Running Away

Recorded in 1977 during sessions for Roy Ayers Ubiquity's album Lifeline, 'Running Away' featured Roy Ayers on vocals and vibraphone, with contributions from bassist William Allen, keyboardist Edwin Birdsong and drummer Steve Cobb. The album sessions took place at Electric Lady Studios and Sigma Sound Studios in New York City and Record Plant in Los Angeles, with production by Ayers and co-production by Allen and Birdsong. Released in 1977 on Polydor Records, 'Running Away' became one of Roy Ayers Ubiquity's defining dance-floor recordings. Written by Ayers and Edwin Birdsong, its distinctive bassline, rhythmic keyboards, percussion and repeated vocal refrain helped establish the song as a major club favourite during the late 1970s. The recording became an enduring favourite among DJs, dancers and rare groove collectors, particularly within Britain's soul and jazz-funk club scenes. Its distinctive bassline and vocal refrain have sustained its popularity across generations of dance music, while its appearances on compilations and subsequent reissues have helped establish it as one of Roy Ayers' best-known recordings.