"Runaround Sue" is a

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song (in a modified

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, ...

style), originally a US No. 1

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

hit (No. 4 on the Hot R&B chart) for the singer Dion during 1961, after he split with the Belmonts. It was written by Dion with Ernie Maresca, and tells the story of a disloyal lover. The song ranked No. 351 on the ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' list of " The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2002, Dion was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "Runaround Sue".

Dion version

Writing and recording

According to Dion, he started to put the song together at an informal party for a friend's birthday, where he started improvising lyrics and encouraged his friends to add doo-wop background harmonies to a clapping rhythm. He then took the idea to his friend, budding songwriter Ernie Maresca, and they developed the tune and lyrics together. Having recently split with the Belmonts, Dion then discovered another vocal group, the Del-Satins, and they rehearsed the song. The co-owner of Laurie Records (Gene Schwartz) liked the song, and it was recorded in summer 1961 at Bell Sound Studios in New York City. The lyrics are sung from the point of view of a man whose former girlfriend, named Sue, was extremely unfaithful. He warns all potential lovers to avoid her at all costs, as Sue "runs around" with every guy she meets and never settles down with any man in particular. He advises: "now people let me put you wise, Sue goes out with other guys" and suggests that potential suitors should "keep away from Runaround Sue". Dion stated in his autobiography ''The Wanderer'', that although his wife's name was Susan, "Runaround Sue" had nothing to do with her. Elsewhere he stated that the name Sue was of a girl he had admired from a distance, and that "her name fit the lyric line perfectly." However, during a 1990 interview with his wife on ''

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'', they presented the story that the song ''was'' indeed about her. In the same autobiography, he stated that the inspiration for the song came from the song " Quarter to Three" by Gary U.S. Bonds, which had recently been released. The musicians included: * Teacho Wiltshire – piano * Buddy Lucas – saxophone *

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– guitar * Bucky Pizzarelli – rhythm guitar * Milt Hinton – bass *

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– drums

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Leif Garrett cover

"Runaround Sue" was covered by then 15-year-old Leif Garrett in 1977. The song was the second of four releases from his debut album, all of which became U.S. chart hits. All four songs were covers of major hits from 1959 to 1963, including Dion's two biggest hits. Of the four, "Runaround Sue" was the most successful for Garrett. In early 1978, his version reached No. 13 on ''Billboard'' and No. 18 on ''

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''. The song also reached No. 15 in Canada. On WLS in Chicago, "Runaround Sue" reached No. 1 for one week and was ranked at No. 42 for the year. Garrett was born during the chart run of Dion's original version of "Runaround Sue," in the fall of 1961. Garrett's cover of the song hit the charts the week of his 16th birthday.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Other cover versions and samples

* An answer song "I'm No Run Around", with the same melody but different lyrics, was released in 1961 by Ginger Davis and the Snaps. * Doug Sheldon's version reached No. 33 in the UK charts in 1961 (tailing behind " The Twist" at No. 32). *

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including the Twist, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' R&B song " The Twis ...

covered the song on his 1962 album '' For 'Teen Twisters Only''. * In 1962, Yugoslav group Bijele Strijele released the

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cover of the song, entitled "Svi trče oko Sue". * In 1963,

Del Shannon Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one ''Billboard'' hit " Runaway", which was covered la ...

covered the song on his album Little Town Flirt. Dion also covered Del Shannon’s biggest solo hit, Runaway, in 2008. * In 1977, Australian group Ol' 55 covered the song on their album '' Fiveslivejive''. * In 1980, English group Racey released a cover version which reached No. 13 on the UK charts. * John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band covered the song in 1983 for the movie '' Eddie and the Cruisers''. *

Gary Glitter Paul Francis Gadd (born 8 May 1944), better known by his stage name Gary Glitter, is an English former singer who achieved fame and success during the 1970s and 1980s. His career ended after he was convicted of downloading child pornography i ...

covered the song on ''C'mon... C'mon: The Gary Glitter Party Album'' (1997). * G-Eazy sampled the song on his 2011

mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...

'' The Endless Summer''. *

Human Nature Human nature comprises the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of Thought, thinking, feeling, and agency (philosophy), acting—that humans are said to have nature (philosophy), naturally. The term is often used to denote ...

covered the song on their 2014 album '' Jukebox''. * Roberto Carlos recorded a Portuguese version called "Fim de Amor". * Houndmouth covered the song in their performance for

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. * An answer song, entitled "Stay-At-Home Sue", was recorded by Linda Laurie. * The Fratellis released a cover on the deluxe version of '' Half Drunk Under a Full Moon''.

References

External links

The Story behind Runaround Sue

Official audio
{{Authority control 1961 songs 1961 singles 1977 singles Songs written by Ernie Maresca Songs written by Dion DiMucci Dion DiMucci songs Leif Garrett songs Racey songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Atlantic Records singles Song recordings produced by Michael Lloyd Doo-wop songs Songs about heartache Songs about infidelity Number-one singles in Canada Number-one singles in New Zealand Laurie Records singles