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Runaway (Del Shannon song)

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"Runaway"
Single by Del Shannon
from the album Runaway with Del Shannon
B-side"Jody"
ReleasedFebruary 18, 1961 (1961-02-18)
RecordedJanuary 21, 1961[1]
StudioBell Sound (New York City)[2]
Genre
Length2:20
LabelBigTop
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Harry Balk
Del Shannon singles chronology
"Runaway"
(1961) 		"Hats Off to Larry"
(1961)
Official audio
"Runaway" on YouTube
Audio sample
"Runaway"

"Runaway" is a number-one Billboard Hot 100 song made famous by Del Shannon in 1961. It was written by Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook, and became a major international hit. It was No. 472 on the 2010 version of Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and No. 466 on the 2004 version.

Original recording

Singer-guitarist Charles Westover and keyboard player Max Crook performed together as members of "Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band" in Battle Creek, Michigan, before their group won a recording contract in 1960. Westover took the new stage name "Del Shannon", and Crook, who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron, became "Maximilian".

After their first recording session for Big Top Records in New York City had ended in failure, their manager Ollie McLaughlin persuaded them to rewrite and re-record an earlier song they had written, "Little Runaway", to highlight Crook's unique instrumental sound. On January 21, 1961, they recorded "Runaway" at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, with Harry Balk as producer, Fred Weinberg as audio engineer and also session musicians on several sections: session musician Al Caiola on guitar, Moe Wechsler on piano, and Crook playing the central Musitron break. Other musicians on the record included Al Casamenti and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Joe Marshall on drums. Bill Ramall, who was the arranger for the session, also played baritone sax.[5] After recording in A minor, producer Balk sped up the recording to pitch just below a B-flat minor.[6] "Runaway" was released in February 1961 and was immediately successful. On April 10 of that year, Shannon appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, helping to catapult it to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for four weeks.[7] Two months later, it reached number one on the UK's Record Retailer chart, spending three weeks in that position.[8] On Billboard's Hot R&B Sides, "Runaway" peaked at number three.[9][10]

The song was ranked No. 5 on Billboard's end of year "Hot 100 for 1961 – Top Sides of the Year"[11] and No. 9 on Cash Box's "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1961".[12]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Other recordings

Del Shannon re-recorded "Runaway" in 1967. This version was issued as a single, and reached No. 122 on Billboard's Bubbling Under the Hot 100.[30]

Shannon re-recorded the song a second time in 1986, this time as the theme music for the NBC television series Crime Story, which starred Dennis Farina and was set in the early 1960s.[31][32] This version featured new lyrics to make the song more fitting for a crime drama.

Shannon appeared on Late Night With David Letterman on February 10, 1987, performing "Runaway" with Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band.[33][34] Letterman introduced Shannon as having sold as many as 80,000 singles of "Runaway" per day at its peak in popularity.

The best-known original version is in mono. However, in subsequent compilations a different take from the same recording sessions is available in stereo. [citation needed]

Lyrics

The song is sung from the point of view of a man whose girlfriend has left him. She is mostly referred to in the third person, but she is briefly addressed in the second person in the lyric "wishin' you were here by me".

Covers

The song was used in the 1973 movie American Graffiti, Crime Story (American TV series) 1986 TV series as opening theme, the 2020 film Siberia, and multiple times in the Showtime miniseries Dexter: New Blood, including an episode with the same title as the song.

Tom Petty mentions the song in his 1989 song "Runnin' Down a Dream". Similarly, Barenaked Ladies mention "Runaway" in their song "When You Dream", from the 1998 album Stunt.

Genesis included the lyric "my little runaway", sung to the same melody as in Shannon's song, in their song "In the Cage", from the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. It is one of many references to hit songs from the 1960s on the album.

Echo & the Bunnymen quote the lyrics "I'm walking in the rain, to end this misery", sung to the same melody as in Shannon's song, in their song "Over The Wall", from the album Heaven Up Here.

The song can also be heard playing in the background of the mechanic shop on Goodwill Hunting. Also in the car ride in a scene in Eddie and the Cruisers

See also

References

  1. ^ Laura R. Ashlee (2005). Traveling Through Time: A Guide to Michigan's Historical Markers. University of Michigan Press. p. 60. ISBN 0-472-03066-3.
  2. ^ Dafydd Rees; Luke Crampton (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley. p. 898. ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8.
  3. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Runaway" at AllMusic. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Pitchfork Staff (August 18, 2006). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2022. A No. 1 smash in 1961, rock'n'roll through and through, "Runaway" is also a proto-synth pop hit, introducing the electric musitron with a wicked solo.
  5. ^ "Young, Bryan, "Classic Tracks: Del Shannon's 'Runaway'", Oct 1, 2008, Mix Magazine". Mixonline.com. 2008-10-01. Archived from the original on 2013-10-15. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  6. ^ Classic Tracks Back To Back: Thunder Bay Press, 2008.
  7. ^ a b Hot 100 – Del Shannon Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  8. ^ a b Del Shannon – Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 521.
  10. ^ a b "Hot R&B Sides", Billboard, May 15, 1961. p. 49. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  11. ^ "Chart Toppers", Billboard, December 25, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1961", Cash Box, December 30, 1961. p. 11. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, June 12, 1961. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  14. ^ "CHUM Charts – Chart No. 318. Monday, April 17, 1961". CHUM. Archived from the original on July 21, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, July 24, 1961. p. 20. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  16. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, July 31, 1961. p. 18. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, August 28, 1961. p. 22. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  18. ^ Lever Hit Parade statistics for Runaway, Flavour of New Zealand. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  19. ^ Del Shannon – Runaway, norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  20. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hits of the World", Billboard, July 10, 1961. p. 14. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  21. ^ "The Cash Box Top 100", Cash Box, April 29, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  22. ^ "The Records Disc Jockeys Played Most", Cash Box, April 29, 1961. p. 16. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  23. ^ "The Nation's Top Ten Juke Box Tunes", Cash Box, April 29, 1961. p. 25. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  24. ^ "Top 50 in R&B Locations Across the Nation", Cash Box, April 29, 1961. p. 38. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  25. ^ David Kent's "Australian Chart Book 1940-1969"
  26. ^ The 100 Best-Selling Singles of 1961
  27. ^ Musicoutfitters.com
  28. ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 30, 1961
  29. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  30. ^ "Bubbling Under the Hot 100", Billboard, October 7, 1967. p. 24. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  31. ^ Rybin, Steven (2013). Michael Mann: Crime Auteur, Scarecrow Press. p. 97. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  32. ^ Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits, Omnibus Press. p. 196. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  33. ^ "Late Night with David Letterman (a Guest Stars & Air Dates Guide)". epguides.com. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  34. ^ Don Giller (2017-08-05), Del Shannon, "Runaway," on Late Night, February 10, 1987, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2017-08-06
  35. ^ Hot 100 – Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  36. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hot 100", Billboard, May 12, 1962. Accessed July 29, 2016.
  37. ^ "Billboard Music Week Hot 100", Billboard, June 23, 1962. p. 14. Accessed July 29, 2016.
  38. ^ "1050 CHUM – CHUM Charts". CHUM. Archived from the original on July 18, 2006. Retrieved 2016-07-29. Chart No. 264, April 23, 1962.
  39. ^ ON (2012-09-02). "Bob Costa's "Later" Show with Del Shannon – part 2 of 2! – Video Dailymotion". Dailymotion.com. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  40. ^ a b Dave (NL) – Vanina, Ultratop. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  41. ^ Chartsventes (2016-10-29). "World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: DAVE". World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  42. ^ Dave (NL) – Mein Mädchen Monika, norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  43. ^ "Dave – Vanesa Canta En Español". Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  44. ^ "Blue-Eyed Soul! – Dave". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  45. ^ Dave (NL) – Vanina, lescharts.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  46. ^ Hot 100 – Charlie Kulis Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  47. ^ Adult Contemporary – Charlie Kulis Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  48. ^ Hot 100 – Bonnie Raitt Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  49. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  50. ^ "Del Shannon's 'Runaway' Success Repeats Itself, Recycled for TV Cop Show". Los Angeles Times. November 20, 1987.
  51. ^ Hot 100 – Luis Cardenas Runaway Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  52. ^ "Fredrik Willstrand-Runaway. (hi-tech aor) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  53. ^ "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 – George Harrison". www.georgeharrison.com. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  54. ^ "Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks", Billboard, January 22, 2000. p. 48. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  55. ^ The Misfits - Project 1950 - Runaway, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2019-11-05
  56. ^ Prunes, Mariano. "Dos Bandas y un Destino: El Concierto – Arizona Baby, Los Coronas | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  57. ^ O'Brien, Jon (2011-11-07). "Dermot O'Leary Presents the Saturday Sessions 2011 – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
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