Compiled mostly to take advantage of the title track single's number one chart position, Del Shannon's debut album came out as one of the few great Rock And Roll albums to be released in America in 1961. Runaway, a forlorn tale of lost love, its rippling piano accompaniment driven by guitar, saxophone and bass rhythm section, guaranteed him a place in the annals of rock'n'roll. While his vocal style, which veered from silky smooth to a wicked rasp before taking off into a soaring falsetto, became his trump card, Runaway also features a surreal, unearthly electronic keyboard solo that gave this single a unique flavour. But there's way more here to appreciate: the opening track "Misery," a catchy Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman number that shows off Shannon in the same pained, romantic mode as "Runaway," "Jody", "Day Dreams" and "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" (made world famous just a few month's later by the almighty Elvis Presley!) are just a few of the numerous cuts included in an album that played a sole part in the transition from rock and roll to 60's pop music.
Tracks - Side A: 1. Misery 2. Day Dreams 3. His Latest Flame 4. The Prom 5. The Search 6. Runaway. Side B: 1. I Wake Up Crying 2. Wide Wide World 3. I'll Always Love You 4. Lies 5. He Doesn't Care 6. Jody.
