The Harters, ‘If I Run’ – Lyrics Uncovered

New sibling trio the Harters have been creating quite the buzz with their debut single, 'If I Run.' The tune, penned by Michael and Leslie Harter, along with Rachel Williams, continues to climb the country singles chart, while the video remains in heavy rotation on the music networks.

The song's inspiration was deep on many levels for Leslie Harter, who at the time was in the long, hard and emotional process of going through a divorce.

"I was moving forward, and I was a little bit jaded," Leslie tells Taste of Country. "For me [writing this song] was a healing process. This was what I wanted after my divorce. This is what I want from the next person. If was going to find somebody that I was possibly in love with, this what I would want to ask him."

The opening verse was written with vulnerability, as Leslie sings: "My heart has arrived / Love lives in your eyes / And I need to know / What you see in mine / I've been shattered and healed / Searching for something that's real / Where do you stand? / How do you feel?"

The chorus is a series of questions which all relationships face over time: "If I run, will you run after me? / If I walk, will you wait patiently? / If I fall, will you have sympathy? / If I run, if I run / Will you run after me?"

For Michael Harter, his lyrical inspiration came from a completely different place.

"Writing this song, I was thinking about our grandparents on our mom’s side and our dad’s side," Mike explains. "They have both been married over 50 years. I wanted to write a song about are you going to stick with me, not only through the great times that come along with being in love, but the crappy stuff, too?"

The second verse gives the listener a picturesque scene, which the writers were aiming for: "I've dreamed of a place/ Of white satin and lace / Black on a tie / And cake on my face / Wicker rocking chairs / Salt and peppered hair / When that day comes 'round / Will you still be there?"

"It was a healing process through the song," Leslie says. "What you would ask of that person that you finally found that you loved? Please don’t run away, but if I run away, run after me."

"It’s really cool to see how our song has been touching so many people," adds Michael. "It's really cool."

Watch the Harters' 'If I Run' Video