runaway

Charles Westover and Max Crook hit the top of the charts with this song that had people wa-wa-wa-wa-wondering what instrument they were playing. Del Shannon was the stage name that Westover took and his keyboard player Crook called himself Maximilian. The unique sound of the song came from "the Musitron", a monophonic synthesizer Crook built out of a clavioline which he adapted using additional resistors, television tubes, old amplifiers, reel-to-reel tape machines, and parts from household appliances. The track was recorded in a day at Bell Studios. Producer Harry Balk sped up the recording so that the pitch went from A minor to just under B flat minor. 'Runaway' was a number one single on both sides of the pond.

www.delshannon.com

As I walk along I wonder a-what went wrong

With our love, a love that was so strong

And as I still walk on, I think of the things we've done

Together, a-while our hearts were young

I'm a-walkin' in the rain

Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain

Wishin' you were here by me

To end this misery

And I wonder

I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder

Why

Ah-why-why-why-why-why she ran away

And I wonder where she will stay

My little runaway, run-run-run-run-runaway

I'm a-walkin' in the rain

Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain

Wishin' you were here by me

To end this misery

And I wonder

I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder

Why

Ah-why-why-why-why-why she ran away

And I wonder where she will stay

My little runaway, run-run-run-run-runaway

A-run-run-run-run-runaway

from 'American Graffitti'