1961 - Runnaway (Del Shannon)

Runnaway

"Runaway" was Del Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook and became a major international hit for Shannon in 1961.

The song was released in February and immediately became very successful. In April, Shannon appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand helping to catapult it to the #1 spot on the Billboard charts where it remained for 4 weeks (April - May 1961). It first top the UK chart briefly in May for 1 week and resurfaced later to reached #1 for 3 weeks (June - July 1961).

The instrumental break in the song is by Max Crook who played a clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron.

Among the artistes who have covered the songs are Lawrence Welk, Small Faces, Bonnie Raitt and Travelling Wilburys.

Lyrics:

As I walk along,
I wonder what went wrong,
With our love, a love that was so strong.
And as I still walk on,
I think of the things we've done
Together, a-while our hearts were young.

I'm a-walkin' in the rain,
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain,
Wishin' you were here by me,
To end this misery
And I wonder--
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder,
Why,
Why, why, why, why, why she ran away,
Yes, and I wonder,
A-where she will stay-ay,
My little runaway,
Run, run, run, run, runaway.

(instrumental break)

I'm a-walkin' in the rain,
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain,
Wishin' you were here by me,
To end this misery
And I wonder--
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder,
Why,
Why, why, why, why, why she ran away,
Yes, and I wonder,
A-where she will stay-ay,
My little runaway,
Run, run, run, run, runaway.
Run, run, run, run, runaway.
Run, run, run, run, runaway.