Del Shannon's Masterpiece | The Story of Runaway

"Runaway" topped the billboard charts for four consecutive weeks and was named as the number 5 song of 1961. It’s still mentioned in multiple lists, shows and movies.

In the late 50’s singer-guitarist Charles Westover led the Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band in his birthplace of Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1960 the group won a recording contract and Westover took a new stage name - Del Shannon.

Their first session for Big Top Records in New York City was a failure, so their manager Ollie McLaughlin persuaded them to re-record their song “Little Runaway”. On January 21st, 1961 “Runaway” was recorded at Bell Sound Studios with Harry Balk as producer. The tape was sped up causing a key change from A minor, to almost B-flat minor. The lyrics are from the point of view of a man, whose girlfriend had left. Typical themes for a song from that period are used, but the music is still very distinct. The break in the middle is played on a musitron – an instrument invented by the keyboardist, Max “Maximilian” Crook.

“Runaway” was released on February 18th, and was immediately successful. On April 10th, Shannon appeared on The American Bandstand, helping it to reach the first place. Two months later it reached the top in the UK. It was also number one in Australia, Canada, Chile and New Zealand.

In 1967, Del Shannon re-recorded the song for his solo album with John Paul Jones, Nicky Hopkins and Jimmy Page. In 1986 changed the song and added new lyrics for an intro to “Crime Story” – a television series, which took place in the early 60s. The song was also used in George Lucas’ “American Graffiti”, “Eddie and the Cruisers”, “Good Will Hunting”, “Siberia”, “The Sympathizer” and multiple times in “Dexter: New Blood”, where it also gave name to one of the episodes.

It was mentioned by Tom Petty, Genesis and The Echo and the Bunnymen in their songs.

Small Faces, Elvis, Bonnie Raitt and the Travelling Wilburys were some of the artists that covered the song.

“Runaway” remains one of the most influential and important songs ever made.

00:00 Intro
00:45 Charles Westover
01:25 Writing "Runaway"
04:25 The Legacy

[thatone]

Thank you for bringing more attention to Shannon. He’s criminally underrated and it saddens me how his career ended. It’s always nice to see some appreciation for him

[williamgunter]

I'm fortunate to have an original copy of the Big Top single from 1961. I inherited my father's original record collection a few years ago.😊😊😊😊

[tcaudiobooks]

Shout out to his song "Led Along". Absolute tune!

[patriciadrury]

Del was a lovely man and his wife Shirley went to there home in Northridge brilliant family so del rip❤❤❤

[SusanSandoval-bzgw]

I Love Del Shannon, his beautiful voice and all his song’s ❤

[TEXASdaughter]

Loved this song, remember it way back in 1961.

[whisper]

A song that helped shape my life. The first song I learned to sing...
I wish that I'd met him.

[lespritmanouche]

Del was a lovely guy - he used to hang out with us in Birmingham when he was in the UK.

[bgorg]

Great guitarist and guy. Hats off to Larry and Little Town Flirt were some of my favorites. I was brought up on the American Graffiti soundtrack and this was number 3 or 4 on that album. He died when I was a young teenager but I struck me as so heartfelt even as an 80s kid

[joegongora]

It proves that Del Shannon was also quite a guitar 🎸 player. Many were influenced by him like Elton John, The Beatles, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty. Many of his songs were ahead of its time like Max Crook’s Musitron was a forerunner to Synthesizer. The prime examples of Runaway and Hats Off To Larry. The Little Town Flirt had a Mersey beat style to it and the British Invasion hadn’t occurred yet. Handy Man and Do You Wanna Dance 💃 even though these songs were remakes with heavy Rock 🎸 treatments 😮. It influenced hard Rock 🎸 in later years, it was sad that record companies would always watered down his sound. The intensity of his music 🎼 always shown through. Del Shannon set the sound for Rock 🎸 music 🎵.

[libertyjustice]

The keyboard player made runaway what it became with that outstanding organ riff.

[GuitarlosCarlos]

I STILL DIG THIS GREAT SONG
I COVERED IT FOR MANY YEARS

CARLOS GUITARLOS 90942 USA

[attiliofiordirosa]

My older sister had this 45 when I first heard it I loved it I kept playing it over and over she's got so mad she took off the record player and broke it 😢I kick her I got no desert for a week.

[jasonsenator]

never noticed the keyboard synth thing