Clifford is also a former Miss New York State, and fronted a jazz music trio before switching to R&B. After winning her title, Clifford started working as an actress, receiving minor roles in major films like The Boston Strangler with Tony Curtis and Henry Ford, Coogan's Bluff with Clint Eastwood and Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine.
Unsatisfied with her roles, Clifford decided to concentrate on her singing career, and performed in night clubs with the Jericho Jazz Singers, before forming her own group Linda & The Trade Winds. In 1973 she was signed to Paramount Records and her first single, "(It's Gonna Be) A Long Long Winter" became a minor hit on the R&B charts in the winter of 1974.
By the mid-70's Curtis Mayfield signed Clifford to his Curtom Records label. The first single off her self-titled album was "From Now On" which again became a minor hit on the R&B charts. Her follow-up album, If My Friends Could See Me Now produced two of Clifford's biggest hits, putting her on the music map. The first, "Runaway Love" became an R&B hit peaking at #3 for two weeks. The second, the title track, became a hit on the Disco chart peaking at #1 for five weeks.
The following year, she released her third album, 1979's Let Me Be Your Woman. It yielded a Disco version of Simon & Garfunkel's hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which became her first Top 40 pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was also available in a two-record form with extended versions and included another R & B hit, "Don't Give It Up", which had a similar feel to "Runaway Love". These two albums had been produced and arranged by Gil Askey, a music industry veteran whose track record had included arranging duties for major acts at Motown and acting as musical director for Diana Ross, the Four Tops and the Temptations. Askey had written "Runaway Love" and "Don't Give It Up", the latter with Linda.
Clifford appeared on The Midnight Special (Episode dated March 16, 1979). Then followed by "Here's My Love" (1979) and a duet with Curtis Mayfield, "Between You and Me, Baby" (summer 1979). Eventually, Mayfield and Clifford released an album of duets in 1980, The Right Combination. In 1980, Clifford was asked to produce a single for the upcoming film, Fame. The result was the Top 40 hit "Red Light". It became her second number-one disco hit. Her next and final album with RSO, I'm Yours, was produced by Isaac Hayes and gave her her third #1 Disco hit "Shoot Your Best Shot" which was number-one on the U.S. Dance Charts for 4 weeks.
In 1981, Clifford her Curtom contract switched to Capitol Records and she released "Don't Come Crying To Me". It peaked at number-one for three consecutive weeks on the disco charts. Despite the success of the single, the album I'll Keep On Loving You sold poorly, and her contract was not renewed. However the album did include "All The Man That I Need" which would go on to be a huge hit for Whitney Houston almost a decade later.
Clifford was signed to local label Red Label Records and released Sneakin' Out in 1984. The release yielded a couple of minor dance and R&B hits, including the title track. My Heart's On Fire, in 1985 would be Clifford's last full length album. It featured the top ten dance hit "The Heat in Me".
Clifford has subsequently recorded or re-recorded single tracks; she recorded "Whatcha Gonna Do" in 1995 and re-recorded "If My Friends Could See Me Now" in 1996. She also released "Wanna Give It Up" with Ralphi Rosario (#16 dance in 1999), "Philly Groove" with Romain & Krivit (2000), "Changin'" (#17 dance), "Ride the Storm" with Akabu (2001), "Going Back to My Roots", "Sunshine", "I Hear The Music" with Ralphi Rosario (2002) and "Spinnin'" with Prospect Park/Joey Negro (2003).
After her initial record contract was not renewed, Clifford began to write jingles for such products as Tropicana, Maybelline, McDonald's, Miller Lite, Michelob Lite, Oldsmobile and Pontiac.
She also provided the theme songs for The Phil Donahue Show and the police drama Chicago Story and became a host to one of the first home-shopping TV shows Home Shop Chicago. Clifford also continued to perform in local clubs and at special events.
On June 23rd 2008 Glitter Records released a new house mix of the track "How Long" with mixes by Paul Goodyear.
Runaway Love
Linda Clifford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now wait a minute
You can't leave now
Now we been through this before
And I'm tired, that's right
Sick and tired of the
Same old thing over and over
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
You're slick here
Playing with my feelings
You keep messing round
Playing with my heart
I find the things that you say
They don't have no meaning
And that is why I know
We're gonna have to part
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
Oh, stop playing with my heart
If you don't mean it
And stop playing with my love
If you don't care
Don't go around making jokes
Bout how you're using me
Cause I ain't got no
Heartaches to spare
You're a runaway love
You're a runaway love
(Just-a keep on running away
Run away, run away)
You're a runaway love
(Running, running, running)
You're a runaway love
Don't come around
Holding me and kissing me
Talking all that jive
And getting my feelings up
If you're leaving me and running
Off to someone else's arms
Breaking up my heart and soul
And leaving me stuck
With all my tears
Heartaches and emotions
I'm all hung up with
Love and devotions
So stop messing with my heart
If you don't mean it
And stop messing with my love
If you don't care
Don't come here
Talking bout loving, no
You are using me
Cause I ain't got no
Heartaches to spare
You're a runaway love
(Just a-running, just a-running
In and out of my life)
You're a runaway love
(Where you gonna
Run to this time, baby)
You're a runaway love
(You can go if you want to
You can go, you can go)
You're a runaway love
(Don't come back next time)
Ow, get down, uh huh
Yeah, shake it
Uh huh, do your thing
Don't you feel it
Don't you feel it
Yeah, yeah...
Don't come around
Holding me and kissing me
Talking all that jive
And getting my feelings up
Then leaving me and running
Off to someone else's arms
Breaking up my heart and soul
And leaving me stuck
With all my tears
My heartaches and emotions
I'm all hung up with
Love and devotions
So stop messing with my heart
If you don't mean it
Hey, stop messing with my love
If you don't care
Don't come here
Talking bout love and
You know you're using me
Baby, I ain't got no
Heartaches to spare
You're a runaway love
(Just a-running, just a-running
In and out of my life)
You're a runaway love
(Just a-running, keep on running
Run away from love)
You're a runaway love
(Just a-running, you keep running
(Where you going
(Where, where you going)
You're a runaway love
(Just a-running, just a-running)
Come here, no
Don't start that over again
You wanna leave
You go ahead and leave
It ain't gonna bother me no more
Cause I'm going out
And I'm gonna get down
I'm tired of sitting here
And waiting for you to come home
And you out someplace
With somebody else
I'm gonna go out
And find me somebody
Yeah, gonna go dancing
Gonna go dancing, hey
I can still do it, you know
You ain't gotta be here
For me to be doing this
Yeah, go ahead
And run if you want to
Go ahead, like I said
You ain't go to stay
The lyrics to Linda Clifford's song "Runaway Love" are a commentary on a tumultuous relationship in which the singer is being mistreated by their partner who is playing with their emotions, toying with their feelings, and making false promises. The singer is tired of the same old issues that keep occurring in the relationship, and is primarily addressing their partner when they say "Hey, baby, where you going / Now wait a minute / You can't leave now." The singer knows that their partner is a "Runaway Love" and is likely to leave again, and it's frustrating for them, causing emotional turmoil. Despite pleading with their partner to stay and stop playing with their love, the singer knows that they will likely run away again.
Throughout the song, the singer talks about how their partner is using them and not loving them genuinely, leading to heartbreak and leaving the singer "stuck with all [their] tears, heartaches, and emotions." The singer wants their partner to stop playing with their heart and love, and acknowledges that their partner is a "Runaway Love" who will always run away.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, where you going
Asking the person they are in a relationship with where they are going.
Now wait a minute
Asking the person they are in a relationship with to wait a moment.
You can't leave now
Telling the person they are in a relationship with that they cannot leave.
Now we been through this before
Reminding the person they are in a relationship with that they have had this conversation before.
And I'm tired, that's right
Admitting to the person they are in a relationship with that they are tired of this.
Sick and tired of the
Exaggerating how tired they are of the situation they are in with the other person.
Same old thing over and over
Describing how this conversation keeps repeating itself over and over.
You're a runaway love
Implying that the person they are in a relationship with has a habit of running away from their problems.
You're slick here
Accusing the person they are in a relationship with of being manipulative.
Playing with my feelings
Accusing the person they are in a relationship with of toying with their emotions.
You keep messing round
Accusing the person they are in a relationship with of playing games.
Playing with my heart
Accusing the person they are in a relationship with of playing with their affections.
I find the things that you say
Stating that they pay attention to the words of the person they are in a relationship with.
They don't have no meaning
Saying that the words of the person they are in a relationship with don't hold any value or worth.
And that is why I know
Explaining why they are breaking up with the person they are in a relationship with.
We're gonna have to part
Stating that they need to end the relationship.
Oh, stop playing with my heart
Asking the person they are in a relationship with to stop toying with their emotions.
If you don't mean it
Warning the person they are in a relationship with to not falsely lead them on.
And stop playing with my love
Asking the person they are in a relationship with to stop mistreating their love.
Don't go around making jokes
Telling the person they are in a relationship with to not joke around with their feelings.
Bout how you're using me
Explaining that the other person is using them.
Cause I ain't got no
Saying they don't have any more heartaches to give.
Heartaches to spare
Saying they don't have any more love to give.
Don't come around
Telling the person they are in a relationship with to stay away from them.
Holding me and kissing me
Describing the physical contact the person they are in a relationship with seeks with them.
Talking all that jive
Asking the person they are in a relationship with to stop the false promises and talk.
And getting my feelings up
Explaining how those actions are getting their hopes up.
If you're leaving me and running
Accusing the person they are in a relationship with of running away when things get tough.
Off to someone else's arms
Suggesting the person is leaving to be with someone else.
Breaking up my heart and soul
Explaining the hurt caused by the other person's actions.
And leaving me stuck
Describing how they feel trapped by the hurt.
With all my tears
Describing the pain they feel from the breakup.
Heartaches and emotions
Describing the feelings they are experiencing from the breakup.
I'm all hung up with
Saying they can't move past the pain.
Love and devotions
Describing how much they gave to the relationship.
So stop messing with my heart
Warning the person they are in a relationship with to stop playing games and hurting them.
Hey, stop messing with my love
Imploring the person they are in a relationship with to stop toying with their love.
Don't come here
Telling the person they are in a relationship with to stay away.
Talking bout love and
Explaining how they know the other person is using them.
You know you're using me
Saying that they know the other person is using them.
Baby, I ain't got no
Saying that they don't have any more love to give.
Running from love
Saying that the other person is running from love.
In and out of my life
Saying that the other person is inconsistent and unpredictable.
Where you gonna run to this time, baby
Asking the person where they will run to next.
You can go if you want to
Telling the person they are in a relationship with that they are free to leave.
Don't come back next time
Telling the person they are in a relationship with to not try to come back into their lives again.
Yeah, gonna go dancing
Saying that they are going to go out and have fun without the other person.
I can still do it, you know
Saying that they can still have fun and enjoy life without the other person.
You ain't gotta be here
Saying that they don't need the other person to be happy.
For me to be doing this
Saying that they can enjoy life without the other person being present.
You ain't gotta stay
Telling the person they are in a relationship with that they can leave.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GILBERT ALEXANDER ASKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peterlagroove6555
The reason why disco music was so alive compared to dance music of today is because every sound was alive, percussions, guitars, everything was recorded with a band. Such energy and feeling!
@kapenimelesse5484
Facts......
@user-xh3ui4qf4r
Girl I agree those was the Good Old Day Damn I Miss those Days 😂
@noelmendez8827
Noelmendez580 great music it was alive it made u dance and have fun / good conversations not like today 😊
@Robert-qm5so
I couldn't have said it better 👌
@elygia
I was a kid in those days but fascinating by the thrill of the grown people 😊
@traviswooten5872
40 years later , this song is still the jam!!! Needs to be repeated 40 years later!!!
@marquitaarmstrong399
Hey 75. Still great jam!! Have blessed evening.🧎
@ADF-fe7fv
I rushed out and bought this album the day it was released in NYC decades ago. This song was perfect then and it's perfect now. This was SOUL music, y'all!
@ShawanRobinson-wv7xd
🎉 Party music 🎶