"Runnin' for the Red Light (I Gotta Life)" | ||||
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Single by Meat Loaf | ||||
from the album Welcome to the Neighbourhood | ||||
Released | April 15, 1996 [1] | |||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Harry Vanda, George Young, Patti Russo, Meat Loaf, Sarah Durkee | |||
Producer(s) | Ron Nevison, Sammy Hagar, Steven Van Zandt, Meat Loaf | |||
Meat Loaf singles chronology | ||||
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"Runnin' for the Red Light (I Gotta Life)" is a song performed by Meat Loaf. The song was released on April 15, 1996, as the third single from Meat Loaf's seventh studio album, Welcome to the Neighborhood (1995), reaching number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the UK Rock and Metal Singles Chart.
The song's chorus is lifted from INXS and Jimmy Barnes' cover of "Good Times" by Australian rock band the Easybeats, so Easybeats members Harry Vanda and George Young are credited as writers. [2] The song's full writing credits list Vanda and Young alongside Meat Loaf, Patti Russo and Sarah Durkee.
Meat Loaf did not perform this song live until the Mad, Mad World Tour in 2012.
The single was released in two versions: a CD maxi single and a 12-inch picture disc. The CD contains the album version of the song and live versions of "Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back", "Amnesty is Granted" and "Dead Ringer for Love". On the 12-inch, "Amnesty is Granted" was replaced by "Midnight at the Lost and Found".
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [3] | 151 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [4] | 77 |
Scotland (OCC) [5] | 26 |
UK Singles (OCC) [6] | 21 |
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [7] | 2 |
The Easybeats were an Australian rock band which formed in Sydney in late 1964. They are best known for their 1966 hit single "Friday on My Mind", which is regarded as the first Australian rock song to achieve international success; Rolling Stone described it as "the first international victory for Oz rock". One of the most popular and successful bands in the country, they were one of the few Australian bands of their time to foreground their original material; their first album Easy (1965) was one of the earliest Australian rock albums featuring all original songs.
"Mad World" is a 1982 song by British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas as Opiates", appeared on the band's debut LP The Hurting (1983). This single was also the band's first international success, reaching the Top 40 in several countries in 1982–83. In the UK it was the 12th best-selling single of 1982.
Welcome to the Neighbourhood is the seventh studio album by American rock singer Meat Loaf, released in 1995 as the follow-up to his successful comeback album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. It went platinum in the United States and United Kingdom.
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by American rock singer Meat Loaf featuring Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in August 1993 by MCA and Virgin as the first single from the singer's sixth album, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993). The last six verses feature Crosby, who was credited only as "Mrs. Loud" in the album notes. She does not appear in the accompanying music video, directed by Michael Bay, in which her vocals are lip-synched by Dana Patrick. Meat Loaf promoted the single with American singer Patti Russo.
"Little by Little" is a song by English rock band Oasis, first released as the sixth track on their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry. In September 2002, it was released with "She Is Love" as the first double A-side single by the band, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number nine on the Irish Singles Chart. "Little by Little" by itself reached number two on the Canadian Singles Chart and number five in Italy. Noel Gallagher provides lead vocals on both tracks, which he also wrote.
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"Evie" is a rock song performed by Australian singer and former frontman of the Easybeats, Stevie Wright. It was written by Harry Vanda and George Young and released as a single in 1974. It has been suggested that it is the first 11-minute song to chart at #1 anywhere in the world. According to author Mark Juddery, the song was "the longest Australian single ever to make the charts."
"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" is a power ballad written by Jim Steinman. According to Steinman, the song was inspired by Wuthering Heights, and was an attempt to write "the most passionate, romantic song" he could ever create. The Sunday Times posits that "Steinman protects his songs as if they were his children". Meat Loaf, who had collaborated with Steinman on most of his hit songs, had wanted to record the song for years, but Steinman refused, saying he saw it as a "woman's song". Steinman won a court case, which prevented Meat Loaf from recording it. Girl group Pandora's Box went on to record it, and it was subsequently made famous through a cover by Celine Dion, which upset Meat Loaf because he was going to use it for a planned album with the working title Bat Out of Hell III.
"Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" is a single released by British hard rock band the Darkness. The single was released on 15 December 2003, to fall in with the UK Christmas number one race, ultimately finishing runner-up. The track was later included on a "Christmas edition" of their debut studio album, Permission to Land, issued in some areas of Europe on 22 December 2003.
"Animal Army" is a song by English rock band Babylon Zoo, released in April 1996 as the second single from their first album The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes and the follow-up to the band's UK chart-topping debut single "Spaceman". It was unable to duplicate the success of its predecessor, reaching number 17 on the UK Singles Chart and falling off the chart after a further week in the top 40. In Australia, "Animal Army" peaked at number 59 in June 1996 and spent six weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart. In Hungary, the single peaked at number 10.
"Freak" is a 1997 song by Australian rock band Silverchair, released as the first single from their second album, Freak Show (1997). The song reached number one on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, Silverchair's second single to do so after "Tomorrow" in 1994. The band would not have another number-one hit until "Straight Lines" in 2007. One of the B-sides of the single is a cover of "New Race" by Australian band Radio Birdman.
"Good Times" is a song by the Australian rock band the Easybeats, written by George Young and Harry Vanda. It was released in June 1968 on their album Vigil, and as a single in July 1968 through Parlophone. It features guest vocals by Steve Marriott of Small Faces, and piano by Nicky Hopkins. The original Easybeats recording reached #22 in Australia. When broadcast by BBC radio, it was reportedly heard by Paul McCartney on his car radio; McCartney apparently rang the station immediately to request a repeat playing.
"Hey Jupiter" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Tori Amos. It was released as the fourth single from her third studio album, Boys for Pele (1996), and was her first extended play (EP) since Crucify in 1992. The US EP Hey Jupiter features a re-recorded version of "Hey Jupiter" followed by four live tracks recorded during her Dew Drop Inn Tour of 1996. The song is also featured on the double A-side CD singles released in the UK and Australia.
"Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" is a song written by American composer Jim Steinman. It was first featured on Steinman's 1981 solo album Bad for Good, with lead vocals by an uncredited Rory Dodd. It was later recorded by American singer Meat Loaf and released in 1994 as the third single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell.
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"The Music Goes 'Round My Head" is a 1967 song and single by Australian rock group The Easybeats, which was written by band members George Young and Harry Vanda.