- Nowhere to Run (Martha and the Vandellas song)
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This article is about the song by Martha and the Vandellas. For other uses, see Nowhere to Run.
"Nowhere to Run" Single by Martha and the Vandellas from the album Dance Party B-side "Motoring" Released February 10, 1965 Format 7" single Recorded Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); October 21, 1964 Genre Pop/soul Length 2:48 Label Gordy
G 7039Writer(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland Producer Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland Martha and the Vandellas singles chronology "Wild One"
(1964)"Nowhere to Run"
(1965)"You've Been in Love Too Long"
(1965)"Nowhere to Run" is a 1965 pop single, b/w "Motoring", by Martha and the Vandellas for the Gordy (Motown) label and is one of the group's signature songs. The song, written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, depicts the story of a woman trapped in a bad relationship with a man she cannot help but love. Holand-Dozier-Holland and the Funk Brothers band gave the song a large, hard-driving instrumentation sound similar of the sound of prior "Dancing In The Street" with snow chains used as percussion alongside the tambourine and drums.
Included on their third album, Dance Party, "Nowhere to Run" hit number eight on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, and number five on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. It also charted in the UK peaking at number twenty-six on the chart.
This version was ranked #358 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[1]
Later use
The record's brass-heavy arrangement and chorus of "nowhere to run to, baby/nowhere to hide" have made the song a popular one at sporting events, whether played in its original version or reinterpreted by a marching band. The song has also been seen as one of the songs played heavy by troops during the Vietnam War and has since been a title and inspiration in TV shows such as Quantum Leap and Murphy Brown.
This song is used in the Sky News advertising for United Kingdom general election debates, 2010
This song is contained within the in-game soundtrack of the PC game Battlefield Vietnam. It is also included in the soundtrack of Good Morning Vietnam.
This song is also featured in the 1995 movie Crimson Tide.
The song is featured in the Martin Scorsese film, Bringing Out the Dead.
Laura Nyro covered the song on her 1971 album Gonna Take a Miracle, with backing vocals by Labelle.
Arnold McCuller performed a disco-style cover version which appeared on the soundtrack for The Warriors in 1979. A snippet was sung by Patti Scialfa as part of the mood-setting introduction to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's live version of "Cover Me", included on their album Live/1975-85. The song was also sampled by N.W.A. on their 1991 hit, "100 Miles and Runnin'". The song is interpolated in the Gravediggaz song Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide. A cover version was featured in the 1991 film The Commitments (based upon the Roddy Doyle novel of the same name) as performed by Maria Doyle Kennedy (no relation).
A cover by John Avila was featured in "An Extremely Goofy Movie". A cover by Stephen Cummings featured in the film "The Crossing" (1990). A cover sung in Vietnamese by Khanh Ha appears in Gleaming the Cube.
According to Janet Jackson's collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, there was talk of her covering "Nowhere to Run" for her 1989 album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. But instead, Jackson chose to do an original song inspired by the dance-pop approach of "Nowhere to Run", titling it "Escapade".
A power pop version of the song was released by The Knack in their 2002 album Serious Fun.[2]
Phil Collins recorded a cover during the sessions of his 2010 album Going Back
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Martha Reeves
- Background vocals by Rosalind Ashford & Betty Kelly
- Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr.
- Produced by Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland
- All instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Richard "Pistol" Allen: drums
- James Jamerson: bass guitar
- Earl Van Dyke: electric piano
- Jack Ashford: percussion, tambourine, vibes
- Ivy Jo Hunter: percussion (snow chains)
- Robert White: guitar
- Eddie Willis: guitar
Notes
- ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". RollingStone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596203/nowhere_to_run/1. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Serious Fun (Bonus Tracks) - Overview". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r587015. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
Rosalind Ashford · Annette Beard · Betty Kelly · Lois Reeves · Martha Reeves · Sandra Tilley
Gloria WilliamsStudio albums Come and Get These Memories · Heat Wave · Dance Party · Watchout! · Ridin' High · Sugar 'n' Spice · Natural Resources · Black MagicLive albums Compilation albums Greatest Hits · Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 · Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 · Anthology · Live Wire - The Singles: 1962-1972 · The Ultimate Collection · 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Martha Reeves & the Vandellas · Spellbound: Motown Lost & Found (1962-1972) · Gold: Martha Reeves & the VandellasSingles
(US/UK Top 40)"Come and Get These Memories" · "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" · "Quicksand" · "Dancing in the Street" · "Wild One" · "Nowhere to Run" · "You've Been in Love Too Long" · "My Baby Loves Me" · "I'm Ready for Love" · "Jimmy Mack" · "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" · "Honey Chile" · "Forget Me Not" · "Bless You"Related topics Book:Martha and the Vandellas Gordy label 1962: "I'll Have to Let Him Go" / "My Baby Won't Come Back"
1963: "Come and Get These Memories" / "Jealous Lover" · "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" / "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" · "Quicksand" / "Darling, I Hum Our Song"
1964: "Live Wire" / "Old Love (Let's Try Again)" · "In My Lonely Room" / "A Tear for the Girl" · "Dancing in the Street" / "There He Is (At My Door)" · "Wild One" / "Dancing Slow"
1965: "Nowhere to Run" / "Motoring" · "You've Been in Love Too Long" / "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)"
1966: "My Baby Loves Me" / "Never Leave Your Baby's Side" · "What Am I Going to Do Without Your Love" / "Go Ahead and Laugh" · "I'm Ready for Love" / "He Doesn't Love Her Anymore"
1967: "Jimmy Mack" / "Third Finger, Left Hand" · "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" / "One Way Out" · "Honey Chile" / "Show Me the Way"
1968: "I Promise to Wait My Love" / "Forget Me Not" · "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playing" / "I Tried" · "Sweet Darlin'" / "Without You"
1969: "(We've Got) Honey Love" / "I'm in Love (And I Know It)" · "Taking My Love (And Leaving Me)" / "Heartless"
1970: "I Should Be Proud" / "Love, Guess Who" · "I Gotta Let You Go" / "You're the Loser Now"
1971: "Bless You" / "Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broke" · "In and Out of My Life" / "Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile"
1972: "Tear It On Down" / "I Want You Back"
1973: "Baby Don't Leave Me" / "I Won't Be the Fool I've Been Again"Book:Martha and the Vandellas Categories:- The Warriors
- 1965 singles
- Martha and the Vandellas songs
- Songs written by Holland-Dozier-Holland
- Motown singles
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