Run Away (Real McCoy song)

"Run Away" is the hit single by the German Eurodance and Pop music project Real McCoy (also known as M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy) from their album, "Another Night" (1995), which was the U.S. version of their second album, "Space Invaders" (1994). The song was first produced in 1994 in Germany by the music producers Juergen Wind (J. Wind) and Frank Hassas (Quickmix) under the producer team name "Freshline".
"Run Away" was first released in Europe in 1994 as the group's third single from their second album "Space Invaders". When the song was released in America in February 1995 as single, it gained immense popularity and reached number 3 on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100, where it was certified Gold, and number 6 in the United Kingdom. It also peaked within the top-10 in Finland, Ireland, New Zealand and Scotland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Run Away" reached number 12.
In 2017, "BuzzFeed" listed the song at number 56 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".
Critical reception.
AllMusic editor Bryan Buss picked "Run Away" as one of the standout tracks from "Another Night". Larry Flick from "Billboard" wrote that the follow-up to the certified platinum "Another Night" "does not tamper with the European dance act's winning (and much-copied) formula of bouncy hi-NRG rhythms, topped with throaty male rapping and female chirping at the chorus. Single has already begun to gather deserved airplay from a number of crossover and top 40 stations on import—its domestic release almost guarantees instant success." Chuck Eddy from "Entertainment Weekly" commented that "this Berlin trio has invaded U.S. radio by tap-dancing space-invader-disco synths beneath soul-diva testifying, "Sprockets"-accented raps, and Martian munchkin chatter. Yet there’s an odd paranoid undercurrent flowing through tunes like "Run Away" — the best dance-pop here isn't merely escapist; it's about escaping." Dave Sholin from the "Gavin Report" said that "the title of this one says it all. Programmers have been playing this import since late last year and now the official release is here. This one should be as big or bigger than their debut release". Howard Cohen from "Herald-Journal" described it as "tuneful". Robbie Daw from "Idolator" declared it as "energetic" and "strobelight-friendly". "Liverpool Echo" noted it as a "rousing pop/rap track with an escapist message." "Music & Media" encouraged "take a bit of this smooth slice of Eurodance, which serves as a preview for the forthcoming "Space Invaders" album. As the title implies ambient influences are present, even in the radio mixes." Alan Jones from "Music Week" called it "horribly catchy", adding that it "will be another substantial hit." James Hamilton from the magazine's "RM" Dance Update deemed it a "less distinctive follow-up" and "Boney M-ish". John Kilgo from "The Network Forty" described it as "dynamite". "People Magazine" said songs like this "pack so many beats into 4 minutes that just listening to them is thoroughly exhausting."
Chart performance.
"Run Away" proved to be very successful on the charts on several continents, becoming one of Real McCoy's biggest hits to date. It managed to climb to the Top 10 in Finland, Ireland, Scotland and the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 6 on January 29, 1995, in its second week at the UK Singles Chart. Additionally, the song was a Top 20 hit in Belgium and Sweden, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number 12 in February. Outside Europe, "Run Away" went to number 3 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100, the "Billboard" Hot Dance Club Play and the "Cash Box" Pop Singles Chart. And it also hit number 4 in Australia, number 5 in Zimbabwe and number 6 in New Zealand.
Music video.
"Run Away" has two music videos versions. The first version was made for the European market, directed by Matt Broadley.
It contains a desert-like setting starring singer Patricia "Patsy" Petersen walking in the desert while miming the vocals of studio singer Karan Kasar. The American version was directed by Nigel Dick and contains a factory-setting with many overworked "slave-like" workers; meanwhile the rapper Olaf "O-Jay" Jeglitza plays the role of "Big Brother," monitoring and performing the rap vocals while watching all the progress and demanding the workers to work harder while yelling at them. The European video was uploaded to YouTube in 2006, while the US version was uploaded in 2009. By August 2020, the videos had more than 5,3 million and 8,4 million views.