I Ran (So Far Away)

Infobox Single
Name = I Ran (So Far Away)


Cover size =
Border = yes
Caption =
Artist = A Flock of Seagulls
Album = A Flock of Seagulls
A-side =
B-side = "Pick Me Up"
Released = Start date|1982|10| (UK)
Format = 7"
Recorded = Battery Studios, London
Genre = New Wave
Length =

• 5:07 (album version)
• 3:32 (single version)

Label = Jive Records (UK)
Teldec (Germany)
Writer = A Flock of Seagulls
Producer = Mike Howlett
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Last single = "Telecommunication"
(1981)
This single = "I Ran (So Far Away)"
(1982)
Next single = "Space Age Love Song"
(1982)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Border = yes
Lower caption = UK cover__NOTOC__"I Ran (So Far Away)" is a song by English New Wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released on their debut album "A Flock of Seagulls" in 1982 and was its most successful single, reaching number 9 in the United States and number 1 in Australia.

ingle

The single was promoted by a distinctive music video in which the band members performed in a room covered in aluminium foil and mirrors. It received heavy rotation on MTV in the summer of 1982, [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll allmusic] ] and helped the single to become a hit. The video features a different edit of "I Ran" than the album version; the introduction was greatly shortened.

The band toured the United States extensively to promote the single, supporting Squeeze on their 1982 tour. As well as reaching #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, "I Ran" peaked at #3 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #8 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Subsequently the album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200.

Despite success in the States and Australia, the single did not enjoy similar success in the band's home country, failing to make the top 40.

In an interview on the VH1 special "100 Greatest Songs of the '80s", Mike Score said that he resents the song, but plays it live because people enjoy it. "I Ran" reached #55 on the countdown.

In popular culture

*"I Ran (So Far Away)" is featured in the "", as part of the Wave 103 radio station; since the song was played in the background of most commercials for the game, it is considered the game's signature song.
*The song was featured as a playable song in ""." The song was also featured on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's, where Mike Score stated that he is sick of playing the song."

Cover versions

"I Ran" has been covered several times by other artists:

*Assemblage 23 recorded the song for the 1997 compilation "Newer Wave".
*Terminal Choice's cover of the song is included on the bonus disk of their 2006 album "New Born Enemies".
*Bowling for Soup covered the song for the 2003 re-release of their album "Drunk Enough to Dance" and their "Punk Rock 101" single. Both the original and the punk cover are the theme song of the American version of "Saint Seiya", also known as "Knights of the Zodiac".
*Hidden in Plain View recorded the song on the covers compilation album "Punk Goes 80s".
*Tori Amos covered the song during a live performance, which was later released on the album "Paramount Theatre Denver, CO 4/19/05".
*In an episode of "That '70s Show", the character Eric is visited by an angel, who brings him forward in time to the 1980s, where Fez is a one man band and has the Flock of Seagulls hairdo and sings this song.The song also feautured in the controversial film "The Business" featuring Danny Dyer.

Chart positions

References