Running Wild

Album: Hell Bent For Leather (1978)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was written by guitarist Glenn Tipton, and was a live staple from its release up to 1980, and also during 2001-2002 when Tim "Ripper" Owens was in as lead singer, replacing Rob Halford, who returned in 2003. Halford has also performed the song with his solo band.
  • "Running Wild" has a lot of Judas Priest hallmarks, including a twin-guitar attack from Tipton and KK Downing, and a lyric about living with unbridled abandon. Its propulsive energy made it a great live track.
  • The band wrote this in the studio at a time when they were crazy busy but united in their ambitions. After wrapping up their Stained Class tour in August 1978 with five shows in Japan, they returned home and got right to work on their next album, which included "Running Wild" and was called Killing Machine everywhere but America, where their record company didn't want it associated with recent school shootings. There, the album was called Hell Bent For Leather, named after one of the tracks. This worked out pretty well for them when American fans adopted that phrase as a kind of credo for Judas Priest, which was the first metal act to outfit themselves in leather and studs.
  • Some have accused Iron Maiden of stealing the song's riff and using it for their 2000 track "The Wicker Man."
  • The German heavy metal band Running Wild took their name from this song. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jon - Sweden, for above 2

Comments: 2

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcThis true ultimate Judas Priest headbanging heavy metal classic is wild and will always sound good.
  • Trent from Edmonton, AbMaiden didn't steal the riff for "The Wicker Man". In fact, they inspired the riff from the song in their concert video Raising Hell where the woman gets her head drilled apart.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.