'Runaway' by Del Shannon: The making of the breathtaking breakup anthem

12 May 2025, 14:46

How Del Shannon made one of the ultimate hits of the 1960s.

Born Charles Weedon Westover, Del Shannon recorded a string of classic tracks across the 1960s.

There were self-penned hits like 'Hats Off To Larry' and 'Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)', as well as fine covers, like his versions of The Beatles' 'From Me To You' and Bobby Freeman's 'Do You Wanna Dance'.

• Del Shannon's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked
• The 25 best love songs of the 1960s, ranked
• Listen to the Gold Radio 60s Live Playlist on Global Player, the official Gold app

The best known and best song was his very first single, 'Runaway'.

Do you know who wrote the song, where it got in the charts, or what the funny instrument is in the break?

Read on for everything you might want to know about one of the all-time great debuts.

Who wrote 'Runaway'?

Del Shannon - Runaway (Original) 1961

Del Shannon was the rhythm guitarist in Michigan band The Moonlight Ramblers, and when their leader Doug DeMott was fired, Del took over.

Max Crook joined the band in 1959, and with it his brought his own invention, the Musitron (more on that later).

They were signed to BigTop records but after some failed recording sessions, their manager Ollie McLaughlin urged them to dig out an older number, then called 'Little Runaway', not least because it was a great showcase for what Max could do.

The song is credited to both Del Shannon and Max Cook.

Is that a stylophone on 'Runaway' or some other instrument?

Max Crook ( Del Shannon's keyboard player on Runaway )

As well as the catchy melody, heartbreaking lyrics and Del Shannon's plaintive voice, the thing that leaps out when you listen to 'Runaway' is the quirky sound of the instrument in the break.

That sound didn't come from Del, or session guitarists Al Caiola, Al Casamenti and Bucky Pizzarell, pianist Moe Wechsler, bass player Milt Hinton or drummer Joe Marshall.

It certainly didn't come from a Stylophone. Brian Jarvis only invented the handheld keyboard in 1967 and Dubreq only started making them the following year.

Runaway

The otherworldly warble came from Max Crook and his Musitron, an instrument he had invented himself.

Well, we say invented. It was actually a heavily modified Clavioline, or at least very much based on one. The Clavioline was an early analogue synthesiser that had been invented back in 1947 by French engineer Constant Martin.

Whatever the exact makeup of the instrument, the 'Runaway' solo was one the very first synthesiser solos to appear on a bona fide hit record.

What do the lyrics of 'Runaway' actually mean?

'Runaway' is a song of heartbreak and loss.

It's not nearly as bitter or vengeful as his 'Hats Off To Larry' ("Hats off to Larry, he broke your heart / Just like you broke mine, When you said we must part").

Instead, it's about our fella who walks along in the rain (of course) in tears, feeling distraught that his love is lost, wishing that she was back with him to end his misery.

Sob!

When was 'Runaway' released and where did it get in the charts?

'Runaway' was recorded on January 21, 1961, and released less than a month later on February 18.

It raced to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and also topped the UK charts (both the NME and Record Retailer charts).

It was the fourth-biggest selling song of the year in the UK and fifth-best selling in the US.

The album era wasn't quite what it was to become by the middle of the decade, but the song was also included on the album Runaway with Del Shannon, released in June.

What was Del Shannon's 'Runaway 67' and the Crime Story version all about?

Runaway '67 (Remastered 2006)

Del Shannon was so much more than 'Runaway', but it was also a hit of such size and quality that it was hard to escape it.

As well as being a constant in his live setlist, Del actually returned to the song more than once.

He completely re-recorded it in 1967 for his Home & Away album, but 'Runaway '67' and the other singles flopped so badly that the other songs didn't even see the light of day until 1978.

Del Shannon - Runaway (Crime Story) (HD)

In fact, Home & Away was only released as a proper standalone album in 2006, long after Shannon's death in 1990.

Four years before his passing, Shannon re-recorded 'Runaway' again, for the NBC TV show Cime Story.

The Dennis Farina-starring series was set in the early 1960s, which made Shannon a perfect choice for the theme.

The lyrics were slightly tweaked to fit the show ("Watchin' all the plays go by/Some live and others die") and the Musitron switched out for the stomping sax and guitar.

Who has covered 'Runaway'?

Runaway (Mono Version)

Beyond Del's own reworkings, 'Runaway' has been covered a LOT.

As early as 1962, an instrumental take by Lawrence Welk and His Orchestra charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Small Faces covered the song for their From the Beginning album, while Bonnie Raitt released her take as a single and a track on Sweet Forgiveness. There have been versions by The Shirelles, The Shadows and Jim Carroll.

Runaway (Live)

Elvis Presley performed 'Runaway' in concert and Jeff Lynne sung it with the Travelling Wilburys, who Shannon was once tipped to join as a replacement for Roy Orbison after The Big O's death in 1988.

More recent covers have come from Kasabian, Avenged Sevenfold and Misfits.