Poor Otis dead and gone
Left me here to sing his song
Pretty little girl with the red dress on
Poor Otis dead and gone

Yeah, back down, turn around slowly
Try it again, remembering when
It was easy, try it again
Much too easy, rememberin' when
All right, look at my shoes
Not quite the walkin' blues
Don't fight, too much to lose
Can't fight the runnin' blues

Well, I've got the runnin' blues
Runnin' away, back to L.A.
Got to find the dock in the bay
Maybe find it back in L.A.

Runnin' scared, runnin' blue
Goin' so fast, what'll I do

Well, I've got the runnin' blues
Runnin' away, back to L.A.
Got to find the dock in the bay
Maybe find it back in L.A.

All right, look at my shoes
Not quite the walkin' blues
Don't fight, too much to lose
Can't fight the runnin' blues
All right, look at my shoes
Not quite the walkin' blues
Don't fight, too much to lose
Can't fight the runnin' blues


Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira

Running Blue Lyrics as written by John Paul Densmore Jim Morrison

Lyrics © Doors Music Company

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Running Blue song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is a tribute to Otis Redding, with "the poor Otis dead and gone" and the "dock of the bay" lines.

    SteelFistedYokelon April 16, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is one of my favorite doors songs.

    IndianGiveron May 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think the chorus part where Robby sings is very catchy

    vipergt196on January 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I can't believe this doesn't have more comments! This song is sooo good. Jim Morrison is an American Poet in my eyes : )

    kp199on March 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    my faaaavorite Doors song! you know, after L.A Woman. haha

    MrsTankian:)on March 30, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I don't know, Robbie's part seems to make the song a bit silly and I think this song is amazing!

    CrawlingKingSnakeon May 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I LOVE this song. It sounds sorrowful to me.

    theriverknowson May 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think I have the runnin blues.

    cstakolichon February 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Jim Morrison sings this song as a tribute to Ottis Redding who Jim had idolized. written by Robby Krieger and Jim, in their 1969 album "The Soft Parade". Morrison sings an a capella intro for the song, singing directly about Otis Redding. "Poor Otis dead and gone, "The references "Dock of the Bay", "left me here to sing his song" because in August 1967 and it Released in January 1968 after Redding's death on December 10, the charter plane which was carrying him crashed into Lake Monona, outside Madison, Wisconsin. Redding and six others were killed. Only one passenger survived, Ben Cauley of The Bar-Kays. Redding's body was recovered from the lake the day after the crash. several other references to Redding's song like songs.

    laurahaon May 28, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The solo singing in the beginning by Jim about Poor Otis is almost a completely seperate song for me, I love the melody of it.

    Twilight31on March 02, 2014   Link

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