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Run (From The Vault)

Feat. Ed Sheeran | RED (Taylor's Version) [2021]

“Run (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]” is a song recorded by Taylor featuring singer-songwriter and friend Ed Sheeran for her album RED (Taylor’s Version) [2021], which is a re-recording of her 2012 album RED. “Run” marks their third collaboration.

Background and Release

Following the dispute regarding her masters, Taylor announced RED (Taylor’s Version), a re-recording of her 2012 album RED, on June 18, 2021. Alongside the deluxe edition of the album, she revealed she would release nine songs, all dubbed “From The Vault” that did not make the 2012 album, one of them being “Run (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]”. Ed Sheeran told Capital FM in September 2021 that he always prefered the song over “Everything Has Changed“, which is the duet that made it on the original version of RED:

«We wrote 'Run' and then we wrote 'Everything Has Changed' maybe like a week later. And I remember always thinking, 'Well, 'Run' is the one that’s gonna make the album.' It was always my favorite. But 'Everything Has Changed' just ended up sounding better because we produced them differently or whatever. So 'Run' has just been there for years and years. I’ve never really wanted to nudge Taylor about it – because it’s her song. But I’ve always been secretly hoping that one day she’d be like, 'Hey, this song was cool!' And so we recorded that and it’s really great! I’m so happy it’s seeing the light of day.»

Ed Sheeran

Lyrical Theme

Taylor and Ed wrote “Run” in Seattle (Washington, USA) when she came to visit him for a songwriting session at a hotel room in early 2012. Taylor told Amazon Music: “The song ‘Run’ is really special to me because it marks the first song that I ever wrote with Ed Sheeran and it kind of also marks the first day of our friendship. He’s been someone who has been so important in my life, like just one of my closest friends, he’s always been there for me. It’s a song about the escapism of falling in love and how you don’t really care what anyone else says when you feel this way – you just wanna run away with someone. And all the little secrets that you establish with this person, this secret world you create together.”

Composition

“Run” sees Taylor and Ed Sheeran intertwine vocals in a way that is even more alluring than what they did on 2012’s acoustic “Everything Has Changed.” On “Run,” their harmonies almost reach Justin Vernon levels of transcendence, which makes sense considering Taylor’s then recent collaborations with Bon Iver. Speaking about her friendship with Ed, Taylor said:

«We hang all the time. It's one of those friendships where the friendship doesn't move even when life moves. He's a wonderful friend. He's always there when I need to talk. It's nice to have someone who has the same kind of stresses and challenges in life. love him.»

Taylor Swift

In 2022, Taylor’s handwritten original lyrics to “Run” were on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. The notes were part of the (Taylor’s Version) exhibit in the Taylor Swift Education Center.

Production

Aaron Dessner co-produced the Vault track with Taylor. He famously is her main collaborator on both folklore (2020) and evermore (2020 and would later go on to produce Ed’s fifth studio album, – (Subtract) in 2023. In March 2023, Aaron shared his experience of working on “Run” with the two close friends: “I was introduced to Ed through Taylor when I helped produce their song ‘Run’ for Taylor’s Version of RED [in 2021]. It was special for me to hear two old friends singing together and bringing the past to life.”

Commercial Performance

After the release of RED (Taylor’s Version), “Run” debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week ending November 26, 2021.

Lyrics

[Intro: Ed Sheeran]
One, two, three, four

[Verse 1: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran]
Give me the keys, I’ll bring the car back around
We shouldn’t be in this town
And my so-called friends, they don’t know
I’d drive away before I let you go
So give me a reason and don’t say no, no
There’s a chain ’round your throat, piece of paper where I wrote
“I’ll wait for you”
There’s a key on the chain, there’s a picture in a frame
Take it with you

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran]
And run, like you’d run from the law
Darling, let’s run
Run from it all
We can go where our eyes can take us
Go where no one else is, run
Ooh, we’ll run
Ooh, we’ll run
Ooh, we’ll run

[Verse 2: Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran & Both]
So you laugh like a child
And I’ll sing like no one cares
No one to be, no one to tell
I could see this view a hundred times
Pale blue sky reflected in your eyes
So give me a reason and don’t say no, no
And the note from the locket, you keep it in your pocket
Since I gave it to you
There’s a heart on your sleeve
I’ll take it when I leave
And hold it for you

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran]
And run, like you’d run from the law
Darling, let’s run
Run from it all
We can go like they’re trying to chase us
Go where no one else is, run
Ooh, we’ll run
Ooh, we’ll run
Ooh, we’ll run

[Bridge: Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift & Both]
There’s been this hole in my heart
This thing was a shot in the dark
Say you’ll never let ’em tear us apart
And I’ll hold onto you while we run
(And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift]
Like you’d run from the law (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Darling, let’s run (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Run from it all (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
We can go where our eyes can take us (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Go where no one else is, run (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Ooh, we’ll run (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Ooh, we’ll run (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Ooh, we’ll run (And we’ll run, and we’ll run, and we’ll run)
Ooh, and we’ll run