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Running (No Doubt song)
Encyclopedia
"Running" is a synthpop
song written by Tony Kanal
and Gwen Stefani
for No Doubt
's fourth studio album
Rock Steady (2001
) and was released worldwide as the album's fourth and final single
on July 1, 2003. The song was also used on the last episode of the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch in 2003.
The song received mixed reviews from music critics and was compared to Depeche Mode
-style songs. The song only charted on the official charts of the United States, where it became the band's lowest charting single, and in Germany, where it had longest charting period. The song was accompanied by a music video
which was directed by Chris Hafner, which featured many old and new pictures as well as clippings of the band members.
Tony Kanal in Kanal's living room. They used an old Yamaha
keyboard
that Kanal's father had purchased for him when he was in eighth grade and developed the song's harmony
first and then wrote the lyrics. The band worked on the track to give it a "spacier sound" but were displeased with the result so took the song to producer Nellee Hooper
, who stripped Running down to the basics.The song was then produced by him, with whom Stefani collaborated again for her solo project two years later. Whatever the intent, the end result was a track that resonated with catchy "Mario Bros.
" background instrumentation throughout the entire song.
characterized the song as "twenty-first-century Blondie
" and compared its synthesizer
s and restrained vocal to the work of Depeche Mode
. Rolling Stone
also made the comparison to Depeche Mode and compared the song's "two-finger synth riff
" to the work of Yazoo
and Erasure
. PopMatters
, however, stated that the song fell short and was more appropriate for "some Britney
clone
". Stylus Magazine
agreed, calling Running sophomoric, and commented that "this is the kind of song that makes Gwen so popular with the pre-teen girlies." Slant Magazine
described the song as a "super-polished Saturn
leftover", and Entertainment Weekly
portrayed the song as a paean
in which No Doubt performed inside a music box, remarking that "it could be a contender for the coolest wedding song
ever."
Hot 100, The song debuted at number 62 and stayed there for two weeks and was unable to reach a higher position, becoming the band's lowest charting single on the chart. It dropped off of the chart after six weeks. The single was more successful in mainstream and adult contemporary markets, reaching number 20 on the Adult Top 40 and Top 40 Mainstream charts. It followed a similar charting pattern on the German Singles Chart where is debuted as well as peaked at number 55 before falling off the chart after seven weeks. "Running" was played heavily on the final episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch
.
The song was accompanied by a music video
which was directed by Chris Hafner. The video opens with a scene of the band members walking on the beach in which Stefani is seen wearing a polka-dot gown and the other members are seen in casual clothes. The scene is interrupted by various pictures of the band members in their early years with old pictures of Stefani in which she has her original brunette hair. The scene then again shifts to the beach where the band members are shown playing frisbee
and are shown having fun while burying drummist Adrian Young
in the beach sand. Later Stefani is shown sitting on a rock by the sea and singing to the camera. There are many other pictures of the band holding platinum and gold records and Adrian shown playing the guitar nude. There are also several clippings of the band making music in the recording studio
and performing on stage during the Rock Steady Live Tour. The video ends with the band members running into the sea water.
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
song written by Tony Kanal
Tony Kanal
Tony Kanal is an English musician, record producer and songwriter. Kanal is the bassist for the American rock band No Doubt...
and Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
for No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
's fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Rock Steady (2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
) and was released worldwide as the album's fourth and final single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on July 1, 2003. The song was also used on the last episode of the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch in 2003.
The song received mixed reviews from music critics and was compared to Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
-style songs. The song only charted on the official charts of the United States, where it became the band's lowest charting single, and in Germany, where it had longest charting period. The song was accompanied by a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
which was directed by Chris Hafner, which featured many old and new pictures as well as clippings of the band members.
Background
The song was written by Stefani and bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Tony Kanal in Kanal's living room. They used an old Yamaha
Yamaha (manufacturer)
is a multinational corporation and conglomerate based in Japan with a wide range of products and services, predominantly musical instruments, electronics, motorcycles and power sports equipment.-History:...
keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
that Kanal's father had purchased for him when he was in eighth grade and developed the song's harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
first and then wrote the lyrics. The band worked on the track to give it a "spacier sound" but were displeased with the result so took the song to producer Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Sinéad O'Connor, Garbage, Andrea Corr, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack...
, who stripped Running down to the basics.The song was then produced by him, with whom Stefani collaborated again for her solo project two years later. Whatever the intent, the end result was a track that resonated with catchy "Mario Bros.
Mario Bros.
is an arcade game published and developed by Nintendo in 1983. It was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It has been commonly featured as a minigame in the Super Mario Advance series and other games...
" background instrumentation throughout the entire song.
Critical
Running received mixed reviews from music critics. BlenderBlender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
characterized the song as "twenty-first-century Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
" and compared its synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and restrained vocal to the work of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
also made the comparison to Depeche Mode and compared the song's "two-finger synth riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
" to the work of Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
and Erasure
Erasure
Erasure are an English synthpop duo, consisting of songwriter and keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell. Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love Like That"...
. PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, however, stated that the song fell short and was more appropriate for "some Britney
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
". Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
agreed, calling Running sophomoric, and commented that "this is the kind of song that makes Gwen so popular with the pre-teen girlies." Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
described the song as a "super-polished Saturn
Return of Saturn
Return of Saturn is the fourth studio album by the American rock band No Doubt, released on April 11, 2000 by Interscope Records. After touring for two and a half years to promote their breakthrough third studio album, Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt wrote several dozen songs for its follow-up and...
leftover", and Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
portrayed the song as a paean
Paean
A paean is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice...
in which No Doubt performed inside a music box, remarking that "it could be a contender for the coolest wedding song
Wedding music
Wedding music applies music played at wedding celebrations, including the ceremony and any festivities before or after the event. The music can be performed live by musicians and/or vocalists or use pre-recorded songs, depending on the format of the event, traditions associated with the...
ever."
Commercial
Running was commercially unsuccessful in the United States, while the previous singles from the album reached the top 15 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100, The song debuted at number 62 and stayed there for two weeks and was unable to reach a higher position, becoming the band's lowest charting single on the chart. It dropped off of the chart after six weeks. The single was more successful in mainstream and adult contemporary markets, reaching number 20 on the Adult Top 40 and Top 40 Mainstream charts. It followed a similar charting pattern on the German Singles Chart where is debuted as well as peaked at number 55 before falling off the chart after seven weeks. "Running" was played heavily on the final episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem...
.
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
which was directed by Chris Hafner. The video opens with a scene of the band members walking on the beach in which Stefani is seen wearing a polka-dot gown and the other members are seen in casual clothes. The scene is interrupted by various pictures of the band members in their early years with old pictures of Stefani in which she has her original brunette hair. The scene then again shifts to the beach where the band members are shown playing frisbee
Frisbee
A flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
and are shown having fun while burying drummist Adrian Young
Adrian Young
Adrian Samuel Young is the drummer for the rock band No Doubt.-Biography:Young's parents were hippies. He has four brothers: Alex, Damian, Jeff and Aaron. His father is a teacher in Cypress CA and his stepmother, Jeanne, is currently suffering from ALS...
in the beach sand. Later Stefani is shown sitting on a rock by the sea and singing to the camera. There are many other pictures of the band holding platinum and gold records and Adrian shown playing the guitar nude. There are also several clippings of the band making music in the recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
and performing on stage during the Rock Steady Live Tour. The video ends with the band members running into the sea water.
Formats and track listing
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of Running.- German/U.S. CD single
- "Running" (album version) – 4:02
- "Hella GoodHella Good"Hella Good" is a song written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, and The Neptunes for No Doubt's fifth studio album Rock Steady . The song draws influence from electro, rock, and funk music...
" (live) – 5:41 - "Underneath It AllUnderneath It AllThe song is a love song composed in the key of E major. It is written in common time and moves slowly at 69 beats per minute. Stefani avoids the heavy vocal vibrato that she often uses. Her vocal range spans under an octave and a half during the song, from F#3 to B4.The song opens with a line...
" (live) – 4:40 - "Hey BabyHey Baby (No Doubt song)"Hey Baby" is a song written by Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Bounty Killer for No Doubt's fifth studio album Rock Steady . Released as the album's lead single, the song is heavily influenced by the Jamaican dancehall music present at No Doubt's post-show parties and tour bus lounges...
" (live) – 3:44
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 55 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 62 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 | 20 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 20 |