englishAlternative Rock

Runaway Train Lyrics

by Soul Asylum

16 views • Published on Sep 30, 2026

Runaway Train Lyrics

Call you up in the middle of the night Like a firefly without a light You were there like a blowtorch burning I was a key that could use a little turning So tired that I couldn't even sleep So many secrets I couldn't keep Promised myself I wouldn't weep One more promise I couldn't keep It seems no one can help me now I'm in too deep There's no way out This time I have really led myself astray Runaway train never going back Wrong way on a one-way track Seems like I should be getting somewhere Somehow I'm neither here nor there Can you help me remember how to smile? Make it somehow all seem worthwhile How on earth did I get so jaded? Life's mystery seems so faded I can go where no one else can go I know what no one else knows Here I am, just drowning in the rain With a ticket for a runaway train And everything seems cut and dry Day and night Earth and sky Somehow I just don't believe it Runaway train never going back Wrong way on a one-way track Seems like I should be getting somewhere Somehow I'm neither here nor there Bought a ticket for a runaway train Like a madman laughing at the rain A little out of touch, a little insane It's just easier than dealing with the pain Runaway train never going back Wrong way on a one-way track Seems like I should be getting somewhere Somehow I'm neither here nor there Runaway train never coming back Runaway train tearing up the track Runaway train burning in my veins Runaway but it always seems the same

Meaning of Runaway Train

“Runaway Train” captures a profound sense of disorientation and despair, depicting someone lost within a cycle of self-destructive behavior. The lyrics portray a feeling of being trapped on a “runaway train,” unable to return or find direction, symbolizing a life spiraling out of control. There’s an overwhelming sadness and isolation—the narrator is drowning in the rain, disconnected from reality, and struggling with a jaded perspective on life's mysteries. The repeated refrain emphasizes this inescapable feeling of being lost and going nowhere, suggesting a desperate attempt to numb the pain through escapism, represented by the train ticket. Soul Asylum’s message resonates with themes of addiction, broken promises, and the struggle for meaning in a seemingly meaningless existence, offering a raw and unsettling portrayal of someone consumed by their own internal turmoil.

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