Running Free
| "Running Free" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Single by Iron Maiden | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Iron Maiden | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| B-side | 1980 single "Burning Ambition" 1985 live single "Sanctuary", "Murders in the Rue Morgue (live)" |
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| Released | 8 February 1980 13 September 1985 |
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| Recorded | February 1980 ("Running Free"); December 1979 ("Burning Ambition"); March 1985 ("Running Free (live)" & "Sanctuary (live)"); October 1984 ("Murders in the Rue Morgue (live)") | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 3:16 3:28 |
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| Label | EMI | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Steve Harris Paul Di'Anno |
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| Iron Maiden singles chronology | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Running Free" was the first single released by Iron Maiden, released on 8 February 1980 on the 7" 45 rpm vinyl record format. It was written by Steve Harris and Paul Di'Anno. The song appears as the third track on the band's debut album Iron Maiden (and the fourth track on its 1998 re-release). In 1985, a live version of the song was released as the first single from Live After Death (the band's twelfth single).
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[edit] Background
According to vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who wrote the song's lyrics, it is "a very autobiographical song, though of course I've never spent the night in an LA jail. It's about being 16 and, like it says, just running wild and running free. It comes from my days as a skinhead."[1] The song is known to be one of the band's more traditional rock numbers, which Mick Wall describes as "Iron Maiden at their punk-metal apotheosis,"[1] and is still performed live to this day.
The single's cover art is famously known as the first official appearance of the Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, although his face is obscured as the band did not want him unveiled until the album's release.[2] Several band names (such as Scorpions, Judas Priest, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin) are spray painted on the wall behind the youth in the picture, as well as the word "Hammers," a tribute to West Ham United.[2] Ironically, the live single's cover art is the first not to feature Eddie, as it shows a real picture of the band performing on stage.
The B-side "Burning Ambition," recorded in December 1979 with producer Guy Edwards as a 4-piece band just prior to hiring Dennis Stratton & Clive Burr,[3] is one of Harris' earliest compositions written around the time he was in Gypsy's Kiss. The guitar solo in this song is played by Dave Murray. The song did not appear on an album until it was included in the Best of the 'B' Sides compilation, released as part of the Eddie's Archive Boxset, and was featured in the soundtrack of The Early Days DVD documentary.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] 1980 single
- "Running Free" (Paul Di'Anno, Steve Harris) - 3:16
- "Burning Ambition" (Harris) - 2:42
[edit] 1985 live single
- "Running Free" (Di'Anno, Harris) – 3:28
- "Sanctuary (live)" (Di'Anno, Harris, Dave Murray) – 4:41
- "Murders In The Rue Morgue (live)" (Harris)- 4:33
[edit] Personnel
[edit] 1980 single
- Paul Di'Anno - vocals
- Dave Murray - guitar
- Dennis Stratton - guitar & backing vocals on "Running Free" only
- Steve Harris - bass guitar & backing vocals
- Clive Burr - drums on "Running Free" only
- Doug Sampson - drums on "Burning Ambition" only
[edit] 1985 live single
- Bruce Dickinson – vocals
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Adrian Smith – guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Nicko McBrain – drums
[edit] Chart performance
| Single | Chart (1980) | Peak position |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Running Free" | UK Singles Chart | 34[4] | Iron Maiden |
| Single | Chart (1985) | Peak position |
Album |
| "Running Free (Live)" | Irish Singles Chart | 12[5] | Live After Death |
| UK Singles Chart | 19[6] | ||
| Single | Chart (1990) | Peak position |
Album |
| "Running Free / Sanctuary" | UK Albums Chart[note 1] | 10[7] | — |
| "Running Free (Live) / Run to the Hills (Live)" | 9[8] |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Re-release of all four singles as part of The First Ten Years box set. Exceeded the length limit of the UK Singles chart.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 132. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.
- ^ a b Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.
- ^ Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 126. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.
- ^ "UK Singles Archive- 8th March 1980". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/1980-03-08/. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ^ "Irish Singles Archive". http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ "Official UK Singles Archive- 12th October 1985". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/1985-10-12/. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ "UK Albums Archive- 24th February 1990". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/1990-02-24/. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
- ^ "Official UK Albums Archive- 7th April 1990". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/1990-04-07/. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
