"I Run to You" is a song recorded by American country music group Lady Antebellum. It was released on January 26, 2009, as the third and final single from the group's self-titled debut album. Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, who comprise Lady Antebellum, co-wrote the song with Tom Douglas. "I Run to You" is the group's first number-one single, reaching that peak in July 2009, and it features lead vocals from both Scott and Kelley.

"I Run to You"
Single by Lady Antebellum
from the album Lady Antebellum and Need You Now (International Edition)
ReleasedJanuary 26, 2009 (2009-01-26)
GenreCountry pop
Length
  • 4:16 (album version)
  • 3:49 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lady Antebellum singles chronology
"Lookin' for a Good Time"
(2008)
"I Run to You"
(2009)
"Need You Now"
(2009)
Alternative cover
International edition art cover.
Music video
"I Run to You" (Version 1) on YouTube
"I Run to You" (Version 2) on YouTube

The song won the 2009 CMA Single of the Year Award on November 11, 2009. It won the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song on December 2, 2009,[1] but lost to Taylor Swift's "White Horse".

In the UK and Europe, "I Run to You" was the second single taken from their Need You Now album. It was released on August 9, 2010, in support of their debut UK live show at Shepherd's Bush Empire.[2] The single made the A-list playlist on BBC Radio 2.[3]

Content

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"I Run to You" is a mid-tempo with electric guitar and string section accompaniment. In it, the narrators — lead singers Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott — claim that they turn to each other to escape the negativity and prejudice of the world.

Critical reception

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Brady Vercher of Engine 145 gave the song a "thumbs down" review, calling it "a vague profession of love" and adding, "The song comes across as purposefully cryptic because they either didn’t fully develop the idea, haven’t become comfortable opening up in their lyrics, or they just didn’t feel the need to focus on the lyric other than as a device to support the melody."[4] Dan Milliken of Country Universe gave the song a B rating, saying that it "rolls sweetly along and never tries to sound more important than it really is".[5]

Paul Worley, who co-produced the album and played guitar on it, said, "The song is an expression against hate, prejudice, negativity, running the rat race, but ultimately the redemption of love! And it has an irresistible melody and a head-bobbing groove. What could be better?"[6]

Chart performance

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"I Run to You" debuted at number 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated January 31, 2009. After spending 26 weeks on the chart, the song became the trio's first number one hit for the week of July 25, 2009. The song has also become Lady Antebellum's first top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 27. On the Billboard Year-End charts, "I Run to You" was ranked as the number 1 country single of 2009. It also debuted at number 39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks charts for the week of July 17, 2010. It also debuted at number 27 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks charts for the week of September 4, 2010.[7]

It was certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 29, 2013 for digital sales of 2,000,000 copies.[8]

Music video

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A music video, directed by Adam Boatman, was released for the song in March 2009. The video follows a chain of events, which depicts how one good deed leads to another. It begins with a mother giving money to a man playing guitar on the sidewalk, who walks into a coffee shop and loans money to a businessman who left his wallet at home. The businessman then helps a woman pick up her stack of papers that scatters when she falls over. Later, the woman takes a seat on the bench and waits for the bus. The mother from the beginning arrives at the bus stop and she gives up her seat for her. Included with these are scenes of the trio singing in a small hotel room.

A second video for the European release of "I Run to You" was shot and debuted on their record label Parlophone's YouTube page on July 30, 2010.[9] This alternate video was directed by Christopher Sims.[10]

Cover versions

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Formats and track listings

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Digital download[11]

  1. "I Run to You" - 4:16

US digital download — single (Acoustic)[12]

  1. "I Run to You" (Live) - 3:49

European digital download — single[13]

  1. "I Run to You" - 4:18
  2. "I Run to You" (Live at The Ryman) - 5:01

Personnel

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The following musicians perform on this track:[6]

  • John Catchings – cello
  • Chad Cromwell – drums
  • David Davidson – violin
  • Jason "Slim" Gambill – electric guitar
  • Jim Grosjean – viola
  • Dave Haywood – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals
  • Charles Kelley – lead vocals
  • Rob McNelley – electric guitar
  • Sari Reist – cello
  • Michael Rojas – Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer
  • Hillary Scott – lead vocals
  • Pamela Sixfin – violin
  • Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin
  • Kristin Wilkinson – viola
  • Karen Winkelman – violin
  • Paul Worley – electric guitar
  • Craig Young – bass guitar
  • Kristin Wilkinson - strings

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States January 26, 2009 Country radio Capitol Nashville [26]
July 21, 2009 Digital download (Acoustic) [12]
June 29, 2010 Contemporary hit radio [27]
July 1, 2010 Adult contemporary Capitol Nashville / Capitol [28]
Hot adult contemporary [29]
Europe August 9, 2010 Digital download Capitol Nashville, Parlophone [13]

References

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  1. ^ "The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Nominees List" Archived December 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, Grammy.com, December 2, 2009
  2. ^ Lady Antebellum Unveils Debut London Show & Single Details
  3. ^ BBC - Radio 2 - Playlist
  4. ^ Vercher, Brady (February 4, 2009). "Lady Antebellum - "I Run to You"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
  5. ^ Milliken, Dan (January 24, 2009). "Lady Antebelllum - "I Run to You"". Country Universe. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Lady Antebellum (CD liner notes). Lady Antebellum. Capitol Records Nashville. 2008. 032062.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ "Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot Country Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  8. ^ a b "American single certifications – Lady Antebellum – I Run to You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  9. ^ YouTube - Parlophone - Lady Antebellum - I Run To You (Official)
  10. ^ "Christopher Sims - Director - Lady Antebellum - "I Run to You"". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
  11. ^ "Amazon.com: I Run to You: Lady Antebellum: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Amazon.com: I Run to You (Acoustic): Lady Antebellum: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  13. ^ a b European digital downloads:
  14. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  15. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  16. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  17. ^ "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update 21.08.2010 (wk32)". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  18. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  19. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  20. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  21. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  22. ^ "Year End Charts - Year-end songs - The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  23. ^ "Best of 2009: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  24. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs: 2010 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  25. ^ "Adult Pop Songs: 2010 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  26. ^ "R&R :: Going For Adds :: Country". Radio & Records. Archived from the original (Week Of: January 26, 2009) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  27. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  28. ^ "R&R :: Going For Adds :: AC". Radio & Records. Archived from the original (Week Of: July 1, 2010) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  29. ^ "R&R :: Going For Adds :: Hot AC". Radio & Records. Archived from the original (Week Of: July 1, 2010) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2020.