You played hooky from school
And you can't go out to play, yeah
Mama said for the rest of the week
In your room you gotta stay, yeah
Now you feel like the whole world's pickin' on you
(Now you feel like the whole world's pickin' on you)
But deep down inside you know it ain't true (ain't true)
You've been punished 'cause your mother
Wants to raise you the right way, yeah
But you don't care, 'cause you already made up your mind
You wanna run away, yeah
You're on your way
(Run away child, running wild)
Run away child, running wild
(Better come back home) better come back home
(Where you belong) where you belong
Roaming through the city, going nowhere fast
You're on your own at last
Hey it's getting late, where will you sleep
Gettin' kind-a hungry, you forgot to bring something to eat
Oh, lost with no money, you start to cry
But remember you left home wanting to be grown
So dry your weepin' eyes
(Dry your weepin' eyes, dry, dry, dry your weepin' eyes)
Siren screamin' down, neon light is flickin',
You want your mama (run, run, run, run, run...)
Ah, there's nothing for you (run, run, run, run, run...)
You're frightened and confused I want my mama (run, run, run, run, run...)
But she's much too far away (run, run, run, run, run...)
She can't hear a word you say (run, run, run, run, run...)
You heard some frightening news on the radio
About little boys running away from home
And their parents don't see them no more
You wanna stop hitch a ride and go home
But your mama told you never trust a stranger
And you don't know which way to go (confu-)
Run away child, running wild