Vacation on the Run – Reggae Version

Description

©2025 Song Pitchers, ascap
Song Prompter: Paul King

Verse 1
Worked the line in a midwest town,
Steel and smoke, machines poundin’ down,
Twenty years, never seen the sea,
Saved up my pennies, said, “This trip’s for me.”

Touched the island, sun kissed my skin,
Palm trees swayin’, let the good life begin,
Met a girl with a smile so wild,
Didn’t know trouble wore a flower child.

Chorus
Vacation on the run,
Thought I came here just for fun,
From the factory to the sun,
Now I’m wanted, but I’m free, mon.
Vacation on the run,
Police lights and steel drum,
Not the dream I thought I’d find,
But I left that old life behind.

Verse 2
She said, “Baby, hold my hand,
Don’t look back when we cross the sand,
They don’t know me like you do,
But the law’s chasin’, so we must move.”

Now I’m runnin’ barefoot, heart beats fast,
Coconut shadows as the sirens pass,
Every cocktail tastes like fear,
But it’s still better than my factory years.

Chorus
Vacation on the run,
Thought I came here just for fun,
From the factory to the sun,
Now I’m wanted, but I’m free, mon.
Vacation on the run,
Police lights and steel drum,
Not the dream I thought I’d find,
But I left that old life behind.

Bridge
In the moonlight we hide by the pier,
She whispers, “Baby, no worries here,”
I laugh and say, “Well, what’s the worst?
If I’m in jail, at least it ain’t work!”

Verse 3
Now my boss back home don’t know,
I’m a fugitive with no punch clock to show,
From a timecard life to a wanted man,
But my feet in the sand, and a rum in my hand.

Final Chorus
Vacation on the run,
Thought I came here just for fun,
From the factory to the sun,
Now I’m wanted, but I’m free, mon.
Vacation on the run,
Crazy love and island drum,
Not the dream I thought I’d find,
But I left that old life behind.

Outro (spoken, half-laughing reggae toast)
“Midwest boy never thought it’d be this way…
No overtime, no foreman, no pay…
Just a pretty girl and the law at my back…
But still on the island, never going back.”