I Ran ( So Far Away ) - wikipedia I Ran ( So Far Away ) `` I Ran '' redirects here. For the A Flock of Seagulls live album, see A Flock of Seagulls discography. `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' Single by A Flock of Seagulls from the album A Flock of Seagulls B - side `` Pick Me Up '' Released 1982 Format 7 '' 12 '' Genre New wave synth - pop Length 5 : 07 ( album version ) 3 : 58 ( video version ) 3 : 43 ( radio edit ) Label Jive Records ( UK ) Teldec ( Germany ) Songwriter ( s ) Mike Score Ali Score Frank Maudsley Paul Reynolds Producer ( s ) Mike Howlett A Flock of Seagulls singles chronology `` Telecommunication '' ( 1981 ) `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' ( 1982 ) `` Space Age Love Song '' ( 1982 ) Music video `` I Ran '' on YouTube `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' A 25 - second sample of `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' demonstrating the guitar echo effect and the alien abduction lyrics. Problems playing this file ? See media help. `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '', also released as `` I Ran '', is a song by English new wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released in 1982 as their third single and it was the second single from their self - titled debut album. It was the band 's most successful single, topping the chart in Australia, and reaching numbers seven and nine in New Zealand and the United States respectively. Contents 1 Recording and composition 2 Formats and track listing 2.1 7 `` : Jive. / Jive VS 102 United States 2.2 7 `` : Jive. / Jive 14 United Kingdom 2.3 12 `` : Jive. / Jive T 14 United Kingdom 2.4 12 `` : Jive. / Jive 6.20143 Germany 3 Versions 4 Single release and legacy 5 Cover versions 6 Chart performance 6.1 Weekly charts 6.2 Year - end charts 7 See also 8 References Recording and composition Lead vocalist Mike Score says that there were two main sources of inspiration for `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) ''. The members of A Flock of Seagulls would regularly visit Eric 's Club in Liverpool, where one of the bands had a song called `` I Ran ''. Score noted that because A Flock of Seagulls would rehearse right after returning from Eric 's, the song title and chorus may have gotten stuck in his head. Another idea came from a poster at a Zoo Records office. The band had gone there with the intent of securing a recording contract, and they wanted to use the poster, which featured a man and a woman running away from a flying saucer, as the cover for their first album, A Flock of Seagulls ( 1982 ). This depiction also helped spark the song 's unusual space - like lyrics. `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' was recorded at Battery Studios in London with producer Mike Howlett. It is a new wave and synth - pop song, with a run time of five minutes and seven seconds. According to the sheet music, the song moves at a quick tempo of 145 beats per minute. With a chord progression of A-G-A-G in the verses and F-G-A in the choruses, the song is written in the key of A minor. During the song 's introduction and musical interludes, short guitar riffs are played, which give the sense of an echo. Guitarist Paul Reynolds had joined the band after the music was already written, so the short guitar riffs were added for Reynolds to play. Lyrically, `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' is about a man who sees an attractive woman and attempts to run away from his feelings. Before this happens, the man sees an aurora in the sky, and he and the woman are abducted by aliens. Formats and track listing 7 `` : Jive. / Jive VS 102 United States `` I Ran '' -- 3 : 43 ( U.S. 7 ' ' Version ) `` Pick Me Up '' -- 3 : 06 7 `` : Jive. / Jive 14 United Kingdom `` I Ran '' -- 3 : 58 ( Edit Video Mix ) `` Pick Me Up '' -- 3 : 06 12 `` : Jive. / Jive T 14 United Kingdom `` I Ran '' -- 3.58 ( Edit Video Mix ) `` Messages '' -- 2 : 50 `` Pick Me Up '' -- 3 : 06 12 `` : Jive. / Jive 6.20143 Germany `` I Ran '' -- 5 : 07 `` Messages '' -- 2 : 50 `` Pick Me Up '' -- 3 : 06 Versions Three different versions of the song exist : The album version ( 5 : 07 ) features an introduction with swirling synthesizer noises imitating seagulls which then segues into a lengthy instrumental passage by the band before leading into the main song. It concludes with a guitar solo and comes to a full ending. This version was featured on some pressings of A Flock of Seagulls and is featured on all CD versions of the album. The video version ( 3 : 58 ) omits most of the introductory section and begins with a cymbal crash but retains the full ending of the long version. This version was featured on some pressings of A Flock of Seagulls. The radio edit ( 3 : 43 ) begins with a cymbal crash and loops the song 's final chorus, fading out at the end. Single release and legacy The single was promoted by a distinctive music video directed by Tony van den Ende in which the band members performed in a room covered in aluminium foil and mirrors. The cameras used to film the video are clearly visible in many of the background reflections, their stands also covered in foil. The video is an homage to Brian Eno and Robert Fripp 's ( No Pussyfooting ) album cover, which was also portrayed by The Strokes for their single, `` The End Has No End '' two decades later. The video received heavy rotation on MTV in the summer of 1982, and helped the single to become a hit. The band toured the United States extensively to promote the single, supporting Squeeze on their 1982 tour. As well as reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, `` I Ran '' peaked at number 3 on the Top Tracks chart and number 8 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. Subsequently, the album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200. Despite success in Australia, New Zealand and the US, the single did not enjoy similar success in the band 's home country ( United Kingdom ), failing to make the top 40. In an interview on the VH1 special 100 Greatest Songs of the ' 80s, Mike Score said that he resents the song, but plays it live because people enjoy it. `` I Ran '' was listed at # 55 on the countdown. In VH1 's 100 Greatest One - Hit Wonders of the 80s, the song was listed at # 2, with Mike Score 's interview played again. Although considered a 1980s new wave classic, the song experienced somewhat of a revival in 2002 as the signature theme for the video game Grand Theft Auto : Vice City, being played during the game 's television commercials and during gameplay as one of the songs in the playlist for radio station Wave 103. It appeared as a karaoke song in the 2012 game Sleeping Dogs. The master recording is available as a playable song in Guitar Hero Encore : Rocks the 80s as well as the rebooted version of Karaoke Revolution, the song is also available in the game Rock Band 3 as a DLC. The song was featured in a 3 - minute `` minisode '' of American animated Cartoon Network series, Regular Show named, `` Fun Run ''. Cover versions `` I Ran '' has been covered by a number of artists : Tori Amos covered the song on her Original Sinsuality / Summer Of Sin Tour in Denver, during Piano Bar Time. Her version was released with the rest of the show in the 3rd CD of The Original Bootlegs. Bowling for Soup covered the song for the 2003 re-release of their album Drunk Enough to Dance and their `` Punk Rock 101 '' single. Both the original and the punk cover are the theme song of the American DiC dubbed version of Saint Seiya, also known as Knights of the Zodiac. The cover is also featured in the film National Lampoon 's Van Wilder : Freshman Year. Hidden in Plain View recorded the song on the covers compilation album Punk Goes 80 's. Darude and Blake Lewis released a cover in 2008. Nickelback covered this song during several dates of their Dark Horse tour in 2010, with guitarist Ryan Peake singing lead vocals. The chorus for the song served as the basis for the chorus of the Lonely Island musical skit `` Iran So Far ''. Slim Thug 's `` I Run '', which appears on his 2009 album Boss of All Bosses, interpolates the song. In the 2016 film La La Land, the song is performed by an 80s covers band. Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1982 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 26 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 31 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 46 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 7 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 43 US Billboard Hot 100 9 US Billboard Dance / Disco Top 80 8 US Billboard Top Tracks US Cash Box 14 Year - end charts Chart ( 1982 ) Rank Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 15 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 31 US Billboard Hot 100 67 US Cash Box 89 US Top Disco / Dance Singles / Albums 13 See also List of number - one singles in Australia during the 1980s References ^ Jump up to : Demalon, Tom. `` A Flock of Seagulls -- Overview ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 July 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Behind The Vinyl -- I Ran ( So Far Away ) -- Mike Score from A Flock of Seagulls ''. CHBM - FM. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2017. ^ Jump up to : A Flock of Seagulls ( liner notes ). A Flock of Seagulls. Jive Records. 1982. Jump up ^ Silberman, Jeff ( 13 May 2000 ). `` Simply the Best : A Quarter Century of Arista ''. Billboard. Vol. 112 no. 20. p. 52. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Sept. 18 > Flock of Seagulls ''. Orange Coast Magazine. September 2008. p. 226. ISSN 0279 - 0483. Jump up ^ Tucker, Ken ( 11 February 1983 ). `` Invasion warning ( Adam Ant 's on his way ) ''. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` I Ran by A Flock of Seagulls -- Digital Sheet Music ''. Music Notes. Retrieved 25 November 2017. Jump up ^ Allen, Craig ( 21 October 2017 ). `` Craig Allen 's Fun Facts : ' I Ran ( So Far Away ) ' by A Flock of Seagulls ''. WKXW. Retrieved 25 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` A Flock of Seagulls -- Awards ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 19 July 2013. Jump up ^ Phares, Heather. `` Grand Theft Auto : Vice City, Vol. 2 : Wave 103 -- Overview ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 25 June 2013. Jump up ^ Sendra, Tim. `` Various Artists -- Punk Goes 80 's ''. AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 22 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` EQ Catch Up With Blake Lewis - `` I 'm kinda the Grinch when it comes to Christmas ''... '' EQ Music. Retrieved 22 October 2016. Jump up ^ Segal, Dave ( 26 March 2009 ). `` That Awesome Slim Thug / A Flock of Seagulls Connection ''. The Stranger. Retrieved 22 October 2016. Jump up ^ Rankin, Seija ( 9 December 2016 ). `` The Official La La Land Guide to Los Angeles : See Where Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Fell in Movie Love ''. E !. Retrieved 21 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Hits of the World ''. Billboard. 7 August 1982. p. 61. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 6547. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- A Flock Of Seagulls -- I Ran ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- A Flock Of Seagulls -- I Ran '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Charts.nz -- A Flock Of Seagulls -- I Ran ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Hot 100 ''. Billboard. 23 October 1982. p. 80. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Dance / Disco Top 80 ''. Billboard. 3 July 1982. p. 40. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Rock Albums & Top Tracks ''. Billboard. 28 August 1982. p. 24. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` CASH BOX Top 100 Singles -- Week ending OCTOBER 23, 1982 ''. Cash Box. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Jump up ^ `` Forum -- ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts -- Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts -- 1980s ''. Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 1982 ''. Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 25 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits for 1982 ''. The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 12 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` The CASH BOX Year - End Charts : 1982 ''. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012... Cash Box. Jump up ^ `` Top Disco / Dance Singles / Albums ''. Billboard. Vol. 94 no. 51. 25 December 1982. p. 36. ISSN 0006 - 2510. A Flock of Seagulls Mike Score Ali Score Frank Maudsley Paul Reynolds Pando Kevin Rankin Gord Deppe Willie Woo Mark Edmondson Chris Chryssaphis Gary Steadnin Ed Berner Kaya Pryor Mike Radcliffe Mike Railton Dave Maerz Jonte Wilkins Mike Marquart A.J. Mazzetti Dean Pichette Darryl Sons Rob Wright Michael Brahm Joe Rodriguez Studio albums A Flock of Seagulls ( 1982 ) Listen ( 1983 ) The Story of a Young Heart ( 1984 ) Dream Come True ( 1986 ) The Light at the End of the World ( 1995 ) Ascension ( 2018 ) Compilation albums The Best of A Flock of Seagulls ( 1987 ) 20 Classics of the 80 's ( 1995 ) Wishing ( 1996 ) Greatest Hits Remixed ( 1999 ) Platinum & Gold Collection ( 2003 ) I Ran : The Best of A Flock of Seagulls ( 2004 ) We Are the 80 's ( 2006 ) Singles `` Talking '' `` Telecommunication '' `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' `` Space Age Love Song '' `` Wishing ( If I Had a Photograph of You ) '' `` The More You Live, the More You Love '' Songs `` D.N.A. '' `` Modern Love Is Automatic '' Related Discography Darude Discography Studio albums Before the Storm Rush Label This ! Moments Singles `` Sandstorm '' `` Feel the Beat '' `` Out of Control ( Back for More ) '' `` Next to You '' `` I Ran ( So Far Away ) '' Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Ran_(So_Far_Away)&oldid=853150357 '' Categories : 1982 songs 1982 singles A Flock of Seagulls songs Jive Records singles Number - one singles in Australia Song recordings produced by Mike Howlett Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from August 2011 Use British English from August 2011 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for UK Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Français Italiano Slovenčina Edit links This page was last edited on 2 August 2018, at 19 : 18 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the meaning of the song i ran
Answer: about a man who sees an attractive woman and attempts to run away from his feelings