Always on the Run (Lenny Kravitz song)
{{short description|1991 single by Lenny Kravitz}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Always on the Run
| cover = Lenny_On_The_Run.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lenny Kravitz featuring Slash
| album = Mama Said
| released = {{start date|1991|3|18}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Funk rock{{cite web|first= Paul|last=Elliott|title=The Top 20 Greatest Funk Rock Songs|work=Classic Rock Magazine|date=May 30, 2016|access-date= February 4, 2019|url=http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-05-30/top-20-best-funk-rock-song}}
| length = 3:53
| label = Virgin
| writer =
- Lenny Kravitz
- Slash
| producer = Lenny Kravitz
| chronology = Lenny Kravitz
| prev_title = Does Anybody Out There Even Care
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = It Ain't Over 'til It's Over
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Slash
| type = singles
| prev_title = Hey Stoopid
| prev_year = 1991
| title = Always on the Run
| year = 1991
| next_title = Break Like the Wind
| next_year = 1992
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|em8JuUW-OOE|"Lenny Kravitz - Always On The Run (Official Music Video)"}}}}
}}
"Always on the Run" is a song by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released as the first single from his second album, Mama Said (1991), in March 1991 by Virgin Records. It features a contribution by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. Slash had written the music for the song with the original intention of releasing it on a Guns N' Roses studio album, but since former drummer Steven Adler had difficulty playing the song, he saved it for this eventual collaboration with Kravitz.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gnrsource.com/songinfo/other/live/aotr.htm |title=Always On The Run |access-date=February 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224042532/http://www.gnrsource.com/songinfo/other/live/aotr.htm |archive-date=February 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }} Its music video was directed by Jesse Dylan. On June 6, 1992, during Guns N' Roses's Use Your Illusion Tour stop in Paris, Kravitz joined the band onstage and played guitar and sang vocals for this track.
Background
Slash met up with Kravitz for a vodka fueled songwriting session directly after finishing his European tour. After the last date, he jumped on the concorde and flew from London to New York at nine in the morning. Kravitz recalled to Rolling Stone, "He had me get a gallon of vodka and a bag of ice and we went into the studio and bang, there it was. The two of us wrote and cut the tune. I played drums; he played guitar; Then I played my guitar, bass and did vocals. I brought the horn players in and it was done. Then he got on a plane the next morning and went to LA. It was a wild day."
Critical reception
In a retrospective review, Carla Hay of AXS stated, "As the first single from his 1991 album, Mama Said, 'Always on the Run' further established Kravitz as a powerhouse rocker who expertly blended retro influences with modern sounds."{{cite web |last1=Hay |first1=Carla |title=The Top 10 Best Lenny Kravitz Songs |url=https://www.axs.com/the-top-10-best-lenny-kravitz-songs-77568 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521225238/http://www.axs.com/the-top-10-best-lenny-kravitz-songs-77568 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 21, 2016 |publisher=AXS |access-date=July 14, 2020 |date=March 2, 2016}} Upon the release, Simon Reynolds from Melody Maker said, "During the rather nifty boogie-funk [...], Kravitz's persona shifts with every vocal phrase{{snd}} Hendrix/Sly Stone/Costello{{snd}} and sometimes all at once. I like it, but sometimes you have to be firm."{{cite magazine|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/52313257278/|title=Singles|magazine=Melody Maker|date=March 23, 1991|page=35|access-date=April 16, 2023|author-link=Simon Reynolds}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Kravitz has always been heavily influenced by '60s artists like Lennon and Hendrix, and this time it is James Brown's turn to play godfather, too. The song leans on a strong staccato rhythm guitar and a sharp horn section. Good grooves provided."{{cite magazine|first=|last=|title=New Releases: Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-03-30.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=13|date=March 30, 1991|page=12|access-date=December 11, 2022}}
Chart performance
"Always on the Run" reached the top ten on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, peaking at number eight.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Always on the Run" was directed by American film director and production executive Jesse Dylan. It consists of the performance of the song featuring Lenny Kravitz' band and Slash, filmed in black and white.
Track listing
- "Always on the Run"
- "Butterfly"
- "Light Skin Girl from London"
- "Always on the Run" (instrumental)
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1991)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Australia|43|artist=Lenny Kravitz|song=Always On The Run|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|26|artist=Lenny Kravitz|song=Always On The Run|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| scope="row"| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=136|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2021|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|section=Lenny Kravitz|page=136|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|access-date=June 29, 2022|language=fi}}
| 29 |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|5|year=1991|week=18|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|8|artist=Lenny Kravitz|song=Always On The Run|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|25|artist=Lenny Kravitz|song=Always On The Run|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|41|artist=Lenny Kravitz|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|8|artist=Lenny Kravitz|rowheader=true|access-date=January 21, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|40|artist=Lenny Kravitz|rowheader=true|access-date=March 12, 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1991)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1991|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=March 12, 2021}}
| 59 |
| scope="row"| Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1991&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=March 12, 2021}}
| 90 |
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Label(s) ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| March 18, 1991 | {{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD}} | rowspan="3"| Virgin | {{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=19|date=March 16, 1991}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Japan
| April 3, 1991 | Mini-CD | {{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/184377/products/298496/1/|title=オール・ウェイズ・オン・ザ・ラン {{!}} レニー・クラヴィッツ|trans-title=Always on the Run {{!}} Lenny Kravitz|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=January 21, 2024}} |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| April 15, 1991 | {{hlist|12-inch vinyl box set|cassette}} | {{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=19|date=April 13, 1991}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Lenny Kravitz singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Slash (musician) songs
Category:Song recordings produced by Lenny Kravitz
Category:Songs written by Lenny Kravitz