Miserlou by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones holds a special place in my heart. If I were to start listing all the reasons, this post would go on for pages. I’ll just tell you one:

I met Dick Dale in 1962, and I was so impressed by both the man and his music that I have never forgotten how important it all was to my musical development. He made me want to learn to play guitar.

In that year, at the age of 13, I entered my freshman year of high school. It was a tradition at my new school that they held a “Freshman Welcome Dance” in the gym. The first live performance by a star act I ever saw was that of Dick Dale and His Del-Tones.

While Dick Dale had been recording and performing for a couple of years already, and had an album out, his recording of Miserlou had only just hit the airwaves locally. It was to become his signature tune, and we at that dance were among the first ever to hear it performed live.

A video is worth a thousand words. Here is a vid that shows Dick Dale and His Del-Tones very much as they were on stage that night at my high school

Watch Dick Dale and His Del-Tones Live

During the show, after about three songs, Dick Dale addressed the audience and asked that we please hold our applause between songs. He explained that if it weren’t for us, he would be just another wannabe musician, and that he felt he should be the one applauding us, not the other way around.

Dick Dale and His Del Tones played over two hours that night. While on a between-set break, Dick came over to the refreshment stand and asked for a lemonade. He also asked if he should get the Milk Duds or the Junior Mints. I told him he should go for the Junior Mints, since the Milk Duds gummed up the mouth. He laughed and took the Junior Mints. He actually paid me for what he got. And gave me a tip “for the advice.” Imagine a rock star doing that today!

I could go on and on about Dick Dale, but suffice it to say that he is a true star, and a gentleman. If any oldies but goodies artist deserved to have his music listened to and downloaded, it’s Dick Dale!

Dick Dale’s First Album: Surfer’s Choice

My Personal Favorite: Summer Surf

The Whole Enchilada: Guitar Legends: The Very Best Of Dick Dale

All Dick Dale Downloads: Dick Dale MP3 Catalog

Fender Dick Dale Stratocaster Electric Guitar R37392

“Runaway” by Del Shannon was recorded during a one-day session and released as a single in January of 1961. It reached the #1 position on the Billboard (US) chart in April of that year. It immediately became a rock ‘n’ roll classic. I suppose you could say it was a “runaway hit.”

Some songs become personal favorites because they have particular meaning. I associate them with specific events or circumstances in life. Others are just great songs, period. “Runaway” by Del Shannon is an example of the latter. In 1961, “Runaway” had what I thought was a unique sound, as compared to what else was popular at the time.

Del Shannon‘s voice was incredible. His range could go from a brooding growl to a piercing falsetto and back again in an instant. The song itself had such a catchy melody it was hard to resist. Lyrically, “Runaway” portrayed the requisite teen angst of breakup common at the time, which (at the age of 12) wasn’t a factor for me.

But I think what really hit me about “Runaway” was that instrumental bridge. It was provided by Max Crook, a keyboardist, playing his own invention, the musitron. It was an early version of a synthesizer, and had a totally unique sound in its day.

“Runaway” by Del Shannon is more than just an oldie but goodie. It’s a legitimate baby boomer rock ‘n’ roll classic. It was re-recorded and re-released by Del Shannon himself twice – first in 1967, as “Runaway ’67,” and again in 1986, with new lyrics, to be the opening theme for the television series Crime Story (1986 – 1988). “Runaway” has also been covered by The Ventures, as an instrumental, by Bonnie Raitt and by The Traveling Wilburys, with Jeff Lynne re-creating Max Crook’s musitron solo note-for-note. In 2009, “Runaway” by Del Shannon was used in an episode of the TV series Heroes (ep. 21, season 3).

Until recently, I had only ever heard “Runaway” in its original mono version. I was totally overjoyed to find an actual stereo release on a CD called Radio Gold, where it’s listed as an “alternate stereo take.” The sound had been digitally re-mastered, and sounded better than ever. Much of Del Shannon’s back catalog has since been re-issued and may still be available.

Del Shannon, having suffered bouts of alcoholism and depression, committed suicide on February 8, 1990. The music world lost one of its greats.

Recommended Del Shannon:

1. 25 All-Time Greatest Hits (Sample/Purchase)

2. Runaway With Del Shannon (Sample/Purchase/Download)

3. Complete Career Anthology (Purchase)