A Great Big World's 'Won't Stop Running' Inspired By MS Battle

(Radio.com) A Great Big World have a great big anthem on their hands, but it took a music video to get the song--and their story--to the masses. "Won't Stop Running" is the third single from last year's When the Morning Comes, and the video is striking in its simplicity. In it, singer Chad King looks straight into the camera, and sings as the lyrics appear on the screen.

King tells Radio.com the clip was inspired in part by Janelle Monae's 'Cold War,' and the scene in Magnolia where the cast members sing Aimee Mann's 'Wise Up.'"

The video is powerful without any context; you don't need to know what the song is about for it to move you. And with lyrics like "I'll take another sunrise/Another hand to hold tight," listeners might think that this is another breakup ballad. In fact, the song is about King's struggles with Multiple Sclerosis. And that's a subject that's more relevant than ever today (May 25), as it is World MS Day.

King discussed his struggles with the disease and told Radio.com his story: "I was diagnosed in 2007 with multiple sclerosis, and the doctor told me that if I didn't take the medication that he was prescribing, that I would be paralyzed within seven years. I started on the medication, and the medication actually gave me symptoms that were worse than what I was feeling from the MS: I was getting seizure-like symptoms, and a bunch of other crazy things. I decided that I wanted to explore other avenues to treat this thing. And so, I found a lot of information on how to treat it through diet and nutrition."

"Won't Stop Running" was inspired by the aforementioned doctor. "We got to writing this last album, and the topic of my MS came up, I can't remember why. I wanted this to be a response to that doctor that said I was going to be paralyzed. Because I feel better than ever. I have no symptoms right now. It's amazing. I want people to know that there are other ways to go about treating this thing than medication. [But] I'm not saying not to take your medication!"

He's very careful to note that different people react differently to prescribed medication. "It's hard to even talk about this, because I'm not saying that I'm against western doctors, or the treatments that they offer, because a lot of times, the treatment does help certain patients. I just know that that was not working for me. And the diet and nutrition shift, did."

He says that he has worked with a doctor to help him guide his diet and lifestyle: "Dr. Terry Wahls was paralyzed with MS and she had tried every medication that her doctors recommended and nothing was working for her. She did research on how the brain functions, and what you can feed your body to possibly regain function of certain parts of your brain that may be damaged. She changed her diet, and started walking within three months. Her story really inspired me, and I've been in touch with her." King describes as his new diet similar to a paleo program with no gluten, dairy or processed sugars.

As a songwriter, King is proud that "Won't Stop Running," while personal, isn't too heavy on details, and has resonated with people who may not even know his story.

"I didn't want it to be MS specific, neither of us did. That's so limiting to the experience and to who this message could reach." Read more here.