"Run" is a song by Scottish-Northern Irish
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...
from their third studio album, ''
Final Straw
''Final Straw'' is the third studio album and major-label debut by Scottish-Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol, released on 4 August 2003 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and in 2004 in the United States. The album is notable for bringing the ...
'' (2003). It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 February 2004 as the second single from the album. The song was conceived in 2000 by frontman
Gary Lightbody
Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...
after an accident he had during a
bender. "Run" is described as a
Britpop
Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...
and was received with positive reviews by music critics, who compared it with
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
's "
Yellow
Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the R ...
".
A music video, directed by Paul Gorewas, was released to promote the song; in it, band members use
distress flares and motorcycles at night. An unreleased video, directed by
Mark Pellington
Mark Pellington (born March 17, 1962) is an American film director, writer, and producer.
Life and career
Pellington was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Bill Pellington, an All-Pro linebacker who played football with the Baltimore Colts ...
, was also filmed. The single reached the top five on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
in 2004, and since it has appeared multiple times in the chart. Additionally, "Run" reached the Top 40 of Ireland, the Netherlands and the American
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
.
"Run" has been
covered
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
by multiple artists, including
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
, who released it as a single in November 2008. Her performance received positive reviews and commercial success, topping the charts of Austria, Ireland, Portugal and the United Kingdom, where it became the fastest-selling download ever after it sold 69,244 copies in just two days.
Background
Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...
's frontman,
Gary Lightbody
Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...
, conceived the idea of writing "Run" in 2000. In an interview with Michael Odell, from
''Q'' magazine, Lightbody explained the song was not written about "being a child", as he tended to say. He described: "I was on a massive
bender and one night I was drinking in the bar of the
Glasgow School of Art
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA; gd, Sgoil-ealain Ghlaschu) is a higher education art school based in Glasgow, Scotland, offering undergraduate degrees, post-graduate awards (both taught and research-led), and PhDs in architecture, fine art, and ...
. I fell down a full flight of stairs.
Jonny Quinn
Jonathan Graham Quinn (born 26 February 1972) is a Northern Irish musician, best known as the drummer for alternative rock band Snow Patrol, and was previously a member of bands like The Mighty Fall, The New Brontes and Disraeli Gears. As drumm ...
found me in the stairwell with blood coming out of my head ... I split my head open and my eye was closed and I lost a few teeth ... I wrote Run soon after on this little guitar I'd tried to smash up in my shitty little room near
Hillhead
Hillhead ( sco, Hullheid, gd, Ceann a' Chnuic) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming th ...
. The words 'Light up, light up' gave me this sense of a
beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...
." Besides Lightbody, it was written by Quinn,
Nathan Connolly
Nathan Connolly (born 20 January 1981) is a Northern Irish musician, who is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Snow Patrol.
Early life
Connolly, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, sang for a ...
,
Mark McClelland
Mark Peter McClelland (born 30 March 1976) is a Northern Irish musician known best as the former bass guitarist of the band Snow Patrol. McClelland is a recipient of the Ivor Novello Award for his work on the album ''Final Straw''. He is now the ...
and
Iain Archer
Iain Archer is a writer, producer and solo artist from Bangor, Northern Ireland. He is a two-time Ivor Novello Award winner, winning the 2004 Album Award – ''Final Straw'' by Snow Patrol and Most Performed Work in 2016 for Grammy nominated ...
.
[
]
Composition
"Run" is a Britpop
Britpop was a mid-1990s British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. It produced brighter, catchier alternative rock, partly in reaction to the popularity of the darker lyrical themes of the US-led grunge music and to the ...
power ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...
composed using common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
in the key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
of C major
C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...
, with a tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 72 beats per minute.[ It is written in the common ]verse–chorus form
Verse–chorus form is a musical form going back to the 1840s, in such songs as "Oh! Susanna", "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze", and many others. It became passé in the early 1900s, with advent of the AABA (with verse) form in the Tin ...
, and its chord progression
In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
goes Am– Fmaj7/ A– G sus4, it repeats once, and later it changes to Am– F6/ C–Gsus4, which also repeats one time, and then the sequence restarts. Lightbody's vocal range
Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
performs from A3 to F5,[ and the song features ]bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
, drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
, guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
s, viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
and violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
s as its musical instruments.[ Adrienne Day wrote for '']Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' that "Run" includes "guitar riffs
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accomp ...
", whilst Joe Bosso described the song as "dark and moody".
A reviewer for Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...
commented about "Run". In its introduction
Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to:
General use
* Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music
* Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...
includes a "trembling guitar", Lightbody's vocals as "velvet soft", and its refrain
A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...
as "stirring stuff".[ Irish writer Peter Murphy called it a "strange hybrid", explaining it is "a lighter-waving anthem drenched in private grieving".] Kevin Forest Moreau considered "Run" to has "plaintive lyrics, rigorous strumming, sweeping strings and a hook that yanks without reservation for the heartstrings of adolescent girls everywhere." Claire Simpson described it as an "angst-ridden guitar ballad".
Critical reception
"Run" received critical acclaim from music critics. Claire Simpson highlighted the track,[ Adrienne Day called the song "brilliant",][ and Jacky McCarthy, from '']Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', described it as "memorable", due to the band displays "a lush melody, soaring chorus and ightbody'sbrooding vocals. Irish musician, Shane O'Neill, said he wept when he first heard it play." Andrew Beaujon added it to ''Spin'' playlist of "songs you need to know", and wrote it is "the year's most fantastically overblown Britpop power ballad."[ Mikael Wood from the same magazine compared "Run" to British band ]Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
song "Yellow
Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the R ...
", as he said it is a "pro-smoking epic ong that Ong or ONG may refer to:
Arts and media
* Ong's Hat, a collaborative work of fiction
* “Ong Ong”, a song by Blur from the album The Magic Whip
Places
* Ong, Nebraska, US, city
* Ong's Hat, New Jersey, US, ghost town
* Ong River, Odisha, India ...
challenges the cell-phone-waving majesty of 'Yellow'", a feeling Douglas Wolk of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' had as well. Josh Modell of The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
commented it grabs the baton from "Yellow" and "takes it for a weepy, grandiose jog". John Murphy considered its "slow burning delights" replaced the piano chords of Coldplay's "Clocks
A clock or a timepiece is a device used to measure and indicate time. The clock is one of the oldest human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month and the ...
", which, according to him, started to sound "annoying".
Marc Vera of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' magazine described "Run"'s lyrics as "haunting of romantic distress", and its guitars as "walls hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
should put Coldplay on notice." Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
also compared "Run" to Coldplay and he wrote it "exists solely for its uplifting, if oddly fatalistic, chorus ... which will surely have concertgoers raising their lighters during the inevitable second-encore singalong." He continued saying it is an "unapologetically anthemic" in which throws in some schmaltz
Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat. It is an integral part of traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, where it has been used for centuries in a wide array of dishes, such as chicken soup, lat ...
y strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
at the climax that practically cry out to score the big smooch in some teen-friendly romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
." Kevin Forest Moreau considered its lyrics as "unrestrained earnestness".[ Whilst an ''Uncut'' magazine reviewer marked it as a highlight, ]Devon Powers
Devon Powers (born 1977 or 1978) is an American communication studies professor, author, and former music journalist.
Biography
Powers was born in 1977 or 1978. Her father, Lee R. Powers, is an engineer and her mother, Mandy Powers, is a nurse. ...
wrote for ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' it is "easy and lush", and Paul Nolan considered it "the perfect modern hymn to broken relationships".
Lisa Oliver of Stylus Magazine
''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog.
Addi ...
commented "Run" has "raw tenderness", and listeners should not "listen to it in public—unless openly weeping in front of colleagues or commuters is not a concern." Christian Carey of Junkmedia.org called it, along with another song of ''Final Straw'' ("Grazed Knees"), a "symphonic pop gem", and the "most memorable" track of the album. Steven Gozdecki of Neumu.net called it "centerpiece" of the album and a "brilliantly entrancing" tune, and also noted it is "the song that Coldplay dream of making". Gozdecki complemented with "t is
T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is deri ...
a moving ballad that benefits from the absence of that other band's dreadful, Dave Matthews-esque voice and omnipresent electric piano." Natasha Perry considered it to be a song "that sends shivers down the spine with a haunting verse and uplifting chorus." A reviewer for Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
compared it to Snow Patrol song "Chasing Cars
"Chasing Cars" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, '' Eyes Open'' (2006). It was released on 6 June 2006, in the United States and 24 July ...
" (2006), which was described as "beautiful".
Steve Hands for OHM commented "Run" is "the kind of rueful facing-up-to-life type anthem" and added it is a "decent stab" for radio stations like XFM and Virgin Radio
Virgin Radio launched in the United Kingdom in 1993. In 2008, Virgin Radio UK was sold to TIML, a subsidiary of The Times of India group, and the name was changed to Absolute Radio; the Virgin Radio name was not included in the sale.
In 2001, ...
, a reviewer of Contactmusic.com called it "shimmering", and Dom Gourlay of Drowned in Sound
''Drowned in Sound'', sometimes abbreviated to ''DiS'', is a UK-based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway. Founded by editor Sean Adams, the site features reviews, news, interviews, and discussion forums.
History
''D ...
gave the song a rating of 8/10. Virgin Music
Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldw ...
listed "Run" 8 in their list of "Top pub sing-along anthems". It appeared at number 874 of "The Rock 1000" list of "best rock songs of all time", published by New Zealander radio station The Rock FM. Emma Taylor and Lorelei Sharkey, Em & Lo, listed "Run" at number 69 of their "Top 100 Breakup Songs of All Time", in their book ''The Ultimate Guide to Dumping and Getting Dumped''. Along with the song "Same", "Run" is one of the favourite Snow Patrol songs of American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
member Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...
.
Chart performance
After its release as single, "Run" entered the Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...
when it debuted and peaked at number 25 on 29 January 2004. The song stayed within the top 50 for 5 weeks, and it left it on number 41. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted and peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, on 7 February 2004. The next week, the song fell to number 8, and managed to continue in the top 40 for another 4 weeks. In the United States, the song entered the top 30 of the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
charts, now titled Alternative Songs, at number 30 on 28 August 2004. On 30 October, it reached number 15, its peak position.[ The song left the chart on 25 December, after 19 weeks. In the Netherlands, "Run" debuted on 7 August 2004 at number 88 on the ]Single Top 100
The Dutch Single Top 100 or Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales, legal downloads and since July 2013 streaming and composed by Dutch Charts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Du ...
chart. Two weeks later, the song rose to its peak position, at number 71, and stayed there for a week. The song dropped out the chart on 11 September of the same year.[ In 2005, it reentered the chart twice, on 19 February at number 95, and on 5 March at number 97.][ It also peaked at number 19 on the ]Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 ( nl, Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica ...
.
In 2007, "Run" re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 147. In 2008, British singer Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
covered
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
the song in multiple radio and television programmes. After Lewis performed it on ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', Snow Patrol's version re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 28. The next year, in October, the song debuted the German Singles Chart
The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
at number 92,[ whilst in November the song reentered the UK Singles Chart at number 63.] In 2010, after Snow Patrol re-released "Run", it re-appeared on the Dutch Top 40 at number 22 for three weeks,[ on the Dutch Single Top 100 at number 75,][ and the UK Singles Chart at 133.][ In Belgium, it charted the ]Ultratip
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of ...
at number 8 in the region of Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
,[ whilst in the ]Walloon Region
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
at number 6 of the same chart.[
]
Music video
The music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Run" was filmed in September 2003, in a remote area of the county of Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
.[ It was directed by Paul Gore, produced by Suzie Morton through the company Flynn Productions, photographed by Ben Smithard, and edited by Tony Kearns, and it premiered in October 2003. During filming, people from the area called the police, because they noticed several red distress flares were used at night, which were those Snow Patrol members used.]
The video starts with Lightbody, who wears a dark coat, a grey polo neck sweater, and trousers. He sings as he pushes an old motorcycle across a farmer's field at dusk. As darkness falls, he abandons the bike and enters a wood. He walks through it, until he descends a short hill and stays in a stream. As the chorus begins, Lightbody lights a distress firelight, he moves it in circles as he sings. In a bridge behind him, two members from Snow Patrol light two flares and move them as well. When the chorus ends, Lighbody throws his flare to the water, in which it continues shining. Lightbody returns to the forest and he sings while he walks. Later, he ascends to a plain, where another two members ignite two distress firelights as the second verse ends. With the flares, they run and move them in circles, and then, they throw them to each other. Nathan Connolly, who wears a grey hoodie, appears riding the motorcycle Lightbody dumped. He drives it in zigzag with the other men. As the video ends, he goes to the stream, where the motorbike starts to throw smoke; Connolly gets off it, and it fires. The burning bike rolls downhill and it falls into the stream, where it sinks, with the fire being extinguished.
An unreleased music video directed by Mark Pellington
Mark Pellington (born March 17, 1962) is an American film director, writer, and producer.
Life and career
Pellington was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Bill Pellington, an All-Pro linebacker who played football with the Baltimore Colts ...
was uploaded to his Vimeo.
Usage in other media
"Run" appeared in various television programs and films including ''One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to:
* "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak
* ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song
** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...
'', '' Life as We Know It'', ''Cold Case
A cold case is a crime, or a suspected crime, that has not yet been fully resolved and is not the subject of a current criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, re-examined archives, new or re ...
'', '' Rescue Me'', ''Doctor Who Confidential
''Doctor Who Confidential'' is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. Each episode was broadcast on BBC T ...
'', ''Jericho
Jericho ( ; ar, أريحا ; he, יְרִיחוֹ ) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It is the administrative seat of the Jericho Gove ...
'', '' Mad Dogs'' and '' Bates Motel''.
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee (born March 25, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. In May 2006, she rose to fame as the runner-up on the fifth season of ''American Idol.''
Her eponymous debut album was released on RCA Records on Janua ...
performed the song in the '' Smash'' episode "Publicity
In marketing, publicity is the public visibility or awareness for any product, service, person or organization (company, charity, etc.). It may also refer to the movement of information from its source to the general public, often (but not always) ...
".
The song was included in the soundtrack to the film ''The Chumscrubber
''The Chumscrubber'' (German: ''Glück in kleinen Dosen'') is a 2005 comedy-drama film, directed by Arie Posin, starring an ensemble cast led by Jamie Bell. The plot, written by Posin and Zac Stanford, focuses on the chain of events that follow t ...
'' and the ''Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' compilation album ''The Ultimate Driving Experience''.
The song was also used in a trailer for the 2006 action-adventure drama film ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''.
Track listing
* 7"
:A. "Run" (Revised) – 5:56
:B. "Post Punk Progression" – 3:23
*10"
:A. "Run" (Jacknife Lee
Garret "Jacknife" Lee is an Irish music producer and mixer. He has worked with a variety of artists, including the Cars, U2, R.E.M., the Killers, Robbie Williams, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, Two Door Cinema Club, AFI, the Hives, Weezer, One Directi ...
Remix) – 7:27
:B. "Run" ( Freelance Hellraiser Remix) – 4:03
*CD single
A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...
# "Run" (Revised) – 5:57
# "Post Punk Progression" – 3:21
*Canada CD single
# "Run" – 5:55
# "Post Punk Progression" – 3:23
# "Spitting Games
"Spitting Games" is the lead single from Snow Patrol's third album, ''Final Straw'', released on 15 September 2003.
Original release
Snow Patrol released the song during their first UK Tour during the Final Straw Tour. To mark the release, the ba ...
" (2001 Country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
Version) – 4:16
# "Run" (video) – 4:27
*"Chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...
" CD single
- "Run" (Jacknife Lee Remix) –
* Digital Download
# "Run" (Revised) – 5:57
# "PPP" – 3:22
*''Final Straw
''Final Straw'' is the third studio album and major-label debut by Scottish-Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol, released on 4 August 2003 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and in 2004 in the United States. The album is notable for bringing the ...
''
- "Run" –
*France CD single
# "Run" – 5:57
*Germany CD single
# "Run" – 5:55
*''Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
''
- "Run" –
*'' iTunes Essentials''
- "Run" –
* ''iTunes Live from London''
- "Run" (Live) –
*''Live and Acoustic at Park Ave.
The discography of Snow Patrol, an alternative rock band from Northern Ireland and based in Dundee, Scotland, consists of seven studio albums, thirty-one singles, eight extended plays, three compilation albums and one live DVD. Snow Patrol w ...
''
- "Run" –
*"Run"
- "Run" (Live at the
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...
) –
*"Run"
- "Run" (Live from
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
) –
*"Run" (2010)
# "Run" – 5:56
*''Run – EP''
# "Run" – 5:55
# "Post Punk Progression" – 3:23
# "Spitting Games" (2001 Country Version) – 4:16
*''Sessions@AOL'' (2004)
- "Run" (Live) –
*''Sessions@AOL
AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo! Inc. ...
'' (2006)
- "Run" (Live) –
*" Signal Fire" CD single
- "Run" (Live) –
*UK CD single
# "Run" (Radio Edit) – 4:16
*''Up to Now
''Up to Now'' is the first compilation album by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. The album features tracks spanning Snow Patrol's fifteen-year music career, including tracks from The Reindeer Section, a side-project/ supergroup involving musi ...
''
;Disc one
- "Run" (
Mencap
The Royal Mencap Society is a charity based in the United Kingdom that works with people with a learning disability. Its Charity Number is 222377.
History
Established by Judy Fryd in 1946 as The National Association of Parents of Backwards Chi ...
Little Noise Sessions {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022
The Little Noise Sessions was a series of acoustic charity concerts held annually at the Union Chapel, and at St. John at Hackney from 2011 in November, although one was held in Exeter in December 2009. The procee ...
, Live at The Union Chapel) –
;Disc two
- "Run" –
Personnel
"Run" was recorded at Britannia Row, located in London, England, and The Diving Bell Lounge Studios, in Glasgow, Scotland. Credits adapted from "Run" liner notes
Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes.
Origin
Liner notes are desce ...
.
* Background vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
and Lead Vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
: Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody
* Bass: Mark McClelland
* Cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
: James Banbury
* Engineers
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...
: Michael Bannister, Dan Swift
* Drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
: Jonny Quinn
* Guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
s: Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly
* Lyrics
Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, a ...
: Gary Lightbody
* Mixer: Chris Lord-Alge
Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic compression for molding mixes that play wel ...
, Snow Patrol
* Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called ...
: Iain Archer, Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland, Lee Potter ("Post Punk Progression"/"PPP" only), Jonny Quinn
* Producer: Garret "Jacknife" Lee, Snow Patrol
* Photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
: Ernst Fischer
* String arrangement: James Banbury
* String arrangement assistant: Jeff McLaughlin
* Viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
: Bruce White
* Violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
: Alison Dodds, Fiona McCapra
* Vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
: Gary Lightbody
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Leona Lewis version
British singer Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
covered
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
"Run" on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
's Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
on 31 October 2007. She later released the song as a single from '' Spirit: The Deluxe Edition'' in November 2008. At the time, "Run" was the UK's fastest-selling digital-only release ever, selling 69,244 copies in just two days. Upon its release as a single, Lewis performed "Run" on several televised shows, including ''The X Factor'' (UK),''Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'' and at the 80th Royal Variety Performance. She has also performed the song on the American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
and German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
versions of ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', and it was included on the set list of her concert tours, The Labyrinth (2010), Glassheart Tour (2013) and I Am Tour (2016).
Background
Lewis first performed "Run" on the Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
section of ''The Jo Whiley Show
''The Jo Whiley Show'' was a British weekday later weekend radio show on BBC Radio 1 hosted by Jo Whiley. The programme was on air from February 2001 to March 2011 and was broadcast each weekday morning between 10:00am and 12:45pm, and later 13:0 ...
'', where artists perform two songs: one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format. The performance was recorded at the BBC Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC sound studios, of which five are in regular use, in Delaware Road, Maida Vale, west London.
It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, ...
, where Lewis was backed by a 14-piece band. The show's host Jo Whiley
Johanne Whiley-Morton (born 4 July 1965), better known by her professional name Jo Whiley, is an English radio DJ and television presenter. She was the host of the long-running weekday later weekend '' Jo Whiley Show'' on BBC Radio 1. She curre ...
said that "people did cry". She referred to it as "the most famous cover" (from her show), stating that it is "always in demand and developed a life of its own." The day after Lewis's version appeared on the Live Lounge, it was requested over 8,000 times in the first 2 minutes of ''The Chris Moyles Show
''The Chris Moyles Show'' is the title given to two differing versions of a radio programme hosted by Chris Moyles, originally broadcast as Radio 1 Breakfast from 5 January 2004 to 14 September 2012 before transferring three years later on 21 ...
''. As a result, her version was added to Radio 1's A List. Due to its popularity, Lewis recorded a studio version of the song in September 2008 for the re-release of her album ''Spirit
Spirit or spirits may refer to:
Liquor and other volatile liquids
* Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks
* Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol
* Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...
''. It was made available digitally in the United Kingdom on 30 November 2008.
"Run" was expected to be released as a single following Lewis's performance on the British ''The X Factor'', but the single did not appear on any online music store
A digital music store is a business that sells digital audio files of music recordings over the Internet. Customers gain ownership of a license to use the files, in contrast to a music streaming service, where they listen to recordings without ...
s. It was believed that Lewis's record label, Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
, wanted to shift the sales towards the reissue of ''Spirit'', which did return the album to number one. A spokesman
A spokesperson, spokesman, or spokeswoman, is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.
Duties and function
In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have receiv ...
for Lewis reported that the song "has never been scheduled for release as a single", but due to "overwhelming public demand", Lewis' management and record label decided to release it in the UK on 30 November. In the US, a radio edit of "Run" was released as a digital download on 16 December 2008.
Critical reception
Lewis's version of the song was critically acclaimed by music critics, although Snow Patrol guitarist Nathan Connolly
Nathan Connolly (born 20 January 1981) is a Northern Irish musician, who is best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for alternative rock band Snow Patrol.
Early life
Connolly, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, sang for a ...
admitted in November 2008 that he still had not heard her version: "Nothing against her, but I don't know if I'm going to endorse it either. It is what it is." The following month, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody described Lewis's version of the song as "phenomenal". He told the Scottish newspaper '' The Daily Record'': Music Radar said that "The two versions couldn't be more different. Snow Patrol's rendering is dark and moody, while Leona Lewis's is big-time pop", and quoted Gary Lightbody as saying "That's what you want a song to do ... Different interpretations and meanings. Songs aren't monolithic, at least the good ones aren't. What Leona Lewis has done has touched hearts." ''Newsround
''Newsround'' (stylised as ''newsround'', and originally called ''John Craven's Newsround'' before his departure in 1989) is a BBC children's news programme, which has run continuously since 4 April 1972. It was one of the world's first televi ...
'' highly praised Lewis' cover version, stating that "the full gospel choir and orchestra easily match Leona's powerful pipes – and remind listeners why the song made people cry when she first performed it on Radio 1's Live Lounge last year". "Run" received three stars out of five from Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
, who said that Lewis "wrings every last drop of emotion out of Gary Lightbody's lyrics, channeling her inner Mariah for some almighty warbling at the crescendo". ''The Sentinel'' described the single as "so much better" than Snow Patrol's original song. "It's powerful, painful and the choir behind it takes it on to another level." Radio presenter James Daniels concurred, saying "Leona just takes it to a whole new level, which is a phrase I hate to use – but it's true".
Lewis's version of "Run" was featured in episodes of ''EastEnders
''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'', ''Doctors
Doctor or The Doctor may refer to:
Personal titles
* Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree
* A medical practitioner, including:
** Physician
** Surgeon
** Dentist
** Veterinary physician
** Optometrist
*Other roles
** ...
'', the fourteenth episode of the first season of ''The Vampire Diaries
''The Vampire Diaries'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson (screenwriter), Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the The Vampire Diaries (novel series), book series ...
'' titled '' Fool Me Once'', and also featured in the ending scene of '' The Letters'' (2014).
Chart performance
The song reached number one on the Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...
in its first week of release, due to download sales alone. "Run" remained on the top position the four weeks in total. On 7 December 2008, it entered the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number one, also on downloads alone, making it her 3rd number one. It had become the fastest-selling UK download ever after it sold 69,244 in just two days, a record it held until December 2009. By the end of the first week, download sales had reached 131,593, some 8,000 below the first week sales of "A Moment Like This
"A Moment Like This" is the debut single by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid from British house music project Nightcrawlers) and produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac. It was released ...
". The single spent a second week at number one in the United Kingdom, before 2008's ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'' winner Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is a British singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the British television series ''The X Factor'' in 2008, and has been signed to Epic Records, RCA Records and Syc ...
charted with "Hallelujah
''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
". "Run" re-entered The Official UK Top 40 at 32 on 15 March 2009. As of January 2021, the song has shifted over 1.2 million copies and is certified x2 platinum in the UK.
"Run" became Lewis's fifth UK Top Five single; it follows "A Moment Like This
"A Moment Like This" is the debut single by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid from British house music project Nightcrawlers) and produced by Stephen Ferrera and Steve Mac. It was released ...
" which peaked at number one in 2006 and "Bleeding Love
"Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written and originally recorded by Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was released as t ...
" in 2007. In 2008, the double A-side "Better in Time
"Better in Time" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written by J. R. Rotem and Andrea Martin and was produced by Rotem. Lyrically, the song tells the story of a woman who cann ...
"/" Footprints in the Sand" peaked at number two, while " Forgive Me" peaked at number five. As of December 2013, Lewis holds the record for British female solo artist with the most UK Top 5 singles, with eight. "Run" was certified x2 platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) and BRIT Certified in January 2021, denoting shipments of more than 1.2 million copies. According to the Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
, the song had sold 832,000 copies in the UK as of January 2014.
The single has reached number one in Austria, Portugal, Ireland and UK. Also, peaked at 45 at the year-end charts in the UK. On 8 October 2010 "Run" re-entered the German charts again, after having been performed by a 14-year-old contestant on Das Supertalent
''Das Supertalent'' (''Germany's Got Talent'', ''Got Talent Germany)'' is a German talent show, part of the internationally successful ''Got Talent franchise'', presented by Lola Weippert and Chris Tall. Just like in all other versions of the f ...
. It placed at number 9, its highest position so far. After another 4 weeks, the song reached an even higher position, jumping from number 27 to number 3. In March 2011, the single spent its 52nd week at number 49 on the German Singles Chart
The GfK Entertainment charts are the official music charts in Germany and are gathered and published by GfK Entertainment (formerly Media Control and Media Control GfK International), a subsidiary of GfK, on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindust ...
, making it her first single to be on that chart for one year or longer, and the 41st single in general to do so. The single was placed a total of 94 non-consecutive weeks on the German charts.
Music video
The music video for "Run" was filmed in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
and was directed by Jake Nava
Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co.
Early life and ed ...
. Lewis herself described the setting of the video as "an enchanted, haunted forest. It's picking up on different elements of the song." The video starts out with Lewis alone on a dusty trail, seemingly lost. She enters a dark forest and appears to be stalked by the viewer. In the final chorus, Lewis draws in the sun and the forest literally lights up, matching the lyrics of the song.
Live performances
Prior to Lewis recording her version of the song and releasing it as a single, she covered the song live on Jo Wiley
Johanne Whiley-Morton (born 4 July 1965), better known by her professional name Jo Whiley, is an English radio DJ and television presenter. She was the host of the long-running weekday later weekend ''The Jo Whiley Show, Jo Whiley Show'' on BBC ...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
show ''Live Lounge'' in November 2007. Wiley wrote on her website that although it was a "great" and "emotional" performance which caused members of the audience to cry, she felt that Snow Patrol's vocal could not be beaten. Lewis performed her studio recorded version of the song for the first time live on the fifth series of ''The X Factor'' (UK) on 15 November 2008. Lewis performed "Run" on ''Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'' on 10 December 2008, and again the following day at the 80th Royal Variety Performance on 11 December 2008, which was held at the London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 an ...
. On 12 November 2009, Lewis was a special guest at Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow (born 20 January 1971) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He is the lead singer of the British pop group Take That.
Barlow is one of the United Kingdom's most successful songwriters, havi ...
and Take That
Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singe ...
's ''Children in Need 2009
''Children in Need 2009'' was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for Children in Need. It culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One and ITV1 which began on the evening of Friday 20 November and ran through to the morning of Sat ...
'' event called ''Children in Need Rocks the Royal Albert Hall
Children in Need Rocks the Royal Albert Hall was a charity music concert held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England on 12 November 2009. The concert was organised by Take That singer-songwriter Gary Barlow as one of a series of events to ...
''. The singer performed "Run" and " Happy", the lead single from her second studio album, ''Echo
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the list ...
'' (2009). She was a special guest performer at the eighth series semi-finals of German singing competition '' Popstars: Du & Ich'' in December 2009, where she sang the song. Lewis performed "Run" at the Rock in Rio
''Rock in Rio'' is a recurring music festival originating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It later branched into other locations such as Lisbon, Madrid and Las Vegas.
Nine incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, ...
festival held in Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
on 22 May 2010. The song was included as the second to last song on the set list of her debut concert tour, called The Labyrinth (2010). It was later included on the DVD release of the tour, '' The Labyrinth Tour: Live from the O2''. Lewis performed the song in the encore section of the set list, along with "Bleeding Love
"Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written and originally recorded by Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was released as t ...
".
On 18 October 2011, Lewis performed the song on the first live show of the second season of ''X Factor'' (Germany). The performance, accompanied by a full band a female choir, was described as being "lovely" by Robbie Daw for Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
. As part of the promotion for her first EP called '' Hurt: The EP'' (2011), Lewis performed "Run" on the first-season finale of ''The X Factor'' (U.S.) on 22 December 2011, while a montage of highlights of the season were screened behind her. Season one judge Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
was complimentary of Lewis's performance, saying "Leona blessed us with her beautiful voice." Lewis performed "Run" as the final song of her set at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend on 24 May 2012, and was joined on stage by the Hackney Community Choir. She opened with a cover of Diddy – Dirty Money
Diddy – Dirty Money was a musical duo consisting of singer-songwriters and dancers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper in 2009; both artists having been signed to Bad Boy Entertainment.Sherwin, Adam (2010)Preview: Hello, Good Morning from Diddy ...
's " Coming Home", who she was joined on stage with by Wretch 32
Jermaine Sinclaire Scott (born 9 March 1985), better known by his stage name Wretch 32, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter from Tottenham, North London. He was a member of the grime collective Combination Chain Gang, before forming The M ...
, "Better in Time
"Better in Time" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written by J. R. Rotem and Andrea Martin and was produced by Rotem. Lyrically, the song tells the story of a woman who cann ...
", " Come Alive", a new song which she premiered from the third studio album ''Glassheart
''Glassheart'' is the third studio album by English singer Leona Lewis, released on 12 October 2012 by Syco Music and RCA Records. The album is Lewis' first under RCA Records after parent company Sony Music Entertainment closed J Records and re ...
'' (2012), "Bleeding Love
"Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album ''Spirit'' (2007). It was written and originally recorded by Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. The song was released as t ...
" and " Collide". On 19 October 2012, Lewis performed the song on the Stand Up to Cancer
Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). SU2C aims to raise significant funds for translational cancer research through online and televised efforts. Central to the program is a telethon tha ...
telethon in the UK. Similar to her performance at Hackney Weekend, Lewis was accompanied on stage by The Big C Choir, which consists of people who have had or have cancer. She returned to the stage later on in the night to perform "Fingerprint", a track from ''Glassheart. "Run" was performed as the seventeenth and final song on the set list of Lewis's 2013 tour called the Glassheart Tour.
Track listings
;''Spirit'' (deluxe edition)
- "Run" –
;''Spirit'' (United States standard version)
- "Run" (Single Mix) –
;Digital download (United States)
- "Run" (Single Mix) –
;'' The Labyrinth Tour: Live from the O2''
- "Run" (Live from the 02) –
;'' Hurt: The EP'' United States standard edition
- "Run" (Single Mix) –
Credits and personnel
;Recording
*Mixed at TwentyOne Studios, London.
;Personnel
*Songwriting – Gary Lightbody, Jonathan Quinn, Mark McClelland, Nathan Connolly, Iain Archer
*Production – Steve Robson
*Engineer – Jonathan Shakhovskoy
*Mixing – Jeremy Wheatley
*String arrangement – Wil Malone
*Piano – Steve Robson
*Hammond – Paul Beard
*Bass – John Garrison
*Drums and percussion – Karl Brazil
*Guitar – Luke Potashnick
*Background vocals – Alani Gibbon, Beverley Brown, Carmen Reece, Chris Ballin, Jewell Elliott, Joy Malcolm, Ladonna Harley Peters, Lauraine Bristol, Lincoln Jean-Marie, Marvin Cotterell, Vula Malinger
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Run'', Syco, Sony.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Other versions
* On 22 November 2008, a tribute act called "Ameritz" charted at No. 54 with a cover of this song. This prompted a spokesperson for Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
to declare that on 30 November, her version of the song would be released. This version moved up two places the next week, charting and peaking at No. 52.
* The song was covered by Jennylyn Mercado
Jennylyn Anne Pineda Mercado-Ho (; born May 15, 1987) is a Filipino actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the winner of the first season of the reality talent competition '' StarStruck''. Mercado garnered acclaim at a young age for her act ...
in 2010 and appears on the album "Love Is...".
* The song was covered by Tre Lux
Tre Lux (also known as Tré Lux) is the solo trip hop project of Tina Root, the vocalist of Switchblade Symphony.
A Strange Gathering
Her first full-length album, ''A Strange Gathering'', was released September 19, 2006. It is composed of cover ...
in 2006 and appears on the album "A Strange Gathering".
* The song was covered by the pop classical group the Three Graces in Italian underneath the title "Si Accendera" on their 2008 self-titled debut album.
* The song was covered by Sarah Lombardi
Sarah Engels (born 15 October 1992), known as Sarah Lombardi from 2013 to 2021, is a German pop singer and television personality. She is best known for participating in season 8 of ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'', where she was eliminated ...
in 2011 and appears on the album " Heartbeat".
* The song was covered by Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee (born March 25, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. In May 2006, she rose to fame as the runner-up on the fifth season of ''American Idol.''
Her eponymous debut album was released on RCA Records on Janua ...
in the 12th episode of the TV series " Smash", and subsequently released as a bonus track on the Target-exclusive deluxe edition of the "Smash" soundtrack.
* The song was covered by Damian McGinty
Damian Joseph McGinty Jr. (born 9 September 1992) is an Irish singer and actor. McGinty has been performing for over a decade, and a member of the group Celtic Thunder for thirteen years starting when he was fourteen. On 21 August 2011, McGinty ...
in 2012 and appears on the album "Damian McGinty".
* A classical cover of the song was released by the band Eklipse on their album "A Night in Strings".
* Covered by Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. His first four solo albums have been certified multi-platinum, and he was charted in 2007 as the number-one best selling artist in the United States, wi ...
and Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan Order of Canada, OC Order of British Columbia, OBC (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing ( ...
in concert, and on Groban's 2018 album "Bridges
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whic ...
".
* Johnny Jaymez released the song retitled 'Run (Light Up)‘ as a single in July 2018.
* The song was covered by Cold
Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute thermodynamic ...
in 2019 and appears on the album "The Things We Can't Stop
''The Things We Can't Stop'' is the sixth album by American rock band Cold. It was released on September 13, 2019 in the US through Napalm Records. The album was produced by Jeremy Parker, who produced the previous album. This is Cold's first alb ...
".
* On 12 December 2019 a cover by the X-Factor Celebrities was released in aid of Shooting Star Children's Hospices.
* Sinéad O'Connor
Shuhada Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8 December 1966; ) is an Irish singer-songwriter. Her debut album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second album, ''I Do Not Want What ...
performed the song in April 2020 on Irish television station RTÉ.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Run (Snow Patrol song)
2000s ballads
2003 songs
2004 singles
2008 singles
Rock ballads
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Leona Lewis songs
Music videos directed by Jake Nava
Number-one singles in Austria
Pop ballads
Song recordings produced by Jacknife Lee
Songs written by Gary Lightbody
Snow Patrol songs
UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Songs written by Iain Archer
Songs written by Jonny Quinn
Songs written by Mark McClelland
Songs written by Nathan Connolly
Fiction Records singles
Polydor Records singles
Syco Music singles