It Just Rolled Off His Brain
Dave Pirner wrote the song about depression, which took him a few years to complete. Initially, the lyrics were different – including the refrain “laughing at the rain,” which he felt was too similar to the Neil Sedaka song, Laughter in the Rain. He said he had the tune in his head for a while, but only later did the metaphor of runaway train/depression hit him.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
At that point, suddenly feeling enlightened, he sat down and wrote the lyrics in a single sitting. According to Pirner, the positive reaction to Runaway Train came even before it was released. “I think the song just kind of rolled off my brain,” the now 57-year-old recalled.