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Running Away (Paul Haig)
Encyclopedia
Running Away was the debut solo single from Edinburgh
musician and former Josef K
lead vocalist Paul Haig
. It was a cover of the Sly & The Family Stone
classic. It was released in Belgium
by independent record label, Les Disques Du Crepuscule
.
Les Disques Du Crepuscule
TWI 088
1982
If Death appears to be living in whichever form they imagine her to be, then Paul Haig
and his now dead group Josef K
weren't so much tormented as tickled by her permanent poltergeist presence in their shadow. The Absurdity Of It All was a matter of amusement to Josef K
and they converted their brave mockery into cool, disdainful asides that made us laugh, too. Until they lost sight of Death, that is, and she punished them by relieving them of the wit, thereby leaving them with a set of glib definitions and hollow phrases.
Only after Josef K
split has Paul Haig
rediscovered The Meaning of Life - namely it doesn't matter a bit - and with the weight of existence removed he can easily breeze through Sly Stone
's Running Away. The song's glimpse from the other side, from where the worrying and fretting appears doubly pointless, and Haig performs it as the genial taunt it is. Time reminds just how great and affecting a singer Haig
can be, and the way his voice leads the aching melody melts any obvious doubts you might feel about the disruptive chorus.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
musician and former Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
lead vocalist Paul Haig
Paul Haig
Paul Haig is a Scottish indie composer, musician and singer. He was originally a member of 1980s post-punk band Josef K who were signed to the Postcard record label...
. It was a cover of the Sly & The Family Stone
Sly & the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and soul band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music...
classic. It was released in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
by independent record label, Les Disques Du Crepuscule
Les Disques du Crepuscule
Les Disques Du Crépuscule was a Belgian independent record label.The label was started in 1980 by Michel Duval and Annik Honoré, residents of Brussels who had previously organised and promoted concerts in the city. Initial releases were by Factory Records artists, and were labelled as being...
.
Les Disques Du Crepuscule
Les Disques du Crepuscule
Les Disques Du Crépuscule was a Belgian independent record label.The label was started in 1980 by Michel Duval and Annik Honoré, residents of Brussels who had previously organised and promoted concerts in the city. Initial releases were by Factory Records artists, and were labelled as being...
TWI 088
1982
Reviews
Running Away, NME, 12 June 1982If Death appears to be living in whichever form they imagine her to be, then Paul Haig
Paul Haig
Paul Haig is a Scottish indie composer, musician and singer. He was originally a member of 1980s post-punk band Josef K who were signed to the Postcard record label...
and his now dead group Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
weren't so much tormented as tickled by her permanent poltergeist presence in their shadow. The Absurdity Of It All was a matter of amusement to Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
and they converted their brave mockery into cool, disdainful asides that made us laugh, too. Until they lost sight of Death, that is, and she punished them by relieving them of the wit, thereby leaving them with a set of glib definitions and hollow phrases.
Only after Josef K
Josef K (band)
Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial...
split has Paul Haig
Paul Haig
Paul Haig is a Scottish indie composer, musician and singer. He was originally a member of 1980s post-punk band Josef K who were signed to the Postcard record label...
rediscovered The Meaning of Life - namely it doesn't matter a bit - and with the weight of existence removed he can easily breeze through Sly Stone
Sly Stone
Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...
's Running Away. The song's glimpse from the other side, from where the worrying and fretting appears doubly pointless, and Haig performs it as the genial taunt it is. Time reminds just how great and affecting a singer Haig
Paul Haig
Paul Haig is a Scottish indie composer, musician and singer. He was originally a member of 1980s post-punk band Josef K who were signed to the Postcard record label...
can be, and the way his voice leads the aching melody melts any obvious doubts you might feel about the disruptive chorus.