Singled Out: Will Jacobs' Runaway

01-31-2019

Chicago blues rocker Will Jacobs tells us about one of his songs that has become a fan favorite called "Runaway". Here is the story:

Runaway is an interesting song for me. It's not my latest single, but it is a song that a lot of people tell me they enjoy. It originally didn't sound like it does today. It had a completely different grove behind it when I originally wrote it and it took about 4 years to get to what it sounds like today.

Back in 2013 when I was at Berklee College of Music I was experimenting with different styles of songwriting. Besides blues I would do a lot of unplugged acoustic type writing in my bedroom where I could be alone since I had about 4 flatmates that I shared the apartment with. During this time I was also dealing with a lot of personal issues that I kept to myself. Music was my way of letting it out and I was okay with that being my only outlet. It was just another normal day in my life of sitting at the desk in front of the computer with my guitar, playing and writing. I had been messing around with this groove for a long time but I could never figure out what to do with it. For some reason on this particular day when I decided to play this groove again, the words just fell out of my mouth. I'm not sure if it was writer's block being pushed to the side, or my emotions helping me out, but it just happened. Within 15 minutes I had a full set of lyrics to this groove. I didn't write specifically about my own problems, but problems which I felt I could relate to, or that other people my age could relate to. Not being able to get ahead to where you want to be, not having enough money to pay your bills, not having the motivation to continue to work hard because you feel like you're getting nowhere. Wanting to Runaway from it all to a place or person that makes your life better. Towards the end of the song I imagined just saying to hell with it all and emptying out my bank account, getting so good looking clothes, and getting the band on stage and just rocking out till you can't feel those things anymore. At the time I wrote the lyrics that is one thing I did specifically feel. These are the ideas behind the lyrics.

Once I had the lyrics done i said FINALLY, I did something with this groove. At first I liked the original idea, but for some reason I never felt comfortable enough with it to record it properly or put it out on a CD. So it was set aside with a lot of others ideas i had. Fast forward to 2017 when I was preparing to record my first CD here in Berlin. I had all of my songs ready to go and was a couple days from going into the studio to record. I was listening to some of my old Ideas just to listen and the original idea for runaway started playing. I hadn't heard it in years. It just so happened that I had another groove that I wanted to put on the album but had no lyrics for. I thought about combining the original lyrics with this new groove I didn't have any for. The lyrics fit perfectly and I decided right then and there that THIS was what I wanted Runaway to sound like. I quickly made a rough mix of the song at home and then sent it to the band and that's how Runaway came to be what you hear today.
The second verse into the chorus goes like this:

Baby, I aint doing so great, My wallet's gettin' dry, and the rent is late,
My car broke down the other day.
I've got the bill collector on my phone, Threatening me and my home.
I can't do this one more day.
I want to runaway! X3
Into your arms

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more right here!