Background
According to vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who wrote the song's lyrics, it is "a very autobiographical song, though of course I've never spent the night in an LA jail. It's about being 16 and, like it says, just running wild and running free. It comes from my days as a skinhead." The song is known to be one of the band's more traditional rock numbers, which Mick Wall describes as "Iron Maiden at their punk-metal apotheosis," and is still performed live to this day.
The single's cover art is famously known as the first official appearance of the Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, although his face is obscured as the band did not want him unveiled until the album's release. Several band names (such as Scorpions, Judas Priest, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin) are spray painted on the wall behind the youth in the picture, as well as the word "Hammers," a tribute to West Ham United. Ironically, the live single's cover art is the first not to feature Eddie, as it shows a real picture of the band performing on stage.
The B-side "Burning Ambition," recorded in December 1979 with producer Guy Edwards as a 4-piece band just prior to hiring Dennis Stratton & Clive Burr, is one of Harris' earliest compositions written around the time he was in Gypsy's Kiss. The guitar solo in this song is played by Dave Murray. The song did not appear on an album until it was included in the Best of the 'B' Sides compilation, released as part of the Eddie's Archive Boxset, and was featured in the soundtrack of The Early Days DVD documentary.
Iron Maiden's first single in Japan featured "Prowler" as the A-side and "Running Free" as the B-side. The cover used was the censored version of the "Sanctuary" single.
Read more about this topic: Running Free
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