Nowhere to Run (song)

This article is about the Martha and the Vandellas song. For other songs with the same title, see Nowhere to Run (disambiguation).

"Nowhere to Run"
File:Nowhere to Run by Martha and the Vandellas US 1965 vinyl.jpg A-side label of one of U.S. vinyl releases
Single by Martha and the Vandellas
from the album Dance Party
B-side	"Motoring"
Released	February 10, 1965
Format	7" single
Recorded	Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); October 21, 1964
Genre	Pop, soul
Length	2:48
Label	Gordy G 7039
Writer(s)	Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)	Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Martha and the Vandellas singles chronology
"Wild One" (1964) "Nowhere to Run" (1965) "You've Been in Love Too Long" (1965)

"Nowhere to Run" is a 1965 pop single by Martha and the Vandellas for the Gordy (Motown) label and is one of the group's signature songs. The song, written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, depicts the story of a woman trapped in a bad relationship with a man she cannot help but love.

Overview

Holland-Dozier-Holland and the Funk Brothers band gave the song a large, hard-driving instrumentation sound similar to the sound of prior "Dancing in the Street" with snow chains used as percussion alongside the tambourine and drums.

Included on their 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. 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.

Personnel

• Lead vocals by Martha Reeves
• Background vocals by Rosalind Ashford & Betty Kelly
• Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr.
• Produced by Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland
• All instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
  • Benny Benjamin: drums
  • James Jamerson: bass guitar
  • Earl Van Dyke: electric piano
  • Jack Ashford: percussion, tambourine, vibes
  • Ivy Jo Hunter: percussion (snow chains)
  • Robert White: guitar
  • Eddie Willis: guitar