The Runaways were formed in late 1975 by drummer Sandy West and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett after they had both introduced themselves to producer Kim Fowley, who gave Jett’s phone number to West. The two met on their own at West’s home and later called Fowley to let him hear the outcome. Fowley then helped the girls find other members. Two decades later he said, “I didn’t put The Runaways together, I had an idea, they had ideas, we all met, there was combustion and out of five different versions of that group came the five girls who were the ones that people liked.”
Starting as a power trio with singer/bassist Micki Steele, The Runaways began the party and club circuit around Los Angeles. They soon added lead guitarist Lita Ford who had originally auditioned for the bass spot. Steele got fired from the group, later resurfacing in The Bangles. Local bassist Peggy Foster took over on bass but left after a month. Lead singer Cherie Currie was found and recruited in a local teen nightclub called the Sugar Shack, followed by Jackie Fox (who had originally auditioned for the lead guitar spot) on bass.
The band's lineup was:
* Cherie Currie, lead vocals and keyboards
* Joan Jett, rhythm guitar and vocals
* Lita Ford, lead guitar
* Jackie Fox, bass guitar and vocals
* Sandy West, drums and vocals
Despite the apparent "jailbait on the run" gimmick, the girls in the band were proficient at playing their instruments and wrote or co-wrote most of the band's material and, as later became obvious, were serious about their music. Their best known song is 1976's "Cherry Bomb" which has been covered by many other bands, including the punk band Bratmobile.
The Runaways made five albums and went through several personnel changes. Michael Steele was briefly part of the band before their first album, and later joined The Bangles. In 1977 Vicki Blue replaced Jackie Fox on bass guitar and Joan Jett took over as lead singer after the departure of Cherie Currie. In 1978 Laurie McAllister replaced Vicki Blue. The band broke up in 1979.
Jett and Ford both went on to achieve substantial success as solo artists in the 1980s. Currie went on to a briefly successful career as an actress, appearing in "Foxes" with Jodie Foster, before falling into heavy drug use. She later recovered and wrote an autobiography, "Neon Angel". West continued with music, sometimes playing with her former bandmates. Fox went to UCLA and Harvard Law School and became an entertainment attorney.
There was some progress made towards a Runaways reunion at the end of the 1990s, but this was killed off by Lita Ford who backed out at the planning stage, to the disgust of Jett. Currie did join Jett onstage in 2001 to sing "Cherry Bomb", the first time they had performed together in close to 25 years.
In 2004 Vicki Blue directed a feature-length documentary named "Edgeplay - A Film About The Runaways". The film includes interviews with most of the band members as well as producer Kim Fowley.
Drummer and vocalist Sandy West died on October 21, 2006 of lung cancer, at age 47.
The Runaways paved the way for female oriented punk bands like X-Ray Spex, Bikini Kill and most recently, The Donnas.
Most recently a movie called "The Runaways" was released starring Dakota Fanning as Currie and Kristen Stewart as Jett.
Joan Jett and Cherie Currie re-recorded "Cherry Bomb" for the video game "Guitar Hero Warriors Of Rock.
California Paradise
The Runaways Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn up that radio
Hear the rock and roll
Malibu shines like summer gold
Wild beaches
In the salty wind
California summers never end
California - you're so nice
California - your paradise
The kids are ripping up the streets
In their super cars
All night parties and loud guitars
Hot hot neighbourhoods
Its the silver sound
Wicked Hollywood goes round and round
California - you're so nice
California - your paradise
The Runaways song, "California Paradise" is a classic rock and roll ode to the lifestyle and culture of California. The song's opening line, "turn up that radio, hear the rock and roll" invites the listener to join the band on a journey through the rock and roll paradise that is California. The lyrics conjure the image of a hot summer day on Malibu beach, where the sunshine is bright and the waves breaking against the shore are wild and free. The song paints a vivid picture of a California summer, where the salty winds blowing off the Pacific Ocean are a constant presence and the parties never end.
The second verse of the song describes the scene on the streets of California. The kids are driving their supercars and the sound of loud guitars can be heard everywhere. The hot neighborhoods are filled with the silver sound of rock and roll music, and the wicked excitement of Hollywood is never far away. The song's chorus repeats the refrain, "California - you're so nice, California - your paradise" with a sense of awe and reverence for the state that embodies the very idea of rock and roll freedom and adventure.
Overall, "California Paradise" captures the iconoclastic spirit of the 1970s rock and roll movement, which was a time of rebellion, experimentation, and a rejection of the traditional values of the mainstream culture. The song is a love letter to the California lifestyle, where anything is possible and the music is always playing.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn up that radio
Increase the volume of the radio
Hear the rock and roll
Listen to the genre of music called rock and roll
Malibu shines like summer gold
The coastal city of Malibu has a radiance similar to that of a bright golden summer day
Wild beaches
Beaches that are considered untamed and untrodden
In the salty wind
Where the wind is permeated with salt or having the taste or smell of the mineral salt
California summers never end
It feels like summers in California do not finish or have no conclusion at any point in time
California - you're so nice
California, you're a great location with delightful characteristics
California - your paradise
California, you're a place where everything is perfect and ideal
The kids are ripping up the streets
The young people are causing mayhem or destruction in the streets
In their super cars
They are doing it while driving extremely powerful or luxurious cars
All night parties and loud guitars
Parties that last from dusk until dawn and filled with loud electric guitars
Hot hot neighbourhoods
Districts that are known for their popularity, attractiveness, and trendiness
Its the silver sound
This is the significant or distinguished sound emblematic of the music industry in California, particularly in Hollywood
Wicked Hollywood goes round and round
The notorious people or activity prevalent in Hollywood keeps happening time and time again
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOAN JETT, KARI KROME, KIM FOWLEY, SANDY WEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind