{{Short description|1966 single by The Rascals}} {{other uses}} {{Infobox song | name = You Better Run | cover = The Young Rascals - You Better Run.jpg | alt = | caption = U.S. picture sleeve | type = single | artist = the Young Rascals | album = Groovin' | B-side = Love Is a Beautiful Thing | released = {{Start date|1966|05|30}} | recorded = {{Start date|1966|05|09}} | studio = A&R, New York City | venue = | genre = *Rhythm and blues *blue-eyed soul *garage rock<ref name="allmusic" /> *proto-punk<ref name= "Dimery 2010">{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}</ref> | length = {{Duration|m=2|s=25}} | label = Atlantic | writer = *Eddie Brigati *Felix Cavaliere | producer = *The Young Rascals *Arif Mardin *Tom Dowd | prev_title = Good Lovin' | prev_year = 1966 | next_title = Come on Up | next_year = 1966 }}
"'''You Better Run'''" is a song by the Young Rascals. Written by group members Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere, it was released as the band's third single in 1966 and reached the top 20 in the United States. This song is noted for its repeated roller coaster musical chords in the bass guitar, going from C to B-flat to C to E-flat to B-flat to C.
==Critical reception== A review in a 1966 issue of ''Billboard'' magazine described the song as a "big-beat wailer" and a "strong follow-up to 'Good Lovin'{{-'}}{{-"}}.<ref> {{cite magazine | date= 1966-06-04 | title= Spotlight Singles | magazine= Billboard | publisher= Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | volume= 78 | issue= 23 | page= 18 | issn= 0006-2510}}</ref> In the book ''Pioneers of Rock and Roll'', author Harry Sumrall wrote that the song represented the apex of the band's sound and complimented guitarist Gene Cornish's "slashing chords".<ref> {{cite book | last=Sumrall | first=Harry | title=Pioneers of Rock and Roll: 100 Artists Who Changed the Face of Rock | publisher=Billboard Books | page=[https://archive.org/details/pioneersofrockro0000sumr/page/295 295] | location=New York | year=1994 | isbn=978-0-8230-7628-4 | url=https://archive.org/details/pioneersofrockro0000sumr/page/295 }}</ref> AllMusic's Matthew Greenwald called it "a classic garage rocker with a punkish energy [that] showcased the band's live chops to a great effect, as well as Felix Cavaliere's awesome soul-inflected vocals."<ref name="allmusic"> {{cite web | last=Greenwald | first=Matthew | url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/you-better-run-t915733 | title="You Better Run"{{snd}}Review | website=AllMusic | access-date=January 30, 2012}}</ref>
Music journalist Fred Bronson noted that "You Better Run" was a commercial disappointment, having peaked at number 20 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 after their previous single, "Good Lovin{{'"}}, had reached number one.<ref name="Bronson"> {{cite book | last=Bronson | first=Fred | title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits | edition=5th | publisher=Billboard Books | page=224 | location=New York City | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-8230-7677-2}}</ref> The Cavaliere and Gene Cornish composition "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" was the single's B-side.
==Chart performance== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1966) !Peak<br />position |- |Canada ''RPM Magazine'' |align="center"|22 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref name="Bronson" /> |align="center"|20 |- |U.S. ''Cash Box'' Top 100 |align="center"|23 |}
==Cover versions==
===Pat Benatar version=== {{Infobox song | name = You Better Run | cover = Pat Benatar - You Better Run.jpeg | alt = | caption = German single picture sleeve | type = single | artist = Pat Benatar | album = Crimes of Passion | B-side = Out-A-Touch | released = {{Start date|1980|07|08}} | recorded = | studio = Sound City Studios (Van Nuys, CA)<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Crimes of Passion |type=liner notes |others=Pat Benatar |publisher=Chrysalis Records |year=1980 |id=CHE 1275}}</ref> | venue = | genre = Hard rock | length = {{Duration|m=3|s=04}} | label = Chrysalis | writer = *Eddie Brigati *Felix Cavaliere | producer = Keith Olsen | prev_title = Rated X | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Hit Me with Your Best Shot | next_year = 1980 }}
Pat Benatar recorded "You Better Run" for her second album, ''Crimes of Passion'' (1980). The song was released as the album's lead single, with "Out-A-Touch" as the B-side. It peaked at number 42 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 44 on the ''Cash Box'' Top 100.<ref name="Warner"> {{cite book | last=Warner | first=Jay | title=Notable Moments of Women In Music | publisher=Hal Leonard | page=[https://archive.org/details/notablemomentsof0000warn/page/225 225] | location=New York City | year=2008 | isbn=978-1-4234-2951-7 | url=https://archive.org/details/notablemomentsof0000warn/page/225 }}</ref> The song appeared on the soundtrack to the 1980 film ''Roadie''.<ref> {{cite magazine | last=McCullaugh | first=Jim | date= 1980-10-18 | title= Closeup | magazine= Billboard | volume= 92 | issue= 42 | page= 74 | issn= 0006-2510}}</ref>
On August 1, 1981, the music video for the song was the second video ever broadcast on MTV, after the network famously premiered with "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.<ref> {{cite book | last=Warner | first=Jay | title=On This Day in Music History: Over 2,000 Popular Music Facts Covering Every Day of the Year | publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation | page=215 | location=New York | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-634-06693-1}}</ref>
====Chart performance==== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1980) !Peak<br />position |- |Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="AUS">{{cite book | title = Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992 | author = David Kent | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 | year = 1993 | publisher = Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W.}}</ref> |align="center"|31 |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|76|chartid=0249b|access-date=7 December 2024}} |- |France (IFOP)<ref>{{cite web|title= Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70 |publisher= InfoDisc |access-date=22 December 2019 |url=http://infodisc.fr/Tubes_Artistes_B.php/Tubes_Artiste_Choisi.php |language= fr}}</ref> |align="center"|55 |- |New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref>{{cite web|title=New Zealand charts portal - Pat Benatar|url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?search=pat+benatar&cat=s|website=charts.nz}}</ref> |align="center"|42 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref name="Warner" /> |align="center"|42 |}
===Other versions=== In 1966, with the band Listen, Robert Plant made his recording debut singing lead vocals on a cover version of "You Better Run", which was released as a single by CBS Records.<ref> {{cite book | last=Bream | first=Jon | title=Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time | publisher=Voyageur Press | page=38 | location=Minneapolis, Minnesota | year=2010 | isbn=978-0-7603-3955-8}}</ref><ref> {{cite book | last=Williamson | first=Nigel | title=The Rough Guide to Led Zeppelin | publisher=Rough Guides | page=15 | location=London | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-4053-8421-6 }}</ref>
In 1966, the N' Betweens, who later became the British rock band Slade, covered the song, which was released as their debut single on Columbia. It was produced by Kim Fowley and reached number one on the local Midlands chart and remained there for six weeks.<ref>It's Slade - 1999 BBC documentary</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BwwLBaH9488C&q=you+better+run&pg=PT448|title=1,000 UK Number One Hits|first1=Jon|last1=Kutner|first2=Spencer|last2=Leigh|date=26 May 2010|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857123602|access-date=15 May 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> The Listen and N' Betweens versions were released on the same day.
Canadian pop-rock band Toronto included a cover of "You Better Run" on their debut album, ''Looking for Trouble'', in 1980.
Peter Criss recorded the song on his first post-KISS solo album, ''Out of Control'', in 1980.
Bob Kuban & The In-Men recorded a cover as “You Better Run - You Better Hide,” on the Musicland USA label in 1967.<ref>Discogs.com</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{The Rascals}} {{Pat Benatar}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1966 songs Category:1966 singles Category:1980 singles Category:Songs written by Felix Cavaliere Category:Songs written by Eddie Brigati Category:The Rascals songs Category:Pat Benatar songs Category:Eddie and the Hot Rods songs Category:Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin Category:Song recordings produced by Tom Dowd Category:Song recordings produced by Keith Olsen Category:Atlantic Records singles Category:Chrysalis Records singles