The song was written very late at night after teaching music all day, and trying to find a voice, my voice. I had been listening to a lot more pop music as the stuff I am naturally drawn to was really dragging me down emotionally.
‘run for your life’ came as a thought of a possible reality that could have eventuated had I met someone earlier than I did. A what if. The idea of meeting someone you know is bad for you but being inexplicably drawn to them. A whisper of a thread and it was enough.
The simplicity of lyrics is deliberate.
It was recorded in a day at Tiny Music Studios with Woody, and then added in Gareth Skinner’s (Bzark, The Holy Sea)beautiful cello touches. A couple of days later, Tara John (Schvendes, Joni in the Moon) came in and laid down some keys to enhance it.
The video
The video was made by Andrew Watson at Semi-Conductor Media.
We shot on a freezing cold rainy windy day on a beach in Williamstown, Victoria.
We were driving round looking for somewhere scenic to shoot. We drove for ages looking at so much beautiful countryside and feeling a little concerned as the rain was not letting up. We arrived at the beach and it looked wild out there, grey and stormy with a wind that could cut you.
Watson said, ‘I’ll get out and see if it’s worth it. You stay in the car where it’s warm.’
He opened the door and a gust blew in. He slammed it shut.
I fixed my hair.
Watson was back in seconds, his face wet from ocean spray and said, ‘Not an option. Plan B?’
And I said, ‘I don’t have a Plan B. How does your camera deal with rain?’
‘It’ll survive,’ he said.
‘Let’s do it.’
I had demons to purge and as I danced in the wind and rain, I felt my life change. The wind sent rain and sea spray through to my bones and I danced a strange dance, not even knowing at that stage what would become of the footage, just enjoying the process. Watson used a particular lens that plays with focal point, and captured the process so effectively. After a few hours, exhausted and drenched, we left.
lyrics
run for your life
Verse 1
There’s a party in your mind and in your heart
And I got my invitation in the dark.
Pre Chorus 1
And they said, ‘Run for your life,’
One look and, ‘Run for your life,’
Chorus
But all I wanna do is sit back down with you
If sadness is your way then I’ll always be blue
And they said, ‘Run for your life,
Come on and get out in time.’
Verse 2
Better dry your eyes darling, it’s not that important.
We only came here for the poetry and some water.
Pre Chorus 2
Well run for your life,
I’m meant to run for my life.
Chorus 2
But all I wanna do is sit back down with you
If sadness is your way then I’ll always be blue
And they said, ‘Run for your life,
Come on and get out in time.’
Instrumental/ middle 8
Run
Run
Chorus 3
But all I wanna do is sit back down with you
If sadness is your way then I’ll always be blue
And they said, ‘Run for your life,
Come on and get out in time.’
credits
released July 4, 2022
Run For Your Life - June 2022
Production - Paul Wood
Cello - Gareth Skinner
Keys - Tara John
Vocals, piano and songwriting - Catherine Traicos
Photography - Andrew Watson
Styling - The Wild Wind
Catherine Traicos is a critically acclaimed singer songwriter hailing from sunny Perth, Western Australia. Her songs
‘simmer with noir’*, the lyrics raw and emotive, her voice strong yet vulnerable; the whole - ethereal. She has graced such diverse stages as Nashville's iconic Bluebird Café and The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
* Barnaby Smith, Rolling Stone Magazine, 2014...more
Featuring former members of iconic Melbourne Indie outfit Gaslight Radio, Elizaband combine catchy melodies with beautiful rock guitar in a delightfully new way. <3 Catherine Traicos
Chris Smith, from Melbourne, delivers an album of moody music that ranges from elegant slowcore to spare, shadowy folk. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 26, 2020
A sprawling, 25-song set from Pete Yorn complete with covers of Springsteen and The Smiths capture him at his unguarded best. Bandcamp New & Notable May 16, 2020
Written as she was coping with an auto-immune disease, the new EP from Rachel Angel offers hushed, silvery ’50s-style Americana. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 23, 2020