A-side Running with the Night Released November 1983 Genre Disco, Pop | B-side Serves You Right Format 7" (45 rpm) | |
Length 4:05 (single version)
6:02 (album version) | ||
"Running with the Night" was the second single released from Lionel Richie's multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning 1983 album, Can't Slow Down. Richie co-wrote the song with songwriter Cynthia Weil and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.
Contents
Recording
The electric guitar solo on "Running with the Night" was played by Steve Lukather, best known as a member of the rock band Toto. Lukather sat down in the studio and the engineer played the basic tracks of the song, for him to hear for the first time, so he could plan his part. As the music played, he jammed along on his instrument. At the conclusion of the tune, he said to the engineer, "Okay, I'm ready for a take." The producer replied, "That was a take." Some adult contemporary stations edited out Lukather's guitar solo. Singer Richard Marx added backing vocals on the track as a session singer; he had also lent his vocals to Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)" and "You Are".
Reception
Released as the follow-up single to Richie's hit "All Night Long (All Night)", "Running with the Night" became another Billboard Hot 100 top ten for the singer, peaking at #7 in early 1984. The song also reached the top ten on two other Billboard charts that year, topping out at #6 on both the adult contemporary and R&B charts. "Running with the Night" also made the top ten on the UK Singles Chart, reaching #9 in January 1984.
In a positive review Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote "he even adds a bit of rock with the sleek nocturnal menace of 'Running With the Night,' one of the best songs here. He doesn't swing for the fences like Michael did in 1982; he makes safe bets, which is more in his character."
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Bob Giraldi and features Richie and a group of dancers crashing a wedding and beginning a choreographed dance routine with all of the participants.