Bon Jovi Songs - Runaway Lyrics

Bon Jovi - Runaway

Bon Jovi - Runaway Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Bon Jovi
Released: 1984

Runaway Lyrics

On the street where you live girls talk about their social lives
They're made of lipstick, plastic and paint
A touch of sable in their eyes

All your life all you asked
When is your Daddy gonna talk to you
But we're living in another world
Tryin' to get your message through

No one heard a single word you said
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going around your head

[Chorus:]
Oh, she's a little Runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say
Ooh, she's a little runaway

A different line every night
Guaranteed to blow your mind
See you out on the streets
Call me for a wild time
So you sit home alone
'Cause there's nothing left that you can do
There's only pictures hung in the shadows
Left there to look at you

You know she likes the lights
At night on the neon Broadway signs
And she don't really mind
Its only love she hoped to find

[Chorus]

No one heard a single word you said
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going on your head

[Chorus]

Writer/s: BON JOVI, JON / UNKNOWN COMPOSER, AUTHOR / KARAKOGLOU, GEORGE NICK
Publisher: Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Runaway Song Chart

This was the first hit for Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi wrote it in 1982 with early collaborator George Karak, and it was popular in the band's home state of New Jersey. Despite the success of this song, the band continued to struggle. They were a popular live act, but didn't make much money until they released Slippery When Wet two years later.

Jon Bon Jovi recorded this with studio musicians because he didn't have a band yet. The song broke nationally and Jon put the band together soon after.

This gained popularity when it was included on a compilation album of unsigned acts released by New Jersey radio station WDHA. Long Island radio station WAPP also put it on an annual CD of local bands.

Dave "the snake" Sabo played guitar on this. He went on to be the lead guitarist for the band Skid Row.

In a 1986 interview with Spin magazine, Jon Bon Jovi had some harsh words for this video. He said: "I hate videos. If you wanted to torture me you'd tie me down and force me to watch our first five videos. Five times you're chump before you learn what you're doing. The first time we'd just made a record and we were all excited and some a--hole decides we're going to make a video for 'Runaway.' So instead of making it about what the song's about, he decides to put a concept to it with his little niece in it. It's the worst piece of s--t I ever saw in my life. There's a girl with like fire coming out of her eyes. They dressed the band. Richie's wearing a jumpsuit and shoes that are three sizes too big. They kept squirting us down with this greasy solution to make it look like we were sweating. We all look like assholes."

A live version was used as the B-side of "Lay Your Hands On Me" in 1989.

Before performing this in 2003, Jon Bon Jovi introduced it by saying, "If you see this song down at the beach, buy it a drink - it's finally old enough."

Session musician Hugh McDonald played bass on this song. He played on Bon Jovi's early albums and replaced Alec John Such as Bon Jovi's bass player in 1994, although he is not considered an official member of the band. (thanks, Lee-Ann - Perth, Australia)