Original version recorded December 3, 1965
Ukulele version recorded April 3, 2012
Claire: Vocal
David Barratt: Ukulele and everything else
Produced by David Barratt at Death By Sexy HQ, Camden on The Abattoir Mobile
Written by John Lennon
Credited to Lennon & McCartney
ABOUT THE SONG
Beating women up and killing them has been a popular subject in popular music. “Run For Your Life” is The Beatles contribution to this dubious genre.
In The Blues a common scenario is that a man catches "his" woman with another man and kills them both in a jealous rage.
In the 1920s, Lonnie Johnson sang a song called "Careless Love," in which he promises to shoot his lover numerous times and then stand over her until she is finished dying.
"Murderin’ Blues" by Robert Nighthawk, Little Walter’s "Boom, Boom, Out Go the Lights" and Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix fit in to this category. Another variation is a glorification of psychotic behavior – Used To Love Her by Guns And Roses, Delia by Johnny Cash and Smack My Bitch Up by Progidy are further examples.
Even Mr Sexy himself did one – Everyone sang along as Tom Jones murdered "Delilah".
Hip-Hop continues the tradition with Biggie Smalls performing “Gimme tha loot” where he raps about robbing and beating a girl up. One Less Bitch by N.W.A. and a whole bunch of songs by Emienem are a few of many that echo the
Possibly the most complex song in this genre is "He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)" written by Goffin and King and recorded by The Crystals under the production of Phil Spector in 1962.
Goffin and King wrote the song after discovering that singer Little Eva was being regularly beaten by her boyfriend. When they inquired why she tolerated such treatment, Eva replied, with complete sincerity, that her boyfriend’s actions were motivated by his love for her.
In more ironic hands, ‘He Hit Me’ might have passed at least as satire. But Spector showed no sign of appreciating that. He was not preaching, he was merely documenting.
The Beatles addition to this genre is the last song on Rubber Soul. John tips his hat to the king by stealing part of the lyric of “Let’s Play House” and, like most fights, was over in less than 2 and a 1/4 minutes.
The Ukulele version recorded by Claire at “Death By Sexy HQ” in Camden after a particularly heavey evenings entertainment.
Claire, like Beyonce, Pele or Augustus only needs one name.
Her version reverses the roles.
Claire is beating her man for the fun of it. She calls him a little girl. She humiliates and dominates with words and machines until the distinction between pain and pleasure no longer exists.
No mercy is given, expected or paid for.
Such are the wonders of Craigslist.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Bass, keyboard player and sometime DJ, Claire plays bass for London/LA based band Death By Sexy. Described as "A dirty hum with a taste of bubblegum. The sound of rat pedals with the smell of rose petals. The feel of white heat and a little bit of sweet." Death By Sexy are an all girl band from London with a frontman hailing from Los Angeles – two of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll cities. Claire has worked with Keith Flint from The Prodigy, and indie-electro band TV-OD where she’s been produced by Markus Dravs (David Lynch, Brian Eno, Bjork, Depeche Mode) and Eli Janney (Girls Against Boys, The Rapture, Melissa Auf Der Maur), as well as composing film scores for independent films. As a solo composer she’s written tracks for Hammer Horror, and has just completed a score for upcoming feature ‘Dig Your Own Grave’.
‘Run For Your Life’ was recorded the morning after the night before at Death By Sexy HQ in Camden – and what a night it was for the band.
They rocked, they rolled, then they all passed out.
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