Runner (song)

This article is about the 1981 song. For the Cozy Tapes song of the same name, seeCozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends.

"Runner"
SinglebyManfred Mann's Earth Band
from the albumSomewhere in Afrika
B-side	"No Transkei"
Released	1984
Recorded	1981–82
Studio	Mastersounds Underhill Studio,London
Genre	Progressive rock Soft rock Pop rock
Length	4:40
Label	Bronze(UK original release) Cohesion(UK 1999 reissue) Arista(U.S.)
Songwriter(s)	Ian Thomas
Producer(s)	Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann's Earth Bandsingles chronology
"Demolition Man" (1983) "Runner" (1984) "Do Anything You Wanna Do" (1986)

"The Runner",also called simply"Runner",is a song written by Canadian rock musicianIan Thomasand released in 1981 on his album of the same name. Inspired by the story ofTerry Fox,"The Runner" was covered by French singerSheilalater that year, but its most famous rendition was recorded byManfred Mann's Earth Band,a British band known for making hits of reworked cover songs, and released as a single in 1984, shortly beforethat year's Summer Olympics.The timing of the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version made it a success, and it reached number 22 on theBillboardHot 100in the United States.

Ian Thomas's version

Ian Thomas is a Canadian singer, songwriter and musician, whose songs have been successfully covered by several other artists.

Thomas was inspired to write "The Runner" by the story ofTerry Fox,a Canadian athlete who lost a leg to cancer and attempted to run with hisprosthetic legfrom the East Coast of Canada inNewfoundland and Labradorto the West Coast inBritish Columbia,but was forced to stop inOntariodue to medical concerns when cancer had been discovered in both of his lungs. Fox died in 1981. Thomas said that in making the song he "wanted to capture that gallantry, the importance of passing on the flame".

His version was included inThe Terry Fox Story,a 1983docudramaabout Fox.

Manfred Mann's Earth Band version

The timing on the Manfred Mann's Earth Band version was especially good, as it came out right before the1984 Summer Olympicsheld inLos Angeles,prompting especially heavy play.Trevor Rabin,at that time the guitarist of the progressive rock bandYes,played the guitar solo on this track.

The video for this version, directed by Lindsey Clennell, received heavy airplay onMTV.In it, the band performs near a campfire at night (shot on a soundstage), interspersed with video of runners racing or carrying theOlympic flame,much of which was footage shot for the previous Summer Olympics in1972and1976.A 12-second sequence focused on American sprinterRobert Taylor,along with other parts from the100 metres in Munich.

This version of the song was used in the movieThe Philadelphia Experiment(1984).

The song was included on the American release of their albumSomewhere in Afrika(1984). With the 1998 series of remastered reissues, the song was instead appended to the reissue ofCriminal Tango.It was also included on the compilationsThe Best of Manfred Mann's Earth Band Re-Mastered,Odds & Sods – Mis-takes & Out-takes,theLeftoversdisc of the40th Anniversarybox set and the deluxe edition ofMannthology.

The single edit (which fades early) is rarer on CD, having only been reissued onThe Complete Greatest Hits of Manfred Mannand the 50th anniversary releaseMannthology.

Track listing

• 7 "single

A. "Runner" (7 "version) – 3:50

B. "No Transkei" 2:35

• 12 "single

A. "Runner" (12 "version) – 4:40

B. "No Transkei" 2:35

C. "Lies (Through the 80s)" 4:34

Both B-sides are taken from theBudapest Liveconcerts, although "No Transkei" (re-titled second part of the "Africa Suite" ) was originally only available on the cassette of the album. US releases retained the title "Where Do They Send Them", which had already been used on theBudapest Livecassette.(Thestudio recordingwas called "To Bantustan?" )

Chart (1983-84)	Peak position
CanadaRPM	34
U.S.BillboardHot 100	22

Personnel

Musicians

• Manfred Mann–keyboards,synthesizers
• John Lingwood –drums,percussion
• Chris Thompson– vocals
• Matt Irving–bass,programming (MC4)
• Mick Rogers – backup vocals
• Trevor Rabin– guitar solo

Technical

• Manfred Mann –producer
• Lars Finnstrom –engineer
• Terry Medhurst – engineer