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.
Heartbeat
The Runaways Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thousands cheered as you appeared
The band was playing
We drove away that Saturday
I wanted you knew where you were staying
Backstage lied about my age
Didn't care that you were older
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Here you are a superstar
But I sing and play in my own way
You got your fans and I got mine
But I need your love that's the bottom line
I sing lead and so do you
Get together what will we do?
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Danced all night till the room was light
You said goodbye I wondered why
Radio played you couldn't stay
You'd miss your plane in the morning rain
Here I am in the limousine
Once again the lonely queen
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
"Heart Beat" by The Runaways is a song that talks about the plight of a young girl who is a big fan of a superstar rock band member. In the song, the singer describes how she feels about the band, and how she longs for the attention of the rock star. She describes how thousands of people cheered as he appeared on stage, and how she found herself in a state of awe. She recalls how she drove away with him one Saturday night, hoping that he would stay with her. However, she knew that she could never compete with fans who are crazier about him than she is.
The singer lies about her age just to be able to spend time with the band member, but she still couldn't get his attention. She laments how the rock star is a superstar, and she is just a girl who sings and plays in her own way. She sings a duet with the rock star, but she still feels like their pairing won't go anywhere. The song conveys a sense of loneliness, as the singer sings about her solitude in the limousine as the rock star leaves.
In conclusion, "Heart Beat" is a song that expresses the feeling of a lonely fan's unrequited love for her rock star idol, who is too famous and too busy to pay her any attention. The song is a perfect example of The Runaways' signature sound, which blends hard rock with punk rock influences. It highlights the band's knack for writing catchy hooks and delivering hard-hitting rock anthems, and also provides a portrait of the 70s LA rock scene from a female perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
Thousands cheered as you appeared
You received a lot of attention when you stepped out, and many people were enthusiastic about seeing you.
The band was playing
After you appeared, the musicians began to play.
We drove away that Saturday
On a particular Saturday, we left and went somewhere.
I wanted you knew where you were staying
I was concerned about you having a place to stay and making sure you were comfortable.
Backstage lied about my age
I fibbed about my age when we were behind the scenes.
Didn't care that you were older
In spite of your age being higher than mine, it didn't matter to me.
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Pay attention to me and my feelings.
Here you are a superstar
You're quite famous now.
But I sing and play in my own way
Nonetheless, I have my own unique style for singing and playing music.
You got your fans and I got mine
You have your own following of supporters, and likewise, I have my own group of admirers.
But I need your love that's the bottom line
Regardless of this, I require your affection, and that's the critical point.
I sing lead and so do you
Both of us are the principal vocalists of the band.
Get together what will we do?
Now that we're both here, what's our next move?
Danced all night till the room was light
We were dancing for hours until it was daybreak.
You said goodbye I wondered why
When you said goodbye, I was perplexed about why you were leaving.
Radio played you couldn't stay
The radio announced that you weren't permitted to remain any longer.
You'd miss your plane in the morning rain
If you didn't leave then, you'd miss your flight during the rainy morning.
Here I am in the limousine
I'm now sitting in a luxurious car by myself.
Once again the lonely queen
Again, I'm the desolate and unaccompanied queen figure.
Stop look listen to my heartbeat
Listen carefully to my own thoughts and feelings.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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