About The Song
On February 27 1965, Martha & the Vandellas added their own jewel to that crown as they entered the Hot 100 with “Nowhere To Run.” The propulsive, tension-filled number came flying off the pens of Holland, Dozier and Holland and into the Hitsville studio in September 1964, when the backing track was recorded, James Jamerson bassline, Funk Brothers et al.
At the time, Martha Reeves and the group were enjoying one of the hits of their lives with “Dancing In The Street,” and went into the studio to record their parts of “Nowhere To Run” in October, even with Martha ailing from their exhaustive road work.
By the time the song was released in early February, the pressure was on for a success, since “Wild One,” the follow-up to “Dancing,” had peaked at No.11 R&B and just No.34 pop. There was no such audience or airplay hesitation about the new release. “I loved the lyrics the minute I heard them,” said Reeves in The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965.
“Nowhere To Run” became a No.5 R&B hit and entered the Hot 100 at No.73. It arrived at its No.8 pop peak in the week that the Supremes fell from the top with “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” and as Jr. Walker and the All Stars were sitting pretty in the Top 5 with “Shotgun.”
Billboard described the song as a “good dance beat piece of material which features a gospel piano and a wailin’ vocal.” Cash Box described it as “a hard-driving, fast-moving, raunchy bluesy stomper with a contagious teen-oriented, danceable beat.” Record World said it features “a strong, strong beat and wailing by all the girls in concert.”
Included on their 1965 third album, Dance Party, “Nowhere to Run” hit number eight on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, and number five on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.[4] It also charted in the UK peaking at number twenty-six on the chart. The single release was backed with “Motoring”.
This version was ranked #358 on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Video
Lyrics
Nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Got nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (ooh-ooh-ooh)
It’s not love I’m a-running from
Just the heartbreak I know will come
‘Cause I know you’re no good for me (you’re no good)
But you’ve become a part of me
Everywhere I go, your face I see
Every step I take, you take with me, yeah
Nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Got nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (ooh-ooh-ooh)
I know you’re no good for me
But free of you I’ll never be, no
Each night as I, as I sleep
Into my heart you creep
I wake up feeling sorry I met you
Hoping soon that I’ll forget you
When I look in the mirror to comb my hair
I see your face just a-smiling there
Nowhere to run (nowhere to run)
Nowhere to hide from you, babe (nowhere to hide, ooh-ooh-ooh)
Got nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (ooh-ooh)
I know you’re no good for me
But you’ve become a part of me
How can I fight a lover
That shouldn’t be
When it’s so deep, so deep
Deep inside of me
My love reaches so high, I can’t get over it
It’s so wide, I can’t get around it, no
Nowhere to run (nowhere to run)
Nowhere to hide from you, babe (nowhere to hide, ooh-ooh-ooh)
Just can’t get away from you, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
No matter how I try (ooh-ooh-ooh)
I know you’re no good for me
But free of you I’ll never be
Nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Got nowhere to run to, baby (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Nowhere to hide (nowhere to run, nowhere to hide)
Got nowhere to run
Got nowhere to hide