What does “Run rabbit run/dig that hole, forget the sun” mean in the Pink Floyd song ‘Breathe’?
With their sonic adventuring and expansive sound, the world of Pink Floyd has always been one of metaphors and mystery. Across their 15 studio albums, the band have weaved poetry and music together to create a language of their own. From the earliest tracks penned by Syd Barrett to their later years, the group have never been one to lay out precisely what they mean as a creative force. But sometimes, their message needs a little unpacking in order to get to the heart of it. Writing meanings into images of rabbits, sunshine and running, ‘Breathe (In The Air)’ is one of those more cryptic ones.
As the second track on the band’s critically acclaimed 1973 album The Dark Side Of The Moon, ‘Breathe’ continues the record’s themes of mental health, freedom, and societal pressures. Conceived as a kind of concept album to deal with the pressures faced by the band and the exit of their original leader due to his drug-fuelled hedonism and poor mental health, the record’s expansive sound is matched by an expansive topic.
Some of the tracks are far more on the nose. ‘Money’ obviously deals with the financial side of making music, the corruption in the industry and the price of face. ‘On The Run’ evokes the taxing nature of travelling around as a touring group. ‘Brain Damage’ directly tackles the topic of mental health and fame as a clear contemplation of the fate of their old bandmate and friend.
But ‘Breathe (In The Air)’ is a little more veiled in its message. As ‘Speak To Me’ reaches a chaotic end after a spiralling and dark climax, the opening to the next track feels like getting a hit of fresh air as if stepping outside and away from the stress. In that way, the meaning of the two songs is perfectly captured by their sound. The album’s opening track is a busy sound collage with loads going on, representing the noise of day-to-day life and the weight placed on people’s shoulders. In contrast, ‘Breathe (In The Air)’ feels like shaking them all off.
“Look around, choose your own ground,” the band implore, inviting listeners to defy expectations to find their own place. They sing, “smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry / and all your touch and all you see / is all your life will ever be,” meaning that the purpose of life is nothing more than the relationships and interactions a person has.
But the most cryptic lyric comes in the second verse. “Run rabbit run / dig that hole, forget the sun,” they sing, leaving fans wondering what they mean.
In the phrase “forget the sun”, the band seem to be telling people to ignore the external pressures of the world or the fearful passing of time. Instead, they tell the rabbit, or the people, to focus on their missions and inspirations and to work at it regardless. In that way, it could be a message of hope.
However, it’s grounded by realism and a sense of doom that lingers across the whole album. “When at last the work is down / don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one,” they continue, with the message that life’s work is never done and that no one will ever be able to truly escape the way of the world. Even as the rabbit focuses on its mission, it’s still stuck on the ride of life where, as the band gloomily put it, “you race towards an early grave”.
…but who should “Run, Rabbit, Run”?
Of course, the message of this Pink Floyd track is broad and vast. It could be applied to absolutely everyone as the band tackles life as its biggest, treating it as a ride we’re all stuck on. In that way, it’s a song for the entirety of society as we all attempt to navigate the hardship and futility of life amidst external pressures and expectations. But in its more lighthearted message, it’s also a note to all of society to prioritise relationships and loved ones above all.
However, some fans have a more niche reading of the lyrics. To some, the song is a father addressing their newborn child, telling them to “breathe in the air” for the first time. Acting as a welcome into the world, the track could be seen as a parent laying down the rules of life with some heartfelt advice.
