Run Like the Wind is a fitting finale to the scantily known concept album Tarot Suite that was played so often in our house during my youth. My father adored this album like no other. When my parents entertained new friends, my father was insistent this record be played at some point in the evening. I’ve been listening to this album for more than 40 years. It’s been with me through thick and thin and we remain best mates. Run Like the Wind is the 4th song to appear here from Mike Batt’s Tarot Suite. To me the album feels like an epic medieval storytelling trip, but Run Like the Wind acts like an airstrip to return us to some semblance of a conventional grounding; to go back to our lives with a reinvigorated and courageous outlook that we can go anywhere and be anything.
Based on feedback from my previous posts of songs from the album, Tarot Suite does have a small legion of avid followers:
- A mate’s girlfriend introduced me to Tarot Suite in 1981. I immediately loved it. I’ll admit to a general liking for mixed genres. Mike Batt really combined orchestral and rock well on this album.
– Cloth Ears - I adore this album and play it constantly, even now. And I am just as mystified as you as to why Mike Batt is such an under-rated composer. Not to mention arranger and producer! However, I look at it this way: I know something that the rest of the world does not….
-Niki - This album … got me started on the road to becoming a tarot reader, lol. I was 12, and loved the music (most of it) but also the cards depicted.
– Tarot with Kerstin - Mike Batt is a pure genius and he will be played long after he is gone !
Roger Chapman is top notch performing…This album is still fresh after more then 40 years!
– Diederik
Run Like the Wind stands out not just for its compelling melody but also for its rich narrative and theatrical presentation, a hallmark of Mike Batt’s eclectic career. Batt, a prolific British songwriter and composer, sought to explore themes of fate, destiny, and the human condition through this album. Each track represents a different tarot card, with Run Like the Wind symbolizing the Chariot – a card associated with victory, control, and a journey toward success.
The song’s energetic tempo and dynamic arrangement mirror the card’s meaning, embodying a sense of relentless pursuit and unstoppable momentum. Roger Chapman’s distinctively gritty vocals add a raw, impassioned dimension to the track, reinforcing the urgency and determination that the Chariot symbolizes. Batt’s orchestration, known for its lush and dramatic flair, elevates the song into a powerful anthem of perseverance and triumph.
There’s an eagle in the eastern sky, turning in the wind
Out across the evening, resting on the wing
If I had the wings of an eagle
There’d be no holding me
I’d be free, sailing free
(Chorus)
One day soon I’m gonna run like the wind
One day soon
Gonna break away from everything
One day soon
Nothing in the world’s gonna pull me back
And nothing’s gonna keep me in
Gonna run like the wind
And if you should tell me you want to hold me down
Before the glow of morning, I’ll be gone without a sound
The more you try to keep me in
The less you will succeed
Sailing free, sailing free
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Now this is a prime example on why I keep peeking in on takes. I am an unabashed fan of Roger Chapman and thought i had heard just about everything he has recorded then you post this. First time listen and it sounds so good. It’s like finding a big gold nugget at my feet. I will be giving this album some time for sure.
Just proved my point on your “eclectic “tastes”. Roger pops up very rarely on peoples radar. Thanks for some new listening of a favorite vocalist.
If you want to hear Roger Chapman in ‘Tarot Suite’ hit the ball out of the park and then some, check out ‘Imbecile’. I hope you enjoy the album CB and once again thanks for your compliments.
Pretty good song I didn’t know. I do recall another track from the “Tarot Suite” album: “Lady of the Dawn,” which received a good amount of air time on my go-to German pop radio station at the time.
Another Mike Batt song I remember is “The Ride to Agadir.” Based on what I can see, that track was included on a 1977 album titled “Schizophonia” – a monumental cinematic production but catchy.
As I was writing the article I was wondering if I had already presented ‘Lady of the Dawn’ already which I hadn’t. I’ll need to backtrack and include it. That’s interesting it received considerable air time in Germany. I’ll check out “The Ride to Agadir.” Thanks Christian.
I never heard this before. I like it…