# help me identify this song please **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333 "2000-10-10T00:17:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/1 "2000-10-10T00:17:44Z")
What is this 80’s hit song and who performs it? chorus goes something like: can you hear me? (whistling echo in background) can you me running? (whistling echo in background) can you hear running can you hear calling you? (whistling echo in background) other bits of the lyrics I recall in no particular order: Take the children and yourself and hide out in the cellar… There’s a gun and ammunition just inside the doorway Use it only in emergency… That’s all the lyrics I can come up with for now. Wjat is this song? ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/2 "2000-10-10T00:20:17Z")
And the title is: Silent Running by _Mike and The Mechanics_ ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/3 "2000-10-10T00:21:35Z")
corrections: chorus goes something like: can you hear me? (whistling echo in background) can you me running? (whistling echo in background) can you hear running can you hear me calling you? (whistling echo in background) “That’s all the lyrics I can come up with for now. What is this song?” :::sigh::: damn typos! Pardon me while I go have myself flogged by the typing police. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/4 "2000-10-10T00:31:46Z")
Thanks, I found the lyrics. Here they are as posted on the official Mike & Mechanics website. Now, can someone tell me what they hell this song is supposed to be all about? I’ve always interpreted it as having to do with the “Cold War” or WW III. Silent Running Take the children and yourself And hide out in the cellar By now the fighting will be close at hand Don’t believe the church and state And everything they tell you Believe in me, I’m with the high command Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? There’s a gun and ammunition Just inside the doorway Use it only in emergency Better you should pray to God The Father and the Spirit Will guide you and protect from up here Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Swear allegiance to the flag Whatever flag they offer Never hint at what you really feel Teach the children quietly For some day sons and daughters Will rise up and fight while we stood still Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Can you hear me, can you hear me running? Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you? Can you hear me running (can you hear me calling you?) (Can you hear me) hear me calling you? (Can you hear me running) hear me running babe? (Can you hear me running) hear me running? Calling you, calling you ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/5 "2000-10-10T00:32:17Z")
_MagicalSilverKey_, now I have that song running in my head, you could be destroyed for that. You might think about putting that on our "Oh, no, not that song again! " thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-song-please/36333/6 "2000-10-10T01:15:18Z")
That song scared the crap out of me as a kid. It was the whole Reagan/Cold War era and for some reason I worried about nuclear war constantly. Plus, it’s one of those that gets stuck in my head so I would obsess about it. I was a very nervous child, I guess… :o