"Always on the Run" is a song by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released as the first single from his second album, Mama Said (1991), in March 1991 by Virgin Records. It features a contribution by Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash. Slash had written the music for the song with the original intention of releasing it on a Guns N' Roses studio album, but since former drummer Steven Adler had difficulty playing the song, he saved it for this eventual collaboration with Kravitz.[2] Its music video was directed by Jesse Dylan. On June 6, 1992, during Guns N' Roses's Use Your Illusion Tour stop in Paris, Kravitz joined the band onstage and played guitar and sang vocals for this track.
Background
Slash met up with Kravitz for a vodka fueled songwriting session directly after finishing his European tour. After the last date, he jumped on the concorde and flew from London to New York at nine in the morning. Kravitz recalled to Rolling Stone, "He had me get a gallon of vodka and a bag of ice and we went into the studio and bang, there it was. The two of us wrote and cut the tune. I played drums; he played guitar; Then I played my guitar, bass and did vocals. I brought the horn players in and it was done. Then he got on a plane the next morning and went to LA. It was a wild day."
Critical reception
In a retrospective review, Carla Hay of AXS stated, "As the first single from his 1991 album, Mama Said, 'Always on the Run' further established Kravitz as a powerhouse rocker who expertly blended retro influences with modern sounds."[3] Upon the release, Simon Reynolds from Melody Maker said, "During the rather nifty boogie-funk [...], Kravitz's persona shifts with every vocal phrase – Hendrix/Sly Stone/Costello – and sometimes all at once. I like it, but sometimes you have to be firm."[4] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Kravitz has always been heavily influenced by '60s artists like Lennon and Hendrix, and this time it is James Brown's turn to play godfather, too. The song leans on a strong staccato rhythm guitar and a sharp horn section. Good grooves provided."[5]
Chart performance
"Always on the Run" reached the top ten on the US BillboardModern Rock Tracks chart, peaking at number eight.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Always on the Run" was directed by American film director and production executive Jesse Dylan. It consists of the performance of the song featuring Lenny Kravitz' band and Slash, filmed in black and white.
