Running in the Family

Level 42

About Running in the Family

"Running in the Family" is a single released in 1987 by the British band Level 42, from the album Running in the Family. The song had different lyrics when sung at the Wembley Arena in 1986 (This can be found on YouTube). It was then popped up for the release of the single which had significant success, reaching #6 on the UK Singles Chart and #9 in New Zealand, but only reaching #83 in the United States. It was part of a series of single successes by the group and brought Level 42 fame in countries where they were previously little-known, such as the United States, Germany and Norway.  


Year:
1987
5:24
49 

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Our dad would send us to our room
He'd be the voice of doom
He said that we would thank him later
All day he was solid as a rock
But by eight o'clock
We'd be crumbling
One night
My brother Joe and me
Climbed down the family tree
That grew outside our bedroom window
We ran though we knew it couldn't last
Running from the past
From things that we were born to be

Looking back it's so bizarre
It runs in the family
All the things we are
On the back seat of the car
With Joseph and Emily
We only see so far
And we all have our daddy's eyes
Looking back it's so bizarre

Dad rang the officer in charge
A man so large
He barely fit his circumstances
He said two kids out on the street
Were picked up on the beat
And in the station
So there's me
With Emily and Joe
Daddy driving home
All heading in the same direction
He knew no matter what the breaks
We'd make the same mistakes
Couldn't take his eyes of Joe and me

Looking back it's so bizarre
It runs in the family
All the things we are
On the backseat of the car
With Joseph and Emily
We only see so far
And we all have our daddy's eyes
Looking back it's so bizarre
It runs in the family
All the things we are
Looking back it's so bizarre

Like a dream within a dream
We're all somewhere in between

Like a drummer plays his drum
Like a father like a son
And your gonna have to face the music

Hey hey
We keep it running in the family
Hey hey
We keep it coming in the family

Hey hey
We keep it running in the family
Hey hey
We keep it coming in the family

Looking back it's so bizarre
It runs in the family
All the things we are
On the backseat of the car
With Joseph and Emily
We only see so far
'Cause we all have our daddy's eyes
Take me back into your arms
It's no longer a mystery
There's no cause for alarm
Could have never come this far
With no sense of history
It always leaves a scar
And we all have our daddy's eyes
Looking back it's so bizarre

Running in the family

Running in the family
And we all have our daddy's eyes
Looking back it's so bizarre hey

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Level 42

Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s. more »

1 fan

Written by: Waliou Jacques Badarou, Philip Gabriel Gould, Mark King

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Release Date
"Running in the Family" by Level 42 was released on the 9th of February 1987.
Band's Characteristics
Level 42 is a British band known for their blending of rock, pop, and funk music. Their smooth, synth-driven sound was featured prominently throughout "Running in the Family".
Chart Performance
The song reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and was the third single released from the album of the same name.
Album Success
The "Running in the Family" album is one of the most successful of Level 42's career, reaching number 2 in the UK albums chart and making top 10 charts in numerous other countries.
Music Video
The Video for "Running in the Family" was directed by Peter Sinclair. Notably, band member Mike Lindup performs the song while roller skating.
Song Theme
This song is often interpreted as a commentary on inherited traits and behaviors. The lyrics suggest that people tend to repeat patterns and lifestyles from their family history.
Acclaim
In 1987, "Running in the Family" won the Brit Award for Best British Group.
Influence
This song helped level 42 to gain a wider audience and to cement their place as one of the iconic bands in British pop and funk music in the 1980s.
Radio Play
"Running in the Family" continues to enjoy radio airplay, decades after its release – a testament to the song’s lasting appeal.
Live Tours
The song has been a constant part of Level 42's live shows since its release, often used as an encore song.

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    Running in the Family

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1987

    Billboard #83


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