CMAT Running/Planning Meaning and Review

Introduction

CMAT’s "Running/Planning", the first single from her third album EURO-COUNTRY, is a mesmerizing blend of dreamy instrumentation and introspective lyricism. From the opening strums, the song envelops the listener in a slow-moving, sparkling guitar vibe that feels both intimate and expansive. The production’s restrained shimmer allows CMAT’s vocals to take center stage, highlighting her uncanny ability to convey vulnerability, humor, and candor all at once. It is a track that rewards repeated listens, revealing more of its emotional texture each time.

Lyrics and Themes

The lyrics of "Running/Planning" explore the pressures of conforming to societal expectations, particularly in romantic relationships. CMAT has described the song as reflecting the repetitive, often transactional nature of traditional life paths: dating, engagement, marriage, and children, and the stress that comes from stepping outside of that blueprint. This theme is cleverly mirrored in the song’s repetitive chorus, where the mantra-like "I keep on running, planning" reinforces the cyclical tension of striving to be good enough. It is both a personal reflection and a broader commentary on the societal treadmill, giving the song a deeply relatable resonance.

Storytelling and Wordplay

Verses like "Some girl in her bedroom practicing guitar / YouTube tutorials only go so far" and "I’m on the underground (Tube), you’re in the bath (Bubbles)" exemplify CMAT’s playful yet poignant storytelling. She blends surreal imagery with everyday moments, creating a vivid and slightly whimsical narrative that captures the chaos and absurdity of trying to navigate relationships and expectations simultaneously. Her wordplay, mixing humor, irony, and melancholy, adds layers to the song, making it feel as thoughtful as it is catchy.

Musical Style

Musically, "Running/Planning" thrives on its understated arrangements. The chorus’s gentle repetition, paired with the sparkling guitar tones, creates a hypnotic, almost meditative effect. CMAT’s voice floats above this soundscape effortlessly, oscillating between wistful sighs and earnest proclamations. There is a timeless quality to the instrumentation; it feels both nostalgic and modern, perfectly complementing the lyrical themes of ambition, societal pressure, and personal agency.

Running/Planning Review

"Running/Planning" stands out as a testament to CMAT’s artistry. It is a song that combines sonic elegance with sharp, incisive commentary on contemporary life and relationships. Its slow pace and hypnotic melodies make it a true mood-setter, while its introspective lyrics offer substance beyond its immediate vibe. With this single, CMAT continues to prove her skill at creating music that is simultaneously enchanting, intelligent, and deeply human. "Running/Planning" is not just a song it is an experience and a brilliant introduction to what promises to be an extraordinary album in EURO-COUNTRY.

Listen To CMAT Running/Planning

CMAT Running/Planning Lyrics Meaning Explained

The meaning of Running/Planning by CMAT is a reflection on the tension between societal expectations, personal ambition, and the realities of romantic relationships. The song explores the cyclical nature of striving to meet ideals that often feel unattainable, particularly within the framework of traditional life paths such as dating, marriage, and family. Through a mix of playful imagery, surreal storytelling, and introspective lyricism, CMAT examines the gap between childhood fantasies and adult realities, highlighting the pressure to conform while also revealing the emotional complexity of carving one’s own path. The repeated chorus, “I keep on running, planning,” becomes both a mantra and a meditation on the perpetual cycle of attempting, failing, and recalibrating that defines much of human experience.

Verse 1

CMAT’s “Running/Planning” opens with the lines, "I'd call you my baby, but it calls alarm / Call you my angel, but you've caused some harm," immediately establishing the tension between affection and disappointment. The narrator wants to express love but is conscious of the harm the other person has caused, capturing the push and pull of desire versus reality in relationships. This feeling continues with, "And there's nothing to ya, you're really not a man / You're just a vision some girl once had," reflecting disillusionment and the realization that the person addressed does not live up to the idealized image created in the narrator’s mind. The lines, "Some girl in her bedroom practicing guitar / YouTube tutorials only go so far," reference formative experiences and youthful aspirations, symbolizing the gap between early dreams and adult realities. The verse concludes with, "She prayed to God in school for a perfect friend / He looked just like you, wonder where he went," linking childhood hopes to adult disappointments and emphasizing how the imagined “perfect friend” never truly materialized.

Chorus

The chorus, "I keep on running, planning / Running, planning, oh yeah," reinforces the song’s central theme of cyclical behavior. It represents the continuous attempt to escape disappointments and strategize for better outcomes, reflecting a repetitive internal dialogue. The repetition of the chorus mirrors the ongoing struggle with reconciling expectations with reality, while also suggesting a restlessness and constant self-reappraisal of relationships and life choices. The cycle of running and planning highlights the tension between the desire to move forward and the pressure to conform to societal or personal ideals.

Verse 2

Verse two continues this exploration with, "I'm on the underground (Tube), you're in the bath (Bubbles) / I'm legging after ya, but you can't turn back," portraying physical and emotional distance. The narrator is chasing someone who is unreachable, emphasizing feelings of futility in trying to catch up to a relationship that cannot meet expectations. The surreal imagery in, "Or I'll turn to reed again (Reed), woven in the lamps (Lamp) / That your ma will buy for us, if I take your hand," illustrates domestic expectations and the ritualized, artificial aspects of relationship milestones, such as cohabitation or starting a family. The lines, "Then I'll rip the head off ya, give it a new name / Buy it a Nintendo, get it all the games / And I'll make it dance for us, to an old tune / Find it a girl to love, who'll kinda do," depict the obligations of procreation and family life in a detached, almost absurdist manner. This reflects the cyclical generational pressures to enter relationships and have children simply because it is expected, not necessarily because it is desired.

Bridge

The bridge, "It runs along in a loop / It runs along as is truth / Along the bottom of the news / That I'm not good enough for you," represents the narrator’s recognition of repetitive patterns in relationships and personal shortcomings. Feelings of inadequacy are likened to background news, often overlooked yet always present. This theme continues with, "And I can't take care of anyone / 'Cause all I have are smoking guns," acknowledging the impossibility of meeting expectations due to both personal limitations and the other person’s lack of recognition. The lines, "The foot and mouth, Diana's gone / God bless my mouth and ginger mop," use public tragedy and embarrassment as metaphors for repeated romantic failures. The narrator relies on her voice and personal identity, symbolized by the “ginger mop,” as constants amidst these challenges, signifying that self-expression is the one element she can control.

Chorus Repeated and Outro

The repeated chorus throughout the song underscores the ongoing cycle of running and planning. The narrator’s attempts to navigate relationships and societal expectations continue, highlighting the relentlessness of the cycle and the struggle to reconcile personal desires with external pressures. The outro, consisting of sparse vocalizations, leaves a lingering sense of unresolved tension, mirroring the persistent internal and external challenges presented throughout the song. Overall, “Running/Planning” intricately explores childhood expectations, societal pressures, and the repetitive nature of relationships and ambition, blending surreal imagery, humor, and poignant observation to examine the gap between fantasy and reality, the obligations of conformity, and the personal resilience required to navigate these pressures.

CMAT Running/Planning Lyrics

[Verse 1]

I'd call you my baby, but it calls alarm

Call you my angel, but you've caused some harm

And there's nothing to ya, you're really not a man

You're just a vision some girl once had

Some girl in her bedroom practicing guitar

YouTube tutorials only go so far

She prayed to God in school for a perfect friend

He looked just like you, wonder where he went

[Chorus]

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning, yeah

[Verse 2]

I'm on the underground (Tube), you're in the bath (Bubbles)

I'm legging after ya, but you can't turn back

Or I'll turn to reed again (Reed), woven in the lamps (Lamp)

That your ma will buy for us, if I take your hand

Then I'll rip the head off ya, give it a new name

Buy it a Nintendo, get it all the games

And I'll make it dance for us, to an old tune

Find it a girl to love, who'll kinda do

[Chorus]

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning, yeah

[Bridge]

It runs along in a loop

It runs along as is truth

Along the bottom of the news

That I'm not good enough for you

And I can't take care of anyone

'Cause all I have are smoking guns

The foot and mouth, Diana's gone

God bless my mouth and ginger mop

[Chorus]

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning

Running, planning, oh yeah

I keep on running, planning, yeah

[Outro]

Woo

Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh

Huh