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For the first episode of the New Year, The Story Behind the Song is celebrating the 40th anniversary of A Flock of Seagulls by diving into their new wave classic “I Ran (So Far Away).”
“I Ran” is a song that immediately spread its wings around the world when it was released in March of 1982, and continues to fly today. Taken from their self-titled debut (a 40th anniversary edition and box set for which is coming on February 17th), the track helped define the band — as did their look. That Seagull-ian hairstyle transfixed audiences back then, and continues to be burned into the collective pop culture psyches of today. A Flock of Seagulls sang the song on Glee and it features in Grand Auto: Vice City; characters in Friends (Ross) and The Wedding Singer sported the iconic hair-flop.
Under that wave of hair and behind the music is Mike Score, frontman, songwriter, and synth-player. Beginning as a hairdresser in Liverpool (go figure), Score had plenty of experience styling the great musicians of the era before he stepped in to front a band himself. While going into a meeting a Zoo Records, he saw a poster of a spaceship chasing a man and a woman — and the rest is history.
Score looks back at that fateful meeting over 40 years ago with host Peter Csathy on this episode of The Story Behind the Song. Listen to him discuss A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away)” and more in the episode above, or watch a segment on the video player below. Then make sure to like, review, and subscribe to TSBTS wherever you get podcasts for updates on all our new episodes.
You can also follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our series, and check out host Peter Csathy on Twitter @pcsathy and at Creative Media.
If you’re having trouble seeing the player below, watch via YouTube.