Running Free

How good is Running Free on a scale of 1-10

  • Total voters
    17
A classic Maiden song, this one grows on me every time I hear it. I love the slow pace, the combination of a marching and trudging beat, this is one for when you get out in your ol' pickup and just drive along the road at 30 MPH with your radio on. A good anthem and a great first single. 8/10.
 
6 for this one. Good song, but it's very repetitive. No solos in it, which is a real shame. Works far better live with all the crowd interaction (I'm looking at you, Live After Death). It's very catchy, though; nice choice for a debut single.
 
Particularly poor production on this one. Paul sounds good solo, but the vocal harmony sections have a cheesy quality, as do the lyrics.

Forgettable guitar harmonies at the start of the break lead into a better back and forth between drums and guitar fills, another chorus, and more of the better part of the break. Another verse & chorus with cheesy vocal harmonies, and then some final squealing from Paul takes us out.

I've heard this song done well enough live to earn a 7, but the multiple issues with the studio recording bring this down to a 5/10.
 
The dud that is Remember Tomorrow gone, the album picks up again instantly with the drum intro that kicks off Running Free. The chorus is great, the instrumental is a favorite of mine, it's classic early Maiden done right. Not their greatest song, but it's very fun.

7/10. Good choice for a first single.
 
A decent song and rather fun on album, but as a whole Maiden have done many other good short tracks like this that are better. Decisively above average though. 6
 
Iconic drum intro and bass line starts this great song. So much energy in it. Great verses and mesmerizing chorus. The song has a awesome rhythm, riff and tempo - love it! The twin-lead guitar harmonies are superb (you can dance on them, like Bruce does). The heavy riff is brutal. Amazing drumming from Clive, especially at the middle of the song. The end of the song with the two screams is top-notch. Overall, a fantastic short rocker, early classic and the song is great to close a concerts. Live, is even better. Great song for a single too. Really fun song. Only one solo is missing, so that's why I will give it a 9/10.
 
"I was playing around with beats in the studio, glam rock Sweet style and the others started jamming along to the beat and Paul Di'Anno went off and wrote the lyrics." (Doug Sampson for Legacy Project – Legacy Project Webpage - 2018)

"I write about things that have happened to me, 'Running Free', for example, harps back to the days when I was a skinhead and part of a street gang. No one would dare to touch us, and we used to go out and stop police cars, kick in their lamps and then run off down an alleyway." (Paul Di'Anno for Malcom Dome – Record Mirror – March 1, 1980)

It was one of the songs played at Clive's & Bruce's audition.

Adrian's first public appearance with the band was a studio "performance" for a German TV music show named Rock and Pop miming to 'Running Free' & 'Remember Tomorrow' - Broadcasted on November 8, 1980.

Killer World Tour – March 15 & March 22, 1981 - Trust (at the time featuring one Nicko McBrain on drums) came on stage and played 'Running Free' with Maiden.

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Never liked the chorus that much tbh.
The intro is very reminiscent to Golden Earring´s Radar Love so -1 for originality. Among the weaker tracks of the debut this one. 6
 
Luisma said:
There's also the versions of Iron Maiden, Running Free, Transylvania and Sanctuary played at the Friday Rock Show and Wrathchild and Sanctuary from Metal For Muthas
Click to expand...
You're right for Metal for Muthas and The Soundhouse Tapes (although it is amateur recording), but should the Friday Rock Show session really be counted as studio output (it is rather a "live in studio")?
 
The relentless pace of this song makes you wanna move your feet. It’s a groovy fucker, it’s fun and keeps me pumped. And I love the riff “breakdown” in the middle, one of early Maiden’s coolest moments. That said, the Live After Death version kills the original. 7/10
 
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