Run Like Hell
Encyclopedia
"Run Like Hell" is a song from the 1979 Pink Floyd
album The Wall
.
The music was written by David Gilmour
(one of the three songs on The Wall for which Gilmour wrote music), while the lyrics were written solely by Roger Waters
. Waters provides the vocals (except for "Run, Run", in which Gilmour is lead singer). The song features the only keyboard solo on The Wall (although on live performances, "Young Lust
" and "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" would also feature keyboard solos); after the last line of lyrics, a synthesiser apparently takes over Waters' singing. Also in the song are the sound of the mob's maniacal laughter, running footsteps, car tyres skidding, and a loud scream. The original single version and promotional EP
both contain a clean guitar intro, without the live crowd effects.
is in D major
, while the verses are in E minor
. The song's original form was much longer, however it had to be cut due to time limitations of the vinyl record
format. Although the lyrics "run like hell" appear several times in the liner notes, they are never actually heard in the song. Near the end, the same piercing shriek (performed by Waters) can be heard in an almost identical way to that heard at the end of "The Happiest Days of Our Lives
" when seguing into "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II".
people and black people
. One scene depicts a heterosexual interracial couple cuddling in the back seat of a car when a group of neo-Nazi
s accost them, beating him and raping
her. The song's length is reduced once again, with the second verse being sung over the keyboard solo.
According to some accounts, The Wall director, Alan Parker
, hired real skinhead
s for the scene and things very nearly went out of control during the scene where they demolish a diner, when they continued their destruction even after Parker called "cut". They also allegedly sexually harassed
the actress playing their victim.
was released, which Waters refers to in a speech between both songs. The speech given varied slightly on each concert and therefore can be used to identify which show a recording came from. On Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81, the speech is a mix of the 15 June 1981 and 17 June 1981 speeches. It was sometimes introduced by Waters as "Run Like Fuck" and Waters and Gilmour sang different lines.
In Roger Waters' The Wall concert in Berlin
in 1990, he made no speech and sang all the lines alone. During the concert in Berlin, Waters didn't play the bass guitar during the song, but during the 1980 tours he played the Gilmour bass line.
". The song also was the closing track on the live album Delicate Sound of Thunder
. Gilmour generally played an extended guitar introduction, sharing vocals with touring bassist Guy Pratt
, with Pratt singing Waters' lines. In the 1994 tour, Pratt sometimes sang the name of the city where they were playing instead of the word mother in the line "...they're going to send you back to mother in a cardboard box..." – in the P•U•L•S•E video (live at Earls Court
, 1994), he clearly sings London. According to Phil Taylor, David Gilmour played Run Like Hell in a Fender Telecaster
guitar tuned to a drop-D, in the 1994 tour.
In addition to performing the song with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has also performed it himself on his 1984 solo tour in support of his About Face
album. In Waters' absence, Gilmour would trade lines with bassist Mickey Feat. He also performed the song solo at the Colombian Volcano benefit concert in 1986, trading lines with house-band keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick
.
for most of the 1980s.
"Run Like Hell" was also used for the introductions of the Seattle SuperSonics
during the 1990s and 2000s until their relocation to Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
.
Local on the 8s
on The Weather Channel
sometimes uses this track.
Following 9/11, this song was one of many (including another Pink Floyd song, "Mother
") to be included in the Clear Channel memorandum of songs with "questionable lyrics" which were generally not aired by Clear Channel radio stations.
The New York Mets
occasionally use this song after a Met steals a base successfully, specifically using the "Run, run, run" pre-verse sections of the song.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
album The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
.
Overview
The song is written from the point of view of anti-hero Pink during a hallucination in which he becomes a fascist dictator and turns a concert audience into an angry mob. He sends the mob out to raid nearby neighborhoods that are full of minorities.The music was written by David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
(one of the three songs on The Wall for which Gilmour wrote music), while the lyrics were written solely by Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
. Waters provides the vocals (except for "Run, Run", in which Gilmour is lead singer). The song features the only keyboard solo on The Wall (although on live performances, "Young Lust
Young Lust (song)
"Young Lust" is a song by Pink Floyd. It appeared on The Wall album in 1979.-Composition:"Young Lust" is approximately 3 minutes, 25 seconds in length...
" and "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" would also feature keyboard solos); after the last line of lyrics, a synthesiser apparently takes over Waters' singing. Also in the song are the sound of the mob's maniacal laughter, running footsteps, car tyres skidding, and a loud scream. The original single version and promotional EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
both contain a clean guitar intro, without the live crowd effects.
Composition
The bass introIntroduction (music)
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
is in D major
D major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
, while the verses are in E minor
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
. The song's original form was much longer, however it had to be cut due to time limitations of the vinyl record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
format. Although the lyrics "run like hell" appear several times in the liner notes, they are never actually heard in the song. Near the end, the same piercing shriek (performed by Waters) can be heard in an almost identical way to that heard at the end of "The Happiest Days of Our Lives
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
"The Happiest Days of Our Lives" is a song by Pink Floyd. It appeared on The Wall album in 1979.-Composition:The song is approximately 1 minute, 46 seconds in length, beginning with 24 seconds of a helicopter sound effect; followed by shouting from the schoolmaster . Then the sound effects abruptly...
" when seguing into "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II".
Film version
Pink sends his followers to attack those he thinks "ought to be shot". He orders them to raid and destroy the homes of JewishJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
people and black people
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
. One scene depicts a heterosexual interracial couple cuddling in the back seat of a car when a group of neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
s accost them, beating him and raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
her. The song's length is reduced once again, with the second verse being sung over the keyboard solo.
According to some accounts, The Wall director, Alan Parker
Alan Parker
Sir Alan William Parker, CBE is an English film director, producer, writer and actor. He has been active in both the British cinema and American cinema and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.-Life and career:...
, hired real skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
s for the scene and things very nearly went out of control during the scene where they demolish a diner, when they continued their destruction even after Parker called "cut". They also allegedly sexually harassed
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
the actress playing their victim.
The Wall concerts
During the previous song, "In the Flesh", a giant inflatable pigPink Floyd pigs
Inflatable Pink Floyd flying pigs were one of the staple props of their live shows. The first was a sow, but a very obviously male pig appeared in the 1980s...
was released, which Waters refers to in a speech between both songs. The speech given varied slightly on each concert and therefore can be used to identify which show a recording came from. On Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81, the speech is a mix of the 15 June 1981 and 17 June 1981 speeches. It was sometimes introduced by Waters as "Run Like Fuck" and Waters and Gilmour sang different lines.
In Roger Waters' The Wall concert in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1990, he made no speech and sang all the lines alone. During the concert in Berlin, Waters didn't play the bass guitar during the song, but during the 1980 tours he played the Gilmour bass line.
Later tours
Following Waters' departure from Pink Floyd, the song became a regular number in the band's concerts, usually ending the show and going over nine minutes long. One live version was used as the B-side to "On the Turning AwayOn the Turning Away
"On the Turning Away" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Released as the second single from the album, it reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in early 1988. In the United Kingdom, the song charted at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart...
". The song also was the closing track on the live album Delicate Sound of Thunder
Delicate Sound of Thunder
-LP / Cassette:Side 1# "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"# "Learning to Fly# "Yet Another Movie"# "Round and Around"Side 2# "Sorrow"# "The Dogs of War"# "On the Turning Away"Side 3# "One of These Days"# "Time"...
. Gilmour generally played an extended guitar introduction, sharing vocals with touring bassist Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt is a session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
, with Pratt singing Waters' lines. In the 1994 tour, Pratt sometimes sang the name of the city where they were playing instead of the word mother in the line "...they're going to send you back to mother in a cardboard box..." – in the P•U•L•S•E video (live at Earls Court
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...
, 1994), he clearly sings London. According to Phil Taylor, David Gilmour played Run Like Hell in a Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
guitar tuned to a drop-D, in the 1994 tour.
In addition to performing the song with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has also performed it himself on his 1984 solo tour in support of his About Face
About Face (album)
About Face is the second solo album by the Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, released in March 1984. The album was co-produced by Bob Ezrin and David Gilmour. Two songs, "All Lovers Are Deranged", and the more radio-friendly "Love on the Air" were co-written by Gilmour, who composed the music,...
album. In Waters' absence, Gilmour would trade lines with bassist Mickey Feat. He also performed the song solo at the Colombian Volcano benefit concert in 1986, trading lines with house-band keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick
John Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick is an American rock keyboardist, pianist and organist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roger Waters, Free and Crawler. Bundrick is noted as the principal musician for the cult...
.
Personnel
- Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
— vocals, bass guitar, screaming and panting - David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
— guitars, backwards cymbals, vocals (chorus) - Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
— drums - Richard WrightRichard Wright (musician)Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
— Prophet-5 synthesiser - James GuthrieJames Guthrie (record producer)James K.A. Guthrie is a British recording engineer and record producer best known for his work with the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, having served as a producer and engineer for the band since 1978...
— backwards cymbals, running and panting - Bobbye HallBobbye HallBobbye Jean Hall Porter is an American percussionist who has recorded with a variety of rock, soul, blues and jazz artists, and has appeared on 22 songs that reached the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100, six of those reaching #1.-Early career:...
— congas and bongos - Phil Taylor — tire screeching
Cover versions
- In 2001, the Canadian all-woman heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band KittieKittieKittie is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in London, Ontario in 1996. A quartet of women, the group rose to success in 1999 when the track "Brackish" from their debut album Spit became a hit single...
, recorded a cover and was released on their full-length album OracleOracle (Kittie album)-Personnel:* Morgan Lander: vocals, guitar, piano* Mercedes Lander: drums* Talena Atfield: bass-References:# #...
. In this version, the singer actually does incorporate the title of the song within the lyrics. "You better run... like hell." - The Disco Biscuits have covered "Run Like Hell" since 1997.
- Violinist Andrej Kurti and cellist Victor Uzur recorded an instrumental version for their album The Entertainers.
Popular culture
The opening instrumental part of the song was used as the theme to the Scottish sports show SportsceneSportscene
Sportscene is the name of a range of Scottish sports television programmes produced by BBC Scotland. Its main anchors are Dougie Donnelly, David Currie, Rob MacLean and Dougie Vipond, with Alison Walker and Richard Gordon acting as relief presenters...
for most of the 1980s.
"Run Like Hell" was also used for the introductions of the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
during the 1990s and 2000s until their relocation to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
Local on the 8s
Local on the 8s
The Local on the 8s or Local Forecast is the portion of programming where viewers see current weather conditions and local weather forecasts for their respective area on The Weather Channel in the United States...
on The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is a US cable and satellite television network since May 2, 1982, that broadcasts weather forecasts and weather-related news, along with entertainment programming related to weather 24 hours a day...
sometimes uses this track.
Following 9/11, this song was one of many (including another Pink Floyd song, "Mother
Mother (Pink Floyd song)
"Mother" is a song by Pink Floyd. It appeared on The Wall album in 1979. The song is notable for its varied use of time signatures.-Composition:...
") to be included in the Clear Channel memorandum of songs with "questionable lyrics" which were generally not aired by Clear Channel radio stations.
The New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
occasionally use this song after a Met steals a base successfully, specifically using the "Run, run, run" pre-verse sections of the song.
Further reading
- Fitch, Vernon. The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd edition), 2005. ISBN 1-894959-24-8.