Songfacts®:

• Christopher Tomson said of this track in the band's track-by-track production notes: "On this song, I experimented with certain rhythms that I avoided on the first record. I like how this song alternates between heavy, Rock-like choruses and reggaeton verses."
• Chris Baio told Drowned In Sound: "This song really came together in the first week of rehearsals in Greenpoint in January. The big breakthrough was the drum part CT wrote for the horn choruses - he's definitely alluding to a tradition of rock drumming there. It's one of the biggest sounding parts we've ever written. When we were setting up drum mics in Avatar in New York in February I had the pleasure of ripping into that drum part. Sometimes I wish I were a rock drummer!"
• Vocalist Ezra Koenig explained the influence of Bruce Springsteen on this song to the NME February 16, 2010. He said: "If you can hear some Springsteen on this song, that's because I'm a huge Springsteen fan. My dad has all his records and also, growing up in New Jersey, you had to be aware of him. He's the master of writing songs about running away. 'Born To Run' is a positive song, but this song deals with the fact that you could also be running away because you're trying to ignore your problems."