This is another one of my personal favourites, as it lets me slip inside the soul of someone else. The inspiration comes out of watching movies like “The Midnight Cowboy” and the feel of desperation that can be felt in Bruce Springsteen’s “Meeting Across The River”.

Springsteen’s writing style in adopting persona’s of people on the edge and telling their stories though the songs, appeals to me in a big way and the songs which I have loved the most are the ones that I have written in this frame.

This song is about a guy who is running out of options, a man who recognises that if he don’t get away he will probably end up either dead or in prison and yet hasn’t got the funds to escape. Maybe this guy is a drug addict, may be he just owes too many people either way the course he is on is well aware this is going to end badly.

Verse 1
In this big city there is nowhere to run,
I’ve got no money, but I’ve got a gun.
If I don’t get my way,
it’s clear I’ll kill someone.
Don’t want to hurt them, I just want them scared.
Give me their money and I’ll be walking on air.
I’ll make my getaway,
but if they get in my way I’ll use this gun.

Chorus
Don’t want to, I swear,
but if I have to, I dare.
Got to get away
I have to get away.

Verse 2
Here it is dirty and the people are so mean,
I’ve seen a brochure of somewhere that’s clean.
I’ve got to get away,
before I’ll kill someone.
Maybe it’s the case of the grass that is greener,
If the cops ever catch me, I’m sure I won’t leave here.
I’ve got to get away,
just one last job I say,
but that’s what I always say.
This time will be the one.

Chorus
Don’t want to, I swear,
but if I have to, I dare.
Got to get away
I have to get away.

Verse 3
Me I don’t like it, but it’s kind of fun,
my heart’s starts pounding when I pull out my gun.
if I don’t get my way,
I know I’ll kill someone.
No decent jobs in this city of slime,
if it’s legal, you won’t make a dime.
it’s a sin they say,
and I won’t get away,
no I won’t get away,
if I kill someone.

(c) 1990 Words & Music John Hunter

(p) 2019 Sentric Music Publishing

RECORDING NOTES

Released on as the second song on the single Here Comes The Night under the artist name John Hunter and it features Mark Shipton on lead guitar. Getway is available to buy or stream from Amazon Music, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud etc.