Runner (song)

Ian Thomas was a moderately successful artist in Canada, whose songs have been covered by bigger artists a number of times. He was inspired to write this song by Terry Fox, a Canadian hero who set off on a run across the country on one good leg and a prosthetic leg, having lost the other due to cancer. The run was to raise awareness of cancer and seeking funding for cancer research. Tragically, Fox died about half-way through. "I wanted to capture that gallantry, the importance of passing on the flame", related Thomas. His version was included in the 1983 movie The Terry Fox Story.[1]

This song was also covered by Sheila in 1981.

The timing on Manfred Mann's version was especially good, as it came out right before the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles, prompting especially heavy play. Trevor Rabin, at that time the guitarist of the progressive rock band Yes, played the guitar solo on this track.

The video for the Manfred Mann version, directed by Lindsey Clennell, received heavy airplay on MTV. In it, the band performs near a campfire at night (shot on a soundstage), interspersed with video of runners either racing, or carrying the Olympic torch, much of which was footage shot for the recent Olympic games in Munich and Montreal.[2]

This version of the song was used in the film The Philadelphia Experiment.