The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

How good is The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner on a scale of 1-10?

  • Total voters
    36
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

Number two in SIT’s underappreciated triple crown. Amazing guitar tones and harmony parts, coupled nicely with killer shifts in rhythm, and repetitions that are layered in a tasteful fashion. The music evokes the breathless exhaustion of the lyrics in that trademark Maiden fashion. Nine.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

3. My least favorite Dickinson era song, and the song that turns SIT from being a masterpiece to simply being a great album.  Good intro, but generic verses, a bad chorus, and a boring and aimless solo/instrumental section. 
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

I got into this song properly once when I was out running, and noticed it was perfect for that purpose.  After that I noticed it's a great song anyway, and I love the way it builds up and the frantic galloping beat.  It's amazing how well this song conveys the feeling of running, both with the lyrics and the music.  A good, solid 8 from me on this one.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

This song is just awesome and IMO hugely underrated. The lyrics and music fit hand in hand and almost make you feel like you're running a marathon. Solos are superb, the vocals aren't fantastic, but that is the only way the song can be done. This song always gives me inspiration. 10/10
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

Yep, I think this is quite underrated by a lot of people. The lyrics / music really does make it feel like you are running a marathon. A solid 8/10.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

The greatest thing about this song is the melodies, absolutely sine tingling. special credit goes to "ive got to keep running !!!!!" and nickos footwork. Adrian once again delivers a great solo but it doesn't really compare to any of his others on this album, daves is fairly decent as well (the guy lacked inspiration on this album imo)

7/10
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

I can't give a 7,5 so I voted for 8.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

I give this one a 10, as one of my favourites from SIT and in general. Like another poster says, there are some wonderful melodies to this song which make me want to listen to it over and over again, and the middle section is amongst my favourites from any Maiden song. I think that's 3 songs now I've given a 10 to on SIT... what a fantastic album.  :edmetal:
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

It took me about 17 years to learn to appreciate The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner...quite a marathon of a grower! I now find the song to be very, very solid and something of a labrynth in that it contains many melodies and riffs to get lost within.

Its certainly not the coolest or most metal tracks in the bands catalogue...but by not trying to be cool it oozes coolness in a proggy, melodic way.
9
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

Probably the most underrated song in the whole catalogue! This song packs with awesome: riffs, solo, vocals, EVERYTHING!!! I fail to see why so many people hate it...

8/10.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

Indeed a grower. I didn't care for it very much at first, but now I have come to love the intro and the solo, even though I think this isn't one of Bruce's best moments. A solid 8/10.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

There are so many great melodic parts in this one, I just love it. Great drumming as well, and killer solo. It goes in the "great but not Rime-kind of great" with Sea of Madness and earns a 9.
 
Re: Daily Song: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

5. The song is again pretty mediocre for me. The SoM, HCW, LotLDR set is fairly boring to me but is surrounded by 5 great songs which make the album.
 
Very good song, I really love the intro. Vocals aren't great, which is a shame, but that doesn't diminish the enjoyment of the track that much for me.
7/10

Incidentally, I saw the film recently: well worth a watch.
 
I have read the book for my English list back in the early nineties. Guess why? This song. :)
Still need to see the film, should be good.

Pretty aggressive song with its neat riffs and drums. Nicko really shows some stamina here, playing so fast, so long. The intro is really lovely indeed. I like the way Nicko comes in hitting his snare, not using his bass drum before Bruce sings the first word.

During the couplets Dave and Adrian play some nice harmonies, where Adrian in specific plays pretty much on the edge, aggressive, which fits well to the nature of the song.

The less fluent part ("I've got to keep running..") with the more staccato rhythm again fits well to the lyrics. Listen with headphones how Adrian plays during "win at all costs" (around 3:15). Again this aggressive playing. Really cool how the difference in rhythm playing can be heard on this album which is seen as Maiden's most polished album.  <_<

9 (but a higher nine than both Wasted Years and SIASL).
 
10, I won't go into my rant about my love for this song anymore, I'm sure everyone's tired of hearing it.
 
7 out of 10... Initially, this tune didn't do much for me, but has grown on me a little bit over the years. It does have a tendency to drag a bit for me...
 
A 10.  My favourite on the album.  Whenever I hear the "run, on and on" plus the chorus, with the pounding drums and the relentless guitars, a smile comes on my face without fail. 
 
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