Run Like Hell
Pink Floyd · The Wall [1979]
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
You better make your face up with your favorite disguise
With your button down lips and your roller blind eyes
With your empty smile and your hungry heart
Feel the bile rising from your guilty past
With your nerves in tatters as the cockleshell shatters
And the hammers batter down your door
You'd better run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run
You better run all day and run all night
Keep your dirty feelings deep inside
And if you're taking your girlfriend out tonight
You'd better park the car well out of sight
'Cause if they catch you in the backseat trying to pick her locks
They're gonna send you back to mother in a cardboard box
You'd better run
Hey, open up! Hahahahahaaaaaa!
Hammer, hammer
Run Like Hell
Released in 1980 on The Wall, 'Run Like Hell' stands as a pivotal track in Pink Floyd's discography, marking their transition from progressive rock to a more direct, rock-oriented sound. The song features the band's signature layered guitar work and synthesizer textures, driving a narrative of escape and desperation that resonates deeply within the album's themes of isolation and societal pressure. As one of the final tracks on the original LP, it serves as a powerful conclusion to Roger Waters' conceptual work, offering a cathartic release for listeners. Its inclusion on the 1980 soundtrack for the film adaptation further cemented its status as an iconic piece of rock music, influencing countless artists who followed in its wake.