Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Run around Sue
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Ah, she likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Yeah keep away from this girl
I don't know what she'll doe
Keep away from Sue
She likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
Del Shannon's iconic song, "Runaround Sue," is a cautionary tale about a girl who can't seem to settle for one guy. The singer of the song laments about a girl he once knew who took his love and ran around with every single guy in town. He warns listeners to stay away from her and not fall for her charm, or else they'll end up with a broken heart, just like he did.
The lyrics are simple, but they're also relatable, as many people have experienced heartbreak at the hands of someone who couldn't commit. The melody is catchy, with a vintage rock-and-roll vibe that perfectly captures the spirit of the 1960s. Del Shannon's smooth vocals add to the song's charm and make it a classic that has stood the test of time.
One interesting fact about "Runaround Sue" is that it was co-written by Ernie Maresca, who also wrote the hit song, "The Wanderer." Both songs have a similar theme of a girl who likes to play the field and can't be tamed. Another interesting fact is that the song was originally titled, "Runaway Sue," but it was changed to "Runaround Sue" to avoid confusion with Del Shannon's hit song, "Runaway."
"Runaround Sue" was released in 1961 and quickly became a chart-topping hit. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for one week. It also reached #1 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart and #3 on the R&B chart. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Dion, who had a hit with his version in 1978.
The chords for "Runaround Sue" are G-D-Em-C for the verses and G-D-C for the chorus.
In summary, "Runaround Sue" is a classic rock-and-roll song that captures the heartache of falling for someone who can't be tamed. It's a cautionary tale that has stood the test of time and continues to be a beloved hit.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's my story, it's sad but true
I have a story to tell that is both melancholic and factual
It's about a girl that I once knew
It's concerning a girl I was previously acquainted with
She took my love then ran around
She played with my emotions then started dating other men
With every single guy in town
She had affairs with almost every man in the area
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
I should have realized her true nature at the beginning
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
This girl will abandon me with a ruined spirit
Now listen people what I'm telling you
Pay attention to the advice I'm giving you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from a woman who cheats on her partners
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
I might reminisce about her physical features and her expression
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
The way her hair felt and the comfort of her hug
So if you don't want to cry like I do
If you don't want to feel the sadness I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Stay away from a woman who can't be loyal
Ah, she likes to travel around
She enjoys moving from place to place
She'll love you and she'll put you down
She'll show affection to you but bring you down later
Now people let me put you wise
Now let me give you a piece of useful information
Sue goes out with other guys
Sue goes on dates with other men
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
This is the conclusion and message from someone with experience
I fell in love and my love still grows
I developed genuine feelings for her and those feelings persist
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Anyone who is familiar with her will tell you
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Stay away from a woman who has a history of being unfaithful
Yeah keep away from this girl
Absolutely refrain from being involved with her
I don't know what she'll do
I have no idea what she is capable of
Keep away from Sue
Have no contact with Sue whatsoever
Stay away from that girl
Don't go near her
Don't you know what she'll do now
Don't you realize what she is going to do?
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: DION DI MUCCI, ERNIE MARESCA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pedroasencios1163
Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Ah, she likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Yeah keep away from this girl
I don't know what she'll doe
Keep away from Sue
She likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
@Cultura-Pop-Universal
Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
ohhhh ohhhho ohhhhh
Ah, she likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Yeah keep away from this girl
I don't know what she'll doe
Keep away from Sue
She likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
@staveproduction2662
Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Ah, she likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Yeah keep away from this girl
I don't know what she'll doe
Keep away from Sue She likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
@tonyaelliott4070
What an amazing talent Del Shannon was. I may not know much but I know talent when I hear it. I loved you Del Shannon and always will!
@sunryse111
Thousands agree with you, Tonya.
@theccpisaparasite8813
Yes he was. He really shine here. Outstanding cover. Brought instantly to my mind how damned good Dion was (is)
@fhb3
Del Shannon's version of "Runaround Sue" and Dion's cover of "Runaway" have basically made the musical universe fall in on itself...
And I love EVERY minute of it. Well done!
@sunryse111
Thanks Felix - a spectacular comment.
@doom2urlife303
@The CCP is a parasite I always thought del shannons version was first? was it Dion? damn 5yrs ago you aint gonna see this but maybe someone will lol
@pedroasencios1163
Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love then ran around
With every single guy in town
Yeah I should have known it from the very start
This girl will leave me with a broken heart
Now listen people what I'm telling you
A keep away from a Runaround Sue
I might miss her lips and the smile on her face
The touch of her hair and this girl's warm embrace
So if you don't want to cry like I do
A keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Ah, she likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
Sue goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from-a Runaround Sue
Yeah keep away from this girl
I don't know what she'll doe
Keep away from Sue
She likes to travel around
She'll love you and she'll put you down
Now people let me put you wise
She goes out with other guys
Here's the moral and the story from the guy who knows
I fell in love and my love still grows
Ask any fool that she ever knew, they'll say
Keep away from a Runaround Sue
Stay away from that girl
Don't you know what she'll do now
@TigerRogers0660
I might be in the minority but i've always loved Del's version of this! Thumbs up Victor! Cheers Tiger.
@sunryse111
+Tiger Moth I love all his stuff, Tiger. Thanks for the thumbs up.
@samael5552
same