Single:
Runaway Train entered the Australian singles chart* on 24 August 1992 and peaked at #47.
Albums:
The song is on Elton’s album The One which entered the Australian albums chart* on 6 July 1992 and peaked at #3. It is also on the 1992 Lethal Weapon 3 soundtrack.
Songwriters:
Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Olle Romo
Producer:
Chris Thomas
Record label of Australian release:
Rocket
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Album version:
Songfacts:
Eric Clapton played guitar and shared lead vocal duties with Elton John on this song. The lyric was written by Bernie Taupin, but it relates to both singers, who both felt like they were on a runaway train throughout decades of drug and alcohol addiction, but were now sober and getting their lives together.
Elton got sober after checking himself into a rehab facility in 1990 and then taking the next year off to focus on his physical and mental health. Clapton got sober in 1987 after the birth of his son, Conor. When he recorded this song with Elton, he was still reeling from the death of Conor, who fell out of the window of a high-rise building in New York City on 20 March 1991.
The Swedish drummer and percussionist Olle Romo, who had previously worked with Eurythmics, has a writing credit on this song and also played on it.
Runaway Train appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 movie Lethal Weapon 3. In the film it plays under the end credits.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/elton-john/runaway-train
Lyrics:
There’s a hungry road I can only hope’s
Gonna eat me up inside
There’s a drifting spirit coming clean
In the eye of a lifelong fire
Tell Monday I’ll be around next week
I’m running ahead of my days
In the shotgun chance that scattered us
I’ve seen the error of my ways
Click for full lyrics
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