Songs of Leaving

Turning eighteen, graduating, transitioning to college, all of it is leaving. I am leaving everything I've ever known--childhood, home, teachers, friends. Yes, I will see them again, but it will never really be the same.

It makes me think of running away. That's a thought I've had rather frequently. At this age you're stuck between dependence and independence. Sometimes, the baby bird is ready to fly and the mama bird is holding it by the tail. 

"Going To A Town" - Rufus Wainwright 

"Making my own way home, ain't gonna be alone
I've got a life to lead, America
I've got a life to lead"

 

 "Still Breathing" - Duran Duran

"I'm walkin' out of this town
I'm never going back there
I'm never going back there
I've burned the place to the ground
I'm never going back there
I'm never going back there again"

 

"New York's Not My Home" - Jim Croce

"It has been so long since I have felt fine
That's the reason that I've gotta get outta here
I'm so alone"

 

"She Moves On" - Paul Simon

"But feel the bite
Whenever you believe that
You'll be lost and love will find you
When the road bends
And the song ends
She moves on"

 

"Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees

"'Cause I'm leaving in the morning
And I must see you again
We'll have one more night together
'Til the morning brings my train
And I must go
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no
And I don't know
If I'm ever coming home"

 

"Graceland" - Paul Simon

"For reasons I cannot explain
There's some part of me wants to see Graceland
And I may obliged to defend every love, every ending
Or maybe there's no obligations now
Maybe I've a reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland"

 

"I Can't Stay" - The Killers

"In the dark
For a while now
I can't stay so far
I can't stay much longer
Riding my decision home"

 

"America"  - Simon and Garfunkel

"'Kathy,' I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
'Michigan seems like a dream to me now'
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
I've gone to look for America"

 

"Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." - Simon and Garfunkel

"She is soft, she is warm, but my heart remains heavy
And I watch as her breasts gently rise, gently fall
For I know with the first light of dawn I'll be leaving
And tonight will be all I have left to recall"

 

"She's Leaving Home" - The Beatles

"Something inside, that was always denied
For so many years
She's leaving home"

 

"Leave A Light On" - Duran Duran

"Even if I wait a lifetime
I know, I swear
If you leave a light on, if you leave a light on for me
I'll come there
You can leave a light on for me"

 

"Traveling Boy" - Art Garfunkel

"I won't say that I'll be back again
'Cause time alone will tell
So no goodbyes for one just passing through
But one who'll always think of you
No goodbyes"

 

"God Bless the Absentee" - Paul Simon

"The future is the present
The present's in the past
The highways are in litigation
The airports disagree
God bless the absentee"

 

"Run Away from Life" - The Monkees

"Let's run away from life together
Leave behind the stormy weather
Let's find out what fantasy can do
Where we'll go to they can't touch us
Life is perfect nothing more to do"

 

"I Wanna Be Free" - The Monkees

"I wanna be free
Like the warm September wind, babe
Say you'll always be my friend, babe
We can make it to the end, babe"

 

"Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen

"Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back"

 

"Time for Me to Fly" - REO Speedwagon

"Oh, I've got to set myself free
Time for me to fly
And that's just how it's got to be
I know it hurts to say goodbye
But it's time for me to fly"

 

"Where I'm Going" - The Wild Reeds

"I'm not running from a home we built for two
I'm chasing the winds, I'm leaving on whims and I'm learning a thing or two"

 

"Run Away With Me" - The Spring Standards

"We'll be on the road
Like some country song
Won't be long
We'll be ready
Let's go
Anywhere
Get the car packed and throw me the keys
Run away with me"

 

"Night Train" - The Accidentals

"I'm on the night train, see this land for a change
Gardens in the backyards, a far mountain range
I'm taking my time, I'll stay on this line to the end of the track
And watch the sun rise, maybe two or three times
Before I come back"

 

"Think I'll Run Away" - The Turtles

"Climb higher than we've climbed before
Life should show us so much more
Think I'll run away"

 

"We'll Meet Again" - The Turtles

"Oh, won't you please say hello to the folks that I know
Tell them I won't be long
Well, they'll be happy to know that as you saw me go
I was singing this song"

 

"Ghosts" - The Head and the Heart

"All my friends are talkin' about leavin', about leavin'
But all my friends are sittin' in their graves"

 

"Steady, Steady" - The Crane Wives

"Oh, steady, steady
I am ready
To run"

 

"My Little Town" - Simon and Garfunkel

"In my little town
I never meant nothin', I was just my father's son
Saving my money
Dreaming of glory
Twitching like a finger on the trigger of a gun"

 

"Break Away" - Art Garfunkel

"It's not the sun you're trying to find
Something else is on your mind
You need a little space and time to break away
It's not the place you're going to
It's just a phase you're going through"

 

"Disappear" - Jason Webley

"A pull-out sofa, some cheap red wine, yeah, you're going to do some time
Just get in the car and drive
And no one's going to pick you up down here
No one's going to say you're in the clear
You push, you stretch, you rend apart the edges of just what you are
And no one's going to see you disappear"

 

"Blackbird" - The Beatles

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise"