Run for Your Life (Bucks Fizz song)
Encyclopedia
"Run for Your Life" is a 1983 single by UK pop group Bucks Fizz
. It was written by Andy Hill
and Ian Bairnson
and became the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit in the UK. It featured on the group's third album Hand Cut
.
and Ian Bairnson
, who was a prolific session guitarist and had worked with Bucks Fizz many times. It was also produced by Hill. The song's lyrics talk about feelings of paranoia
and insecurity. Lead vocals are shared by members Mike Nolan
and Bobby G
in the verses, while the whole group sing the bridge
and chorus.
The song was the opening track on the group's third album, Hand Cut
, which was released the same month. The single was released on 7" vinyl and a special 10" picture disc. The B-side was "Shot Me Through the Heart", which also featured on the Hand Cut album. Around this time, the group filmed a BBC television
special, Live at Blazers to promote the album and closed with this song. They also embarked on a UK tour, comprising 25 dates during March and April, finishing with two nights at the Dominion Theatre
in London.
In 2008, a new extended version of this song was produced and included on the group's album, The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut.
where an old man (presumably the caretaker) appears and then vanishes out of sight. An owl also appears throughout the video. Bucks Fizz arrive in a car (driven by Aston) and then enter the house to find it deserted. On opening a door, they find themselves in a white void, where their clothes change from everyday wear to orange and black leather outfits. During these sequences they perform the song and dance routine to camera. They later flee the house with the suggestion it is haunted.
gave the single a particularly good review, complimenting the production among other things. Record Mirror
however, said that it was not an original sound for the group and seemed to be a copy of earlier hit "My Camera Never Lies
". The same magazine complimented the group the same month when reviewing "I'm Never Giving Up
" by Sweet Dreams
by saying "at least Bucks Fizz now make exceedingly good music". Smash Hits
criticised the song for being too cluttered.
"Run for Your Life" became a hit in the UK, entering the chart on 12 March 1983. It was the highest new entry of the week at No.31. It rose to No.21 the following week, and then to its peak of No.14 on 26 March. The song then dropped down the chart, remaining there for a total of seven weeks. It was the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit. In Ireland, the song peaked even higher, reaching the top 10 at No.8. No chart positions for other countries are available.
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
. It was written by Andy Hill
Andy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
and Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson is a Scottish musician, famous for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best known as a guitarist...
and became the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit in the UK. It featured on the group's third album Hand Cut
Hand Cut
Hand Cut is the third studio album by pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released in 1983 and features the UK top 20 hits, "If You Can't Stand the Heat" and "Run for Your Life".- Overview :Hand Cut was the third album released by Bucks Fizz...
.
Song information
"Run for Your Life" was written by the group's regular songwriter Andy HillAndy Hill (composer)
Andy Hill is a British music producer and songwriter who scored many hits during the 1980s and 90s...
and Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson is a Scottish musician, famous for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best known as a guitarist...
, who was a prolific session guitarist and had worked with Bucks Fizz many times. It was also produced by Hill. The song's lyrics talk about feelings of paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
and insecurity. Lead vocals are shared by members Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan
Mike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
and Bobby G
Bobby G
Bobby G is a member of pop group Bucks Fizz. He was the only remaining original member in the group...
in the verses, while the whole group sing the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
and chorus.
The song was the opening track on the group's third album, Hand Cut
Hand Cut
Hand Cut is the third studio album by pop group Bucks Fizz. It was released in 1983 and features the UK top 20 hits, "If You Can't Stand the Heat" and "Run for Your Life".- Overview :Hand Cut was the third album released by Bucks Fizz...
, which was released the same month. The single was released on 7" vinyl and a special 10" picture disc. The B-side was "Shot Me Through the Heart", which also featured on the Hand Cut album. Around this time, the group filmed a BBC television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
special, Live at Blazers to promote the album and closed with this song. They also embarked on a UK tour, comprising 25 dates during March and April, finishing with two nights at the Dominion Theatre
Dominion Theatre
The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
in London.
In 2008, a new extended version of this song was produced and included on the group's album, The Lost Masters 2 - The Final Cut.
Promotional video
The Promotional Video for the song is set at an old manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
where an old man (presumably the caretaker) appears and then vanishes out of sight. An owl also appears throughout the video. Bucks Fizz arrive in a car (driven by Aston) and then enter the house to find it deserted. On opening a door, they find themselves in a white void, where their clothes change from everyday wear to orange and black leather outfits. During these sequences they perform the song and dance routine to camera. They later flee the house with the suggestion it is haunted.
Reception
Critical reception for the song was as always, mixed. NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
gave the single a particularly good review, complimenting the production among other things. Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
however, said that it was not an original sound for the group and seemed to be a copy of earlier hit "My Camera Never Lies
My Camera Never Lies
"My Camera Never Lies" is a 1982 single by pop group, Bucks Fizz. It became a UK number-one hit single in April 1982 and was featured on their album Are You Ready.- Background :...
". The same magazine complimented the group the same month when reviewing "I'm Never Giving Up
I'm Never Giving Up
"I'm Never Giving Up", written and composed by Ron Roker, Jan Pulsford, and Phil Wigger, was the United Kingdom's entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1983, performed by the trio Sweet Dreams....
" by Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams (band)
Sweet Dreams were a British vocal trio comprising teenagers Carrie Gray, Helen Kray and Bobby McVay who represented the UK in Eurovision 1983 with the song "I'm Never Giving Up"....
by saying "at least Bucks Fizz now make exceedingly good music". Smash Hits
Smash Hits
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at teenagers and young adults and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time...
criticised the song for being too cluttered.
"Run for Your Life" became a hit in the UK, entering the chart on 12 March 1983. It was the highest new entry of the week at No.31. It rose to No.21 the following week, and then to its peak of No.14 on 26 March. The song then dropped down the chart, remaining there for a total of seven weeks. It was the group's eighth consecutive top 20 hit. In Ireland, the song peaked even higher, reaching the top 10 at No.8. No chart positions for other countries are available.
Track listing
7" and 10" Vinyl- "Run for Your Life" (4.12)
- "Shot Me Through the Heart" (4.25)
Chart positions
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK | 14 |
| Ireland | 8 |