The Hidden Meaning Of The Beatles' Run For Your Life
The Beatles always wrote songs about topics like love, togetherness, life decisions, struggles ... even drug use. However, one song in particular has a much darker theme than any other Beatles song out there. Run For Your Life was written by John Lennon in 1965 and appeared on the band's album, Rubber Soul. The song has an upbeat, fast tempo, but it certainly doesn't have an upbeat topic if you take the time to really listen to the malicious lyrics.
"You 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, little girl"
On the surface, the song is about jealousy and obsession, but there's no sugarcoating it: The song is about a man who threatens to kill a woman he has feelings for if he ever catches her with another man besides him.
Lennon's cryptic lyrics
Not exactly the positive, love-focused Beatles songs we are used to, but the song was actually based on a line in an Elvis Presley's song, "Baby, Play House," according to a 1970 Rolling Stone interview with Lennon. The line goes, "I'd rather see you dead, little girl than to be with another man." Lennon didn't think too much into the cryptic meaning behind the song, though.
"Just a sort of throwaway song of mine that I never thought much of, but it was always a favourite of George's," Lennon recalled in the novel All We Are Saying by David Sheff.
Lennon's bandmate, Paul McCartney, told author Barry Miles that he thought the song actually reflected Lennon's life in some way.
"John was always on the run, running for his life. He was married; whereas none of my songs would have 'catch you with another man'. It was never a concern of mine," McCartney said in his biography, Many Years From Now, adding it was "a bit of a macho song."
Many fans have said that the song even ruins Rubber Soul as an album, but others say it's the Beatles' most underrated song. Whatever your thoughts, Run For Your Life is definitely a unique Beatles tune.