Running Man

Album: 24 Carrots (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to Neville Judd's authorized biography Al Stewart: The True Life Adventures of a Folk Rock Troubadour, this is based rather loosely on Dr. Josef Mengele, the so-called Angel of Death from the Auschwitz concentration camp. He was probably the most notorious Nazi to avoid capture after the Second World War. After fleeing to South America he became a citizen of Paraguay but eventually moved to Brazil where he drowned in an accident in 1979. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 2

  • Todd from Atlanta, GaThe Schwarzenegger movie is based on the Stephen King novel "The Running Man", originally published under King's pseudonym, Richard Bachman. I do not believe the novel and subsequent film are related to Al Stewart's song, but with King you never know...
  • Mark from New Orleans, LaLater made into a movie of the same name, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Except instead of a sadistic Nazi physician, it's a wrongly imprisoned ex-cop. And instead of avoiding capture in South America, he's forced to play a deadly game show in an underground arena. And instead of drowning in Brazil, he escapes the arena, clears his name, and exacts vengeance on the bad guys. Other than these minor changes (fairly typical in Hollywood adaptations of Al Stewart songs), a visual depiction of the music.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Ed Roland of Collective Soul

Ed Roland of Collective SoulSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and other Collective Soul hits.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.