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.
Waitin' for the Night
The Runaways Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're waitin' for the night
Goin' out is what we're about
We're waitin' for the night
Friends and foes movin' fast and movin' slow
We're waitin' for the night
Hangin' around so astounded
Waitin' for the night
Waitin' for the night
Days are taken
Waitin' for the night
At the hall havin' a ball
Waitin' for the night
Don't care, don't care at all
Cause we've seen, we've seen it all
Waitin' for the night
Waitin' for the night
Waitin' for the night
Days are taken
Waitin' for the night
The Runaways' "Waitin' for the Night" is an anthem of rebellion and youthful impatience with the mundane grind of everyday life. The lyrics describe a group of friends who are eager to escape from their gray, monotonous reality and embrace the excitement and unpredictability of the night. The first two lines, "Shades of gray don't fade away/They're waitin' for the night," encapsulate this sentiment perfectly, as they suggest that even the dullness of the day is simply an anticipation of the brighter, more intense experiences that the night will bring.
The rest of the verses describe the various ways in which the characters are "waitin' for the night." They're "movin' fast and movin' slow," "hangin' around so astounded," and "havin' a ball" at the hall. In each case, the night represents a release from the constraints of everyday life, a chance to be free and fully alive in the moment. The chorus repeats the phrase "waitin' for the night" over and over, emphasizing the urgency of the characters' desire to escape into the darkness.
Overall, "Waitin' for the Night" is a celebration of all the things that make youth so exciting - the rebellion, the possibility, and the sense of infinite potential. The Runaways capture this feeling perfectly in their lyrics, which are both simple and profound in their expression of youthful longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Shades of gray don't fade away
Uncertainty and ambiguity are constant, they don't vanish
They're waitin' for the night
Everyone is waiting for the darkness to come, to reveal more about themselves
Goin' out is what we're about
Our primary goal is to go out and explore
We're waitin' for the night
But we can't do it in broad daylight
Friends and foes movin' fast and movin' slow
Some people belong to our group, others don't; but their actions differ as well
We're waitin' for the night
And we won't find out until it's dark outside
Hangin' around so astounded
We're here, waiting, with our jaws dropped in amazement
Waitin' for the night
We're just sitting tight for the nightfall to occur
Waitin' for the night
We're just sitting tight for the nightfall to occur
Days are taken
Days feel disproportionately longer
Waitin' for the night
The night holds special secrets that cannot be uncovered during the day
At the hall havin' a ball
We're currently having fun at the venue, probably dancing
Waitin' for the night
But we're really looking forward to the night's festivities
Don't care, don't care at all
We don't care about anything else but what's happening tonight
Cause we've seen, we've seen it all
We've been around the block, there's nothing else to see
Waitin' for the night
So we're anticipating what new experience this night will bring
Waitin' for the night
So we're anticipating what new experience this night will bring
Days are taken
Days feel disproportionately longer
Waitin' for the night
But we'll endure them for what the night has in store
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARI LEE MITCHELL, JOAN JETT, KIM FOWLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind