You're thinking up your white lies
You're putting on your bedroom eyes
You say you're coming home but you won't say when
But I can feel it coming
If you leave tonight keep running
And you need never look back again"

Interpretation: She keeps thinking of or making up lies to tell him. "You're putting on your bedroom eyes." is pretty much saying she keeps on putting her sexy or attractive side onto him on the worst times(to hide the lies). She keeps moving forward, but doesn't realize what she's done in the past to learn from her mistakes. She just keeps hurting herself and him.

[tlarson58]

Man, I dunno. I have listened to countless songs since I the days of AM radio and never stopped to figure out the intent of the lyrical messages.

My bandmates: "You didn't know that this song was about curly fries?" [example]
Me: "Um, never thought about it."
Them: "We've heard you sing the song!"
Me: "I've been singing about curly fries for 25 years? Hm. Who knew?"

[sabasgr68]

Man, I dunno. I have listened to countless songs since I the days of AM radio and never stopped to figure out the intent of the lyrical messages.

My bandmates: "You didn't know that this song was about curly fries?" [example]
Me: "Um, never thought about it."
Them: "We've heard you sing the song!"
Me: "I've been singing about curly fries for 25 years? Hm. Who knew?"

LOL
Well, Tommy, like you, there are some songs that I just "repeat" without paying too much attention to what they intend to say, and there are others that I try to extract every meaning of every word and every line.
This is us musicians. Our own rare and special world.

[Milkman]

Earlier in the song, he's making excuses for her by saying that these types of rumours get exaggerated as they get passed along from person to person because the story gets more exciting that way:

But I know the neighborhood
And talk is cheaper when the story is good
And the tales grow taller on down the line

Then he says "I don't think it's true, babe, and even if it is, keep this in mind: You take it on the run, baby, if that's the way you want it, baby, then I don't want you around". He's saying that if she wants to run around with other men, she can, but he won't be part of it. She knows this, so she makes up excuses and stories, which he knows in his heart are not true.

Finally he tells her that if the runs out on this particular night, then he's done with her: "If you leave tonight, keep running
And you need never look back again".

"Take it on the run" is not a hugely popular expression (not around here, anyway), but it means you treat things like a drive-thru fast food restaurant.... you get what you want, then you leave - you don't really get to know the person at the window. Maybe a better example is those marathon runners who grab a cup of water from someone at the checkpoint... they don't slow down, say thank you, or even know the name of the person with the water, they just take it on the run.

That's my interpretation @sabasgr68.... you can take it on the run , if that's the way you want it.

[Milkman]

These are a pair of the most famous bedroom eyes I can think of:

[andrewsrea]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

[sabasgr68]

Earlier in the song, he's making excuses for her by saying that these types of rumours get exaggerated as they get passed along from person to person because the story gets more exciting that way:

But I know the neighborhood
And talk is cheaper when the story is good
And the tales grow taller on down the line

Then he says "I don't think it's true, babe, and even if it is, keep this in mind: You take it on the run, baby, if that's the way you want it, baby, then I don't want you around". He's saying that if she wants to run around with other men, she can, but he won't be part of it. She knows this, so she makes up excuses and stories, which he knows in his heart are not true.

Finally he tells her that if the runs out on this particular night, then he's done with her: "If you leave tonight, keep running
And you need never look back again".

"Take it on the run" is not a hugely popular expression (not around here, anyway), but it means you treat things like a drive-thru fast food restaurant.... you get what you want, then you leave - you don't really get to know the person at the window. Maybe a better example is those marathon runners who grab a cup of water from someone at the checkpoint... they don't slow down, say thank you, or even know the name of the person with the water, they just take it on the run.

That's my interpretation @sabasgr68.... you can take it on the run , if that's the way you want it.

Thanks, Clint! Yes, that´s definitely the story about it. As I told Tommy above, sometimes I like to get every meaning of every line of a song, the sense of the story, specially if it gets so into you only for the music. I so love the chorus (chord progression, vocals, second voices).

LOL I didn´t took your interpretation on the run; I chew it.

[sabasgr68]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

Thanks, Rob. Yeah, that´s about it. There were some parts that confused me - like I said, he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the rest of the song he´s full of doubts -, but now I´m getting it better.

And yes, one of the things that I inmediately loved about this song is the transition from the pleasing side on verses, as you say, major chords mood, to that inmense sad or strong feeling in the chorus in the minor key. And I loved much more the extra chords in the solo - am, back to C, then Bm, then D to start again as normal. And the solo is also a perfect fit. I tend to like sad songs more than I like happier ones, even if I´m not feeling sad at all. I like songs in minor key a lot, and if the lyrics and solos are good, then I´m sold.

[andrewsrea]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

Thanks, Rob. Yeah, that´s about it. There were some parts that confused me - like I said, he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the rest of the song he´s full of doubts -, but now I´m getting it better.

And yes, one of the things that I inmediately loved about this song is the transition from the pleasing side on verses, as you say, major chords mood, to that inmense sad or strong feeling in the chorus in the minor key. And I loved much more the extra chords in the solo - am, back to C, then Bm, then D to start again as normal. And the solo is also a perfect fit. I tend to like sad songs more than I like happier ones, even if I´m not feeling sad at all. I like songs in minor key a lot, and if the lyrics and solos are good, then I´m sold.

One of my favorites. I've seen REO live about 5 or 6 times - always a great show.

[Rollin Hand]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

Thanks, Rob. Yeah, that´s about it. There were some parts that confused me - like I said, he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the rest of the song he´s full of doubts -, but now I´m getting it better.

And yes, one of the things that I inmediately loved about this song is the transition from the pleasing side on verses, as you say, major chords mood, to that inmense sad or strong feeling in the chorus in the minor key. And I loved much more the extra chords in the solo - am, back to C, then Bm, then D to start again as normal. And the solo is also a perfect fit. I tend to like sad songs more than I like happier ones, even if I´m not feeling sad at all. I like songs in minor key a lot, and if the lyrics and solos are good, then I´m sold.

[toomanycats]

Of all REO Speedwagon's songs this one in particular has a pronounced county sound. Sara Evans version really brings that out.

[sabasgr68]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

Thanks, Rob. Yeah, that´s about it. There were some parts that confused me - like I said, he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the rest of the song he´s full of doubts -, but now I´m getting it better.

And yes, one of the things that I inmediately loved about this song is the transition from the pleasing side on verses, as you say, major chords mood, to that inmense sad or strong feeling in the chorus in the minor key. And I loved much more the extra chords in the solo - am, back to C, then Bm, then D to start again as normal. And the solo is also a perfect fit. I tend to like sad songs more than I like happier ones, even if I´m not feeling sad at all. I like songs in minor key a lot, and if the lyrics and solos are good, then I´m sold.

One of my favorites. I've seen REO live about 5 or 6 times - always a great show.

I saw them once, here in Venezuela - when we were happy and we didn´t know it ). 1990 or 1991, maybe, I don´t remember precisely. Good show, yes.

[sabasgr68]

My interpretation, in a nutshell:

Romantic betrayal. Lovers living together. One is sensing a drop in the other's interest and is noticing indications of cheating (hence the album's double entendre name 'High Infidelity'). The other (presumably a girl) is dressing up, staying out late without the partner so much that the people of the town sense it and are talking. 'Take it on the run' means taking your love outside of their relationship. And his warning 'if you are going to do this, you and I are done forever.'

Great song and lyric. The verse has a major key feel, which is on the light and pleasing side. But the verse is clearly powerful & minor key, evoking heartache and strong betrayal. Incredibly meaningful to people who were experiencing the same thing when they first heard the song.

Thanks, Rob. Yeah, that´s about it. There were some parts that confused me - like I said, he says "I don´t believe it, not for a minute", but the rest of the song he´s full of doubts -, but now I´m getting it better.

And yes, one of the things that I inmediately loved about this song is the transition from the pleasing side on verses, as you say, major chords mood, to that inmense sad or strong feeling in the chorus in the minor key. And I loved much more the extra chords in the solo - am, back to C, then Bm, then D to start again as normal. And the solo is also a perfect fit. I tend to like sad songs more than I like happier ones, even if I´m not feeling sad at all. I like songs in minor key a lot, and if the lyrics and solos are good, then I´m sold.

Totally right!

[sabasgr68]

Of all REO Speedwagon's songs this one in particular has a pronounced county sound. Sara Evans version really brings that out.

Good version, I enjoyed it (thanks!). Guitar solo was spot on. I also like her voice, strong, melodic and powerful. I only know her for the song "A real fine place to start".