General Gregory N. Pigott: Late Night Music Part 110......"Run For Your Life!"

To quote Forrest Gump, "I Just Felt Like Running".

In order to receive votes in this category, the SONG TITLE had to contain the word "RUN" or "RUNNING". The word "RAN" was not acceptable, so "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls would be disqualified. Also receiving votes in this category were "Run" by Collective Soul, "Run The Show" Kat DeLuna featuring Busta Rhymes, "A Good Day To Run" by Darryl Worley, and "Running With The Wolves" by Cloud Cult.

"Run This Town"- Jay-Z featuring Rhianna (and oh yeah, Kanye West). Something about this song just get me so excited I wanna run around the room and break stuff, except for the part when Kanye raps, but we'll forget that part. This video makes me think I'm watching a cross between the KKK rally at the beginning of "Bad Boys 2", "Shrek The Final Chapter" , "Stargate", and "Lord of The Rings". Very dark tone ya know? Bonus points for Rhianna wearing the lingerie while being a member of a militia- is that a first? This song was featured on Jay-Z's smash album "The Blueprint 3" and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. This video now officially makes Rhianna the all time leader in the "featuring category. I think a rapper now hasn't made it until he makes a track with Rhianna.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVA-xTBeHyM

"Runnin' With The Devil"- Van Halen. In 1978, Van Halen burst onto to the scene with their self-titled debut album. Their first single was a cover of the Kinks hit "You Really Got Me". Their first ever "original" single was this song released in May 1978. I think it's pretty cool how Van Halen was definitely around in the 70's but always SCREAMED 80's with everything about them, it's almost like they knew the sound was about to change. Also, is it just me, or did Michael Anthony always look like a professional wrestler?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1uz_aDo0YA

"Running On Empty"- Jackson Browne. Just a year before Van Halen debuted, Jackson Browne released his famous "live" album "Running On Empty". One of the most famous albums of all time, the album was unique in the fact that all the tracks were either recorded at live performances, backstage, in hotel rooms, or on the tour bus. Also, unlike any other live album ever made, the song featured no songs featured on any previous studio albums. This title track peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and as most of you remember, it made a cameo in the 1994 blockbuster "Forrest Gump" appearing on the film's soundtrack. I'm pretty sure that this live performance was the one that was included on the album track, as it sounds almost identical. However, I'm gonna go ahead and name his male background singer the goofiest background singer of all time- who in the world sings a whole song with his hands on his hips other than Peyton Manning? (I smell a bonus video).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYRtOPUonA

"Run"- Leona Lewis. In 2007, Leona Lewis was on the top of the world after winning "Britain's Got Talent", and her debut album "Spirit" was the biggest album in Europe with this song at #1 in the UK, Ireland, and Austria. The song was already a cover of Snow Patrol (stay tuned), and was obviously an effort by Lewis to draw more fans to her already growing popularity. The video for the song was also critically acclaimed, but I can't seem to find it. I'm admittedly usually not too fond of European women, but Leona Lewis is one of the hotter women in music and her voice on this song is absolutely angelic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL_SmIjlg3s

"Run"- Snow Patrol. Speaking of the devil......this original version by Snow Patrol was included on their 2004 album "Final Straw". While Leona Lewis did a great cover it, I just think this is more of a rock song, and this is one of Snow Patrol's better songs. However, call me crazy, it just seems like all British bands in the 2000's had the same structure to their songs, because this sounds alot like a song that Coldplay would do- anyone disagree?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOBs8dU4Pb8

"Run Riot"- Def Leppard. I would say more about this song, but I seriously can't understand what they're saying. Unlike usual, I'm not begging Rick Allen to put a shirt on, as he had figured out to put one at this point. However, in 1987, Def Leppard's mega smash album "Hysteria" was probably the most famous album to never reach #1, as a little album called "'Bad" stood in it's way. Despite that, Def Leppard was one of the biggest acts in the world. I tried to change my mind on this video, but I still think Phil Collen looks like Larry Bird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bptSnf6PBos

"I Run To You"- Lady Antebellum. I have to admit that I feel really stupid just now figuring out that Charles Kelley is Josh Kelley's brother. I should have seen that one a mile away. This track from Lady Antebellum's self-titled 2008 debut album hit #27 on the Billboard Hot 100, but catapulted them into the mainstream and poised them for their 2010 sweep at the Grammys. Really interesting video here- kind of unusual for a country video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs38lKxmtI4

"Run The World (Girls)"- Beyonce. You can't tell me anything right now.......I'm just staring at Beyonce.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmMU_iwe6U

"Run With Us"- Lisa Lougheed. I have to admit that this song was always stuck in my head as a young child when I was three of my favorite shows were Canadian imports- "You Can't Do That on Television", "Today's Special", and the show to which this song was the theme song for, "The Raccoons" which aired on the Disney Channel. Canadian singer Lisa Lougheed performed the song and was the voice for Lisa Raccoon on the show. Despite always being a regular on the song, this was Lougheed's only taste of the charts, as this song peaked at #69 on the Canadian charts and was her only crack of the Canadian top 100. Apparently, Lisa Lougheed thought that making us think we were watching "Tron" in her video would help..........oops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usFFKNRB2z8

"Run's House"- Run DMC. Be honest, you know you thought about Matt Damon singing this song in "Dogma". I know I did. This song from Run DMC's album "Tougher Than Leather" reached #10 on the Hip/Hop Charts in 1988, and gave us this hilarious video 23 years later as a time capsule for the evolution of rap music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xMJZHrG_94

"Run To You"- Whitney Houston. Sorry, I had to. I loathe this movie, but man that is one awesome song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9rCobRl-ng

"Running Back"- Jessica Mauboy featuring Flo Rida. Double bonus points for Jessica Mauboy being Australian AND being a indigenous Australian, which is about 1% of the Australian population. This debut single for Jessica Mauboy off of her album "Been Waiting" reached #3 on the Australian charts, and was Flo Rida's first appearance on the Australian charts as well. Jessica Mauboy is a former contestant on "Australian Idol", but much like the American version, the winner isn't always the most famous (another sign that the show is internationally rigged). You can disagree if you want, but I'm telling you that if Jessica Mauboy was in the United States she would be a superstar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elznTvx8l50

"Running"- This Century. This is a pretty good live acoustic set of This Century's song from their 2009 album "To Love And Back". I had to make sure I wasn't watching The Maine at first. Check out This Century on facebook to hear some more of their music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtsfgeewJhM

"Running With The Night"- Lionel Richie. Corniest singer ever? All I can think about when I see this video was Chris Tucker's famous line in "Rush Hour 2"......"Lionel Richie ain't been black since the Commodores man!". I'd have to agree. Despite this being a ridiculously stupid video and just a decent song, the song was included on his famous 1983 album "Can't Slow Down" and reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PnhlXLHKAE

"Runnin' Down a Dream"- Tom Petty. This song was included on Tom Petty's debut solo album "Full Moon Fever" and was famously included in his Super Bowl 42 Halftime Show performance. I HATE I can't find this video, as it was animated and actually really creative. This single peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1D3a5eDJIs

"Run For Your Life"- The Beatles. This obscure Beatles song was featured on 1965's "Rubber Soul" and has some of the strangest lyrics John Lennon ever wrote- can you say psycho murderer? I always thought this song was catchy though just because of the pause because they lyrics "little girl". Hilariously, George Harrison said this was his favorite song on the album, despite John Lennon stating in a 1973 interview that he regretted writing it and that it was his least favorite song on the album. Many people have since speculated that his 1971 single "Jealous Guy" from his 1971 album "Imagine" was the same person talking in a more apologetic manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4I1MAaK-c

BONUS VIDEOS- "Free Fallin"- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers- live from Super Bowl 42.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ3snsZ1Jco

"Back Where I Come From"- Kenny Chesney and Peyton Manning. See what I mean about hands on hips?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDQOcRNFod0

Snow Patrol