Band leader Harvey was born in Glasgow, Scotland 1935. During the fifties he played in many different Jazz bands playing Dixieland Jazz and later skiffle.
In 1959 he formed the Alex Harvey Soul Band playing Blues and rock n Roll music. Although a successful stint in Hamburg completed, Harvey found it difficult finding recognition with the ‘Soul Band’ and through the second half of the sixties Alex with his brother Les Harvey moved from one group to another until 1969 when he took up as a resident musician in the stage show of ‘Hair’.
In 1972 Alex joined forces with Scottish up and coming rockers ‘Tear Gas’. The band with Alex at the helm changed names to “The Sensational Alex Harvey Band”. The Sensational Alex Harvey Shows were noted for their theatrical content and idiosyncratic style of delivery. The music influences varied greatly. From blues to music hall stage shows.
After years of a punishing stage show and never ending Gig schedules, Alex announced in 1977 that due to back problems he was to retire from the music business.
Following a rare come back tour in Europe Alex died of a heart attack in 1982.
In 1977 after the Band and Alex Harvey parted company with Alex recording the solo Album ‘Loch Ness Monster’ (NB: Not a music album, but a recorded documentary about the fabled monster !), while the band without Alex, recorded ‘Four Play’. Alex and the band came together again in 1978 for a final album 'Rock Drill'. The Band and Alex then parted company again. Alex put together a new band in 1979 to record the album ‘The Mafia Stole My Guitar’. In 1983 Alex's final recording ‘Soldier On The Wall’ (comprised mainly of recordings made pre-SAHB), was posthumously issued. The Band having separated and playing in different Bands re-united in 2004 for a final tour with spot. The band released a live recording 'Zalvation'. Through 2006 the band has continued to play live in Britain with some new dates for 2007. 2006 band members are Max Maxwell filling the vocal spot with original members Zal Cleminson; Guitar, Chris Glen; Bass, Hugh McKenna; Keyboards, and Ted McKenna; Drums
Alex Harvey and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band releases include
• 1972 Framed
• 1973 Next
• 1974 The Impossible Dream
• 1975 Tomorrow Belongs To Me
• 1976 Penthouse Tapes
• 1976 SAHB Stories
• 1978 Rock Drill
Alex Harvey Solo Releases include
• 1977 Alex Harvey Presents The Loch Ness Monster
• 1979 The Mafia Stole My Guitar
• 1983 Soldier On The Wall
Sensational Alex Harvey Band (without Alex Harvey) Include
• 1977 Four play
. 1993 Live in Glasgow (Stevie Doherty vocals)
• 2005 Zalvation
Runaway
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made lots of friends, many different races
I've had such fun around the world it's true
African skies with a Nairobi mood
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
The one thing missing was you
Runaway with me my love,
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I woke up with an Australian breeze
And danced the dance with Aborigines
Oh under the moon glow down in Mexico I dreamed
One thing was missing that's you
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We'll sail the waters of many colors
We won't need a compass, love will guide our way
Don't need nobody, as long as we got each other
No need to hurry, we've got everyday
I wanna share the world with you, you see
Spring time in Paris feels so good to me
Oh this is for me reality
So please make all my wishes come true
Runaway with me my love,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And I just know we'll have a good time
And I just know we'll have a good time
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band's song "Runaway" tells the story of a person who has traveled to various places and enjoyed different cultures around the world but feels incomplete without their special someone. The verses describe different places the person has visited, from the African skies in Nairobi to dancing with Aborigines under the moon glow in Mexico. Everywhere they go, they feel like something is missing until they find their special someone. The chorus repeats the plea for the special someone to run away with the singer, suggesting that together they will explore even more of the world's wonders and live their dreams.
The song's lyrics evoke a strong sense of wanderlust and a desire to share the world with a loved one. The singer's experiences in different places are not just about sightseeing, but about connecting with different cultures and people. The line "we won't need a compass, love will guide our way" suggests that the singer wants to share not just the physical journey but also the emotional journey with their special someone. In this way, the song is not just about a romantic relationship but also about the universal desire for human connection and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
I've seen the world, been to many places
I have traveled to many different parts of the world.
Made lots of friends, many different races
I have made friends with people from different countries and races.
I've had such fun around the world it's true
I have enjoyed myself greatly while traveling.
African skies with a Nairobi mood
I experienced the unique atmosphere of Nairobi under the African sky.
I fell asleep in Tuscany and dreamed
I took a nap in Tuscany and had a dream.
The one thing missing was you
You were the only thing missing from my experience.
Runaway with me my love,
Come away with me, my love.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Expression of excitement and anticipation.
I woke up with an Australian breeze
I woke up to a gentle breeze in Australia.
And danced the dance with Aborigines
I had the opportunity to dance with the Aboriginal people.
Oh under the moon glow down in Mexico I dreamed
I had a dream while under the moonlight in Mexico.
One thing was missing that's you
The only thing missing from the experience was you.
We'll sail the waters of many colors
We will go on an exciting journey through different bodies of water.
We won't need a compass, love will guide our way
We don't need a compass because our love will guide us.
Don't need nobody, as long as we got each other
We don't need anyone else except for each other.
No need to hurry, we've got everyday
We have plenty of time, there's no need to rush.
I wanna share the world with you, you see
I want to share my travels and experiences with you.
Spring time in Paris feels so good to me
Paris is a beautiful city and is especially enjoyable during spring.
Oh this is for me reality
This experience is real and not a dream.
So please make all my wishes come true
I hope that all my desires will be fulfilled.
And I just know we'll have a good time
I am confident that we will enjoy our time together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Del Shannon, Max D. Crook
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
scratch01
My God, that is brilliant. The dance routine is the absolute best. Could any band today pull off something like this? Probably not.
N Uni
one might try and mimic...
andy cole
this man is so underrated and not recognised for the great artist he was he had style!
Doug QUIDAM
A truly original band. One of the best. RIP Alex (although I doubt if he would want to rest....he's probably tearing up the place wherever he is)
Sam Dracula
Totally agree. That's what makes a great band. Original sound which hasn't been copied. RIP Alex and his brother. Horrible way to die.
Paulo Gomes
Max Sensacional!
Inigualável!
Gigantesca Banda!
Vocalmente, instrumentalmente, teatralmente...
Magistralmente...
SENSACIONAL!
Seamus O'Flatcap
The instrumentation is reasonably close to the original, not much in the way of variation but . . . but Alex's phrasing just puts a whole new dimension to the song. That little dance is sublime.
Andrew Johnstone
Pure theatre and always menacing great band very rarely mentioned in these days of tedium
El Atomico
Man, I love his voice!
pete woods
The guy was a legend,sensational