“Runaway Train” is a true classic, and was from the very first day that anyone heard it. One of the greatest alternative rock songs of the 1990s, “Runaway Train”, proves, beyond doubt, that, occasionally, good things happen to good, hard-working bands, in this case, Minneapolis’ own Soul Asylum.
But what were the lyrics to “Runaway Train” all about? Why was David Pirner laughing at the rain and the U.S. president praising the band’s album?
In this article, I will look at the lyrics’ meaning of the song, its impact, and the band’s legacy.
Journey to Making “Runaway Train”
A lot of great music was created in Minneapolis during the 1980s. A good chunk of that belonged to eccentric genius Prince. Some of the rest belonged to indie darlings The Replacements and Hüsker Dü. And, with so much competition, it’s easy to see why the promising Soul Asylum was often unfairly left out of the general discourse.
Just like Paul Westerberg’s The Mats, Soul Asylum started out in the early 1980s out of a shared love for rambunctious punk-rock. The group was formed by Dave Pirner together with friends Dan Murphy and Karl Mueller.
After the local legend Bob Mould provided an initial endorsement, Soul Asylum finally released its debut album in 1984. By this stage, the group had embraced a hard rock sound, and the songwriting bore the influence of country classics.
Four more convincing studio albums followed, with the A&M-released “Hang Time” being the best of the bunch. By the early 1990s, while generally unfashionable, Soul Asylum was one of the best alternative rock bands around. “Grave Dancers Union” would, however, open new doors for the Minneapolis group.
The Meaning of the Lyrics to “Runaway Train”
It was no concentrated effort. “Runaway Train” may have just fallen from the sky into the lap of Dave Pirner and his bandmates. More realistically, however, it was the result of years of experience trying to write memorable songs and touring the U.S. to promote them.
And while Soul Asylum’s indie, country and hard-rock hybrid showed great potential on previous releases, it’s no stretch to say that this was a song that artistically exceeded everything else that the band had created up to this point.
To Pirner’s credit, he had stuck with it. They’d released six studio albums, and the singer and his bandmates learned their chops through constant practice. A demo for the song had existed for years before it was shaped by producer Michael Beinhorn into a single.
Pirner’s occasional bouts of depression inspired it, and fears that he might be losing his hearing. It was still an ember of a song when A&R reps heard the tune and got Soul Asylum signed to Columbia Records on the strength of it. This was the second major label taking a chance on the band.
The lyrics, for better or worse, describe a nervous breakdown. The text contains various personal references to Pirner’s life as a kid and young adult. The line “laughing at the rain” references singer Neil Sedaka. The lyrics about “calling up in the middle of the night” are inspired by a friend, Pirner, who lived in another part of the country, but would always take his calls.
As for the runaway train, Pirner relied on a childhood memory of watching trains go by and used it as a metaphor for things that escape you and are gone forever.
The Music Video for “Runaway Train”
While the song is fantastic, it arguably wouldn’t have reached the same audience without the impactful music video.
The video was directed by the experienced and respected Tony Kaye. Several versions of the music video existed. Each centred on the topic of missing persons.
In the U.S.A., the video opens with the statement “There are over one million youth lost on the streets of America.” The rest of the video shows actual pictures of missing people. Many countries replaced those with pictures and text appropriate to the location.
The video also contains shots of a child running in fear from an abusive home, a young woman being prostituted, and a baby being stolen from their mother.
Shots of the band performing, focused, in particular on Dave Pirner, have his tortured expression make up the rest of the video.
Upon its release, the music video created something of a sensation. It was featured on heavy rotation on MTV, won awards, and most importantly, led to a number of resolved cases. It’s believed that no fewer than 26 children were found because of the music video.
The Legacy of Soul Asylum and “Runaway Train”
The newfound success of the group broke longtime fans’ hearts. They’d had the chance to support Soul Asylum since the early 1980s, back when their albums were rough around the edges. “Grave Dancers Union,” for all that they were concerned, was slick pop by comparison.
“Grave Dancers Union” was a platinum seller. Columbia Records had gambled on the band, and its effort had paid off. The success couldn’t have happened to a harder-working band.
Soul Asylum played at Bill Clinton’s inauguration party, and the American president declared himself to be a fan. The rock song was one of the biggest hits of the ’90s.
But the album and song also created unwanted pressures. By the 2000s, Soul Asylum was back to releasing albums on independent record labels. Some of the band’s longest-serving fans were overjoyed.
As for “Runaway Train,” that remains the group’s finest hour, the cherry on top of an impressive career, and one of the greatest songs ever recorded.
