Run Right Back by Moon Taxi

 Run Right Back by Moon Taxi

This is definitely a song that brings a lot of nostalgia for me. It puts me off County Road 129 up Iron Mtn Road, or maybe better known as Forest Service Rd 488, about 5 miles. I would rally up a bunch of coworkers from the ranch that I was working at in northwestern Colorado and take them up to a lookout to watch the sunset and the stars come out. In order to do this the right way we needed a few things: Hammocks, Blankets, Sweet Chili Pistachios, a Speaker, Beer, and Good Company. Most times there were 5-10 of us that would make the trek. We would play all sorts of music, drink all sorts of beer, and talk about all sorts of topics. None of us had an interest in solving the worlds problems in these moments because where we were, there were no problems. Everything was exactly how it should be. We were all exactly where we needed to be. Everything was perfect. Run Right Back came with lyrics that I can only assume talk about a person. For me, I associated it more with my faith, and the feeling of pure joy. I was always more able to find divine meaning in the outdoors. I felt more connected with God when I was under the stars, swaying in a tree I climbed, or down by a river fishing for trout than I ever did sitting in a pew.

The song starts with "Meet me in the middle / You know I need you close / Oh but it's always the little / Things I seem to miss the most // Is that you out walking? / Or do I see a ghost? / Am I dreaming? / Am I wishing? / Or just a little bit of both?" And I think of the lyrics as personifying happiness. Meet me in the middle- happiness can be found everywhere and it's not an end goal. Meet me in the middle- it's a give and take, you can say, "Oh but if I do this! If I move here! If I accomplish this!" THEN I'll be happy. That isn't how it works. A lot of times it's found somewhere in between if we're looking. Somewhere along, everywhere along the journey as we get to where we're going. It's always close. "It's always the little things I seem to miss the most"- What does miss mean in this context? Miss as in didn't catch it? Didn't seem to pick up on the little things? No way! That can't be it. It makes more sense to be thought of as longing for those little things. Man, thinking back on this memory of watching the sunset I always seem to long for the little things that happened. Someone brought some Oreos, we saw a deer, or Natalie brought those IPAs that we all liked. Those little things, I miss them. "Is that you out walking? Or do I see a ghost? Am I dreaming? Or am I wishing? Or just a little bit of both?"- Is this real? this feeling? These sights? These people? It always felt like a dream, or something that I had wished for and somehow got. I guess it was just a little bit of both. 

The song then moves on to the chorus which just continues down my train of thought on how I think of this song and happiness. It continues with, "'Cause I run right back from Carolina and I run right back from New Orleans 'cause I can't forget the times I held you and all those songs you sang with me"- Right? I would run right back from anywhere just to get back to that feeling again, wouldn't anyone? A feeling like that leaves an imprint in the mind, an unforgettable one at that, and we try to hold on to them too. Sometimes, for me, there's a song associated with the memories. And this song is a perfect fit.

The rest of the song remains on the same theme for me. It only grows in meaning really. I definitely encourage you to listen to this one, it's easy on the ears and you'll like it regardless of the type of music you're in to.