"Where Are We Runnin'?" is a song performed by American

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

ian Lenny Kravitz. It was released on April 5, 2004, as the

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

from his seventh studio album, ''

Baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...

'' (2004). Kravitz wrote the song with his long-time collaborator

Craig Ross Craig David Ross is an American guitarist best known for performing and recording with Lenny Kravitz. Early life Craig Ross was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He has two daughters named Mia and Devon with his first wife Anna. Si ...

and produced it himself. Following its release, the song reached number 69 in the United States, number 13 in Italy, and number four in Spain.

Composition

"Where Are We Runnin'?" is an uptempo rock song. Kravitz wrote the song inspired by contemporary rock musicians' lives, describing them as busy and worried.

Critical reception

Carla Hay of AXS stated, "'Where Are We Runnin' is an often-overlooked, high-energy stomper of a song that stands as one of Kravitz's best. It was the first single from his 2004 album, ''Baptism'', and showed that Kravitz wasn't going to be mellowing out anytime soon."

Chart performance

The song peaked at number 69 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Kravitz's first appearance on that chart since 2001's " Dig In". It also peaked at number 30 on the ''Billboard''

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active rock ...

chart and number 40 on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart; this is his last song to date to appear on the latter chart. It charted in several countries worldwide, reaching number 18 in the Netherlands, number 13 in Italy, and number four in Spain.

Music video

The music video for "Where Are We Runnin'?" was directed by

Philip Andelman Philip Andelman is an American music video director and photographer. Andelman has directed music videos for many notable artists, see below. He has received nominations for his works from the MVPA, VMAs, and CMT awards including MVPA Director ...

and Lenny Kravitz. Kravitz portrays an amplified version of himself as he wakes up in a hotel room surrounded by nude women and empty bottles of alcohol. Once awoken, he is taken by his team out of the hotel—where he and his entourage are mobbed by innumerable cheering fans—and to the airport via limousine. Inside a private jet, Kravitz, his band and additional women are shown engaging in varying levels of debauchery as they eat, drink and make love. At the concert venue, a fight breaks out in the dressing room and Kravitz passes out from exhaustion and drug use. He is taken care of on the spot by paramedics. On stage, Kravitz and his band deliver an electrifying performance of the final chorus before retreating to the dressing room. Against the sound of filtered radio interference, Kravitz walks for a full minute in a single shot from the stage back to the dressing room, where he collapses in a chair from exhaustion and the chemicals rushing through his system.

Track listings

Canadian and European CD single # "Where Are We Runnin'?" – 2:44 # "Uncharted Terrain" – 4:20 European and Australian maxi-CD single # "Where Are We Runnin'?" – 2:44 # "Uncharted Terrain" – 4:20 # "Destiny" – 4:53

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the US promo CD liner notes. * Lenny Kravitz – words, music, vocals, electric guitar solo, bass, production, arrangement *

– music, electric guitar, drums, tambourine * Henry Hirsch – piano

Charts

Release history

References

* {{Authority control 2004 singles 2004 songs Lenny Kravitz songs Music videos directed by Philip Andelman Song recordings produced by Lenny Kravitz Songs written by Craig Ross Songs written by Lenny Kravitz Virgin Records singles