Happy Anniversary: Pink Floyd, “Run Like Hell”

35 years ago today, Pink Floyd released the second single from The Wall, a track which in no way matched the #1 success of its predecessor, “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II),” but has still managed to become an album-rock staple.

A co-write between David Gilmour and Roger Waters, “Run Like Hell” doesn’t actually include its title within its lyrics, but it’s still a rather intimidating track, one which – although it certainly wasn’t composed for such – is a perfect song for fathers to pass along to their daughter’s new boyfriends. In reality, the song’s one of Pink’s big numbers, where he’s hallucinating and believes that he’s become a dictator who transforms an audience into an angry mob, but…have you read those lyrics? Seriously, play that for the young lad, and you’re sending a message that’s right up there with slipping the kid a note that says, “I’ve got a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Don’t make me have to prove it.”

As noted above, “Run Like Hell” wasn’t a smash hit single in the States, only hitting #53, but it managed earn top-20 status in Canada (#15) and Sweden (#18), which ain’t half bad. (Hey, how many top-20 singles have you had?) More importantly, though, the song became a staple of Pink Floyd’s live set in the post-Waters era –which is slightly ironic, since Gilmour contributed relatively little in the way of vocals to the studio version – and can be found on both Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse, not to mention the all-star concert album Live at Knebworth 1990.

For today, though, we’re sticking with the original recording, and we’re leaving it within its proper context, as we can only imagine Mr. Waters would prefer. (He’s always been rather partial to The Wall, you know.)