Queens of the Stone Age – Running Joke

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When I was a little boy
I looked under the stairs
The king and the pawns
Were caught unawares
Standing in the shadows
A whisperer to be
Just fishing in the darkness
Of possibilities
Just look at you now
Look at you now

Among such style and grace,
Our highest hopes
I'm standing still, the running joke
Where goes the warm embrace
It fades without return
Appears to slip through fingertips
And burn

Just look at you now, oh...
Look at you now, oh...
Look at you now, oh...
Look at you now, oh...
Now...

Send "Running Joke" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Saint Sadistic, edited by Gyropilot, TheBronze

Track duration: 02:57


Running Joke song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah, this really does sound kind of like the guy from Murder By Death, but I'm pretty sure its just Josh Homme's voice compressed a little.
    Flag Shwang_Shwingaon July 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Another correction, I think anyway; The line 'None standing still, a running joke' I think is actually 'Long Standing, still the running joke'. Firstly it is definitely 'the' not 'a' and then I think it's 'long' instead of 'none', it's just how he sings it isn't that easily decipherable. It makes far more sense for it to be the 'long standing running joke'. I think the second verse is about being ambitious and being mocked for aiming so high and the 'effect without return' is you never achieving what you set out to no matter how hard you try, then your hopes and opportunity slipping through your fingers as you get old.
    Flag LeylandLaticon July 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:bicycle runaway, I believe that the horns at the end of LSGb are meant to synch with this song.
    Flag NewNrthnHorizonon March 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Is it just me, or do the Horns at the end of "Long, Slow Goodbye" sound like they would synch up exactly with the end of this song?
    Flag bicycle runawayon August 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Domino_p is right. Its "were caught unawares". Why is the song so short? I dont demand long songs, but when they are this good it should be longer.
    Flag robbantheshiton July 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:im not 100% sure, but i think homme sings "were caught unawares" instead of "on the wires", althought unawares is incorrect grammar =3 also i think it's "Of possibilities", not "Oh the possibilities", but i could be wrong. Great song by the by!
    Flag domino_pon July 01, 2007   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Anybody here listen to a band called Murder By Death? I know Josh Homme is really fond of having guest artists on the QOTSA albums, and it really sounds to me like MBD's singer on this track.
    Flag rock_hawkon June 13, 2007   Link

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