''Running the Endless Mile'' is the second album by

John Parr John Stephen Parr (born 18 November 1952) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, best known for his 1985 single "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)", charting at number one in the US and number six in the UK, and for his 1984 US number- ...

, released in 1986. The lead single " Blame It on the Radio" reached U.S. #88, the only song to reach the U.S. singles charts. The first track on the album, " Two Hearts", was taken from the soundtrack to the film ''

American Anthem ''American Anthem'' is a 1986 American sports drama film directed by Albert Magnoli and starring Mitch Gaylord and Janet Jones. The film was produced by Lorimar Motion Pictures and released in North America by Columbia Pictures. Plot Football ...

''. However, an earlier soundtrack hit, Parr's #1 hit of the previous summer "'' St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)''" from the film of the same title (and also on the Atlantic label) was ''not'' included on this album, which may have limited its sales (the album failed to crack the Top 200 in the U.S.). Instead, a song that was on his first album, "Don't Leave Your Mark on Me" was repeated in a different version.

Background

''Running the Endless Mile'' was recorded in various studios over a period of five months in 1986. Parr told ''

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 ...

'' in 1986, "I needed to have an album out this year because it's been two years since my last one. The only way to do it was in between promotion and gigs in Europe. So wherever I wrote, I recorded at the same time."

Track listing

All songs written by John Parr unless noted. #" Two Hearts (American Anthem)" - 6:09 #"Don't Worry 'Bout Me" - 4:05 #"King of Lies" - 4:08 #"Running the Endless Mile" - 4:19 #"Don't Leave Your Mark on Me (Mark 2)" (

Julia Downes Julia Downes is a songwriter, musician and producer whose songs have appeared on albums by Roger Daltrey, Meat Loaf, Sheena Easton, John Parr, Saga (band), Saga, and Michael Ball (singer), Michael Ball. In 1983 she released the album ''Let Sleepi ...

, Parr) - 4:19 #"Scratch" - 4:39 #"Do It Again" - 4:08 #" Blame It on the Radio" - 4:16 #"The Story Still Remains the Same (Vices)" (Downes, Parr) - 3:52 #"Steal You Away (Flight of the Spruce Goose)" - 5:30

Personnel

- lead vocals, guitar, keyboards *

Pete Bonas Girl were an English glam metal band formed in London in 1979. They split up in 1982 with band members going on to join Def Leppard and L.A. Guns, among others. History Girl were formed in 1979 by vocalist Phil Lewis, guitarists Gerry Laffy ...

- guitar *Craig Jones - guitar *

Michael Landau Michael Christopher Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, audio engineer, and record producer. He is a session musician and guitarist who has played on many albums since the early 1980s with Boz Scaggs, Minoru Niihara, Joni Mitch ...

- guitar *Christopher Marra - guitar *Bruce Laing - bass *Brad Lang - bass *Steve Bodicker - keyboards *John Cook - keyboards *Richard Cottle - keyboards *Julia Downes - keyboards *

Randy Kerber Randy Kerber (born September 25, 1958) is an American composer, orchestrator and keyboard player, who has had a prolific career in the world of cinema.SeRandy Kerberat the IMDb Kerber was born in Encino, California. He began his first national t ...

- keyboards *Tony Mitman - keyboards *Neil Richmond - synthesizer, programming *

Peter-John Vettese Peter-John Vettese (born 15 August 1956 in Scotland), also known as Peter Vettese, is a Scottish keyboardist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. Vettese is perhaps best known for being the keyboardist for progressive rock band Jethro Tul ...

- keyboards *Martin Dobson - saxophone *

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's '' Thriller'', ''Rock with You'', ...

- horn *Tony Beard - drums *

Graham Broad Graham Broad (born 10 March 1957) is an English drummer who has been playing professionally since the age of fifteen, after attending the Royal College of Music in 1970. He is a former pupil of drumming educator Lloyd Ryan, who also taught Ph ...

- drums, percussion *Peter Hammond - drums, percussion, engineer *

Jeff Porcaro Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work with the rock band Toto but is one of the most recorded session musicians in history, working on ...

- drums, percussion *Roddy Matthews - backing vocals *Lee Matty - backing vocals *Chuck Kirkpatrick - backing vocals *Gareth Mortimer - backing vocals *Gill O'Donovan - backing vocals *John Sambataro - backing vocals *Karen Sambrooke - backing vocals * Chris Thompson - backing vocals *Marty Thompson - backing vocals *Will Gosling - engineer

Notes

{{Authority control 1986 albums John Parr albums Atlantic Records albums