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The Runaways (album)

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This article is about The Runaways (album). For disambiguation, see Runaway.

The Runaways
Studio album by
The Runaways
ReleasedMarch 16, 1976 (1976-03-16) (US)[1]
May 17, 1976 (1976-05-17) (US, stereo)[2]
October 25, 1976 (1976-10-25) (Japan)[3]
RecordedFebruary 1—8, 1976[4]
Studio
Genre
Length32:04
LabelMercury
ProducerKim Fowley
The Runaways chronology
The Runaways
(1976) 		Queens of Noise
(1977)
Singles from The Runaways
  1. "Cherry Bomb"
    Released: March 16, 1976 (US)[8]
    June 1976 (Canada)[9]
    September 1976 (France, Spain)[10]
    September 17, 1976 (UK, Austria)[10][11]
    October 1976 (Japan)[12]
  2. "Blackmail"
    Released: 1976 (Germany)[13][14]
  3. "Secrets"
    Released: November 25, 1976 (Japan)[15]

The Runaways is the debut studio album by American rock band The Runaways, released on March 16, 1976 through Mercury Records.[1]

According to multiple sources, including Cherie Currie (in her memoir Neon Angel), the liner notes of the 2003 Cherry Red Records reissue of The Runaways, and Jackie Fox herself, bassist Nigel Harrison played bass on the album, due to manager Kim Fowley refusing to let Fox play on the record.[16] Buick keyboardist Billy Bizeau played uncredited on the tracks "American Nights" and "Secrets".[citation needed] The Runaways was recorded in the first week of February 1976.[4]

The documentary film Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways states that the album's first track "Cherry Bomb" was written ad hoc during the audition of lead singer Cherie Currie and the title is a play on the pronunciation of Currie's first name. Currie was told to prepare a Suzi Quatro song for the audition; she picked "Fever", a song the band did not know how to play. Instead, guitarist Joan Jett and Fowley came up with the song and had Currie sing it for her audition.

On January 5, 2009, "Cherry Bomb" was ranked 52nd on VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs list.[17] A cover of "Cherry Bomb" is featured in the music video game Rock Band as a downloadable single track. The song also featured in the films Dazed and Confused, RV, Cherrybomb, The Runaways, and Guardians of the Galaxy, and is played in the opening scene of Margaret Cho's stand-up comedy DVD I'm the One That I Want.

"You Drive Me Wild" is featured in the 2010 film about the band. Actress Dakota Fanning covers "Cherry Bomb" as well as "Dead End Justice" with Kristen Stewart, as they portray Currie and Jett, respectively.[18]

Music ratings[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Soundsno rating[19]
Phonograph Recordno rating[20]
Record Worldno rating[21]
Billboardno rating[22]
Cashboxno rating[23]
New Musical Expressno rating[24]
Creemno rating[25]
ZigZagno rating[26]
Melody Makerno rating[27]
Record Mirrorno rating[28]
Stereo Reviewno rating[7]
Hit Paraderno rating[29]
Christgau's Record GuideC−[30]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[31]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[32]
MusicHound[33]
Collector’s Guide to Heavy Metal4/10[34]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[35]

AllMusic has praised the album (especially band members Cherie Currie, Joan Jett and Lita Ford), comparing the band's music to material by Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.[6]

Track listing[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Runaways (lead vocals is uncredited).[5]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Cherry Bomb"
Cherie Currie2:20
2."You Drive Me Wild"JettJett3:20
3."Is It Day or Night?"FowleyCurrie2:43
4."Thunder"
  • Mark Anthony
  • Kari Krome
Currie2:35
5."Rock and Roll"Lou ReedJett3:14
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
6."Lovers"
  • Jett
  • Fowley
Jett2:10
7."American Nights"
  • Anthony
  • Fowley
Currie3:15
8."Blackmail"
  • Jett
  • Fowley
Jett2:40
9."Secrets"
Currie2:47
10."Dead End Justice"
  • Scott Anderson
  • Currie
  • Fowley
  • Jett
Jett and Currie7:00
Total length:32:04

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Runaways (lead vocals is uncredited).[5]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1976—1977) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[36] 31
US Billboard 200[37] 194

External links[edit]

Publications in newspapers and magazines:

  • Kubernik, Harvey (July 17, 1976). "Runaway Girls". Melody Maker. Vol. 51, no. 29. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 18. ISSN 0025-9012.
  • Smith, Robin (November 5, 1977). "Devil Woman" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 6. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  • Young, Charles M. (October 10, 1976). "Run-Run-Run-Run Runaways". Crawdaddy!. New York: Crawdaddy Publishing Co. pp. 34–41. ISSN 0011-0833. Retrieved April 18, 2024.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b McDonnell, Evelyn (2013). Queens of Noise. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-306-82039-7.
  2. ^ "The Runaways – The Runaways (stereo)". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Runaways – Forbidden Rock And Roll Queen". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. London: Rough Guides. pp. 893. ISBN 1-84353-105-4. Retrieved March 25, 2024. THE RUNAWAYS was compressed heavy metal:…
  5. ^ a b c The Runaways (1976). The Runaways (liner notes). Mercury Records. SRM-1-1090 at Discogs.
  6. ^ a b c d e Henderson, Alex. "The Runaways – The Runaways review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Steve Simels (September 1976). "Popular Discs and Tapes: The Runaways: Punk Rock. The Runaways — The Runaways" (PDF). Stereo Review (magazine). Vol. 37, no. 3. New York: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. p. 91. ISSN 0039-1220. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Runaways - Cherry Bomb". Radio Flora TM. September 19, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  9. ^ "The Runaways - Cherry Bomb". 45cat.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "The Runaways - Cherry Bomb". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "The Runaways - Cherry Bomb". 45cat.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "The Runaways - Cherry Bomb". 45cat.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  13. ^ "The Runaways - Blackmail". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  14. ^ "The Runaways - Blackmail". 45cat.com. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Runaways – Secrets". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Michael Heatley (2003). The Runaways (reissue liner notes). The Runaways. London: Cherry Red Records. CDMRED 237.
  17. ^ Stosuy, Brandon (January 5, 2009). "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  18. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 26, 2010). ""The Runaways" Soundtrack: Stewart and Fanning, Plus Stooges, Bowie and More". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  19. ^ Edwards, Ben (May 1976). "The Runaways: The Runaways". Sounds. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  20. ^ Ben Edmonds (May 1976). "The Runaways: The Runaways". Phonograph Record. Retrieved April 10, 2024. via Rock’s Backpages (subscription required)
  21. ^ Album Picks: The Runaways — The Runaways (PDF). Vol. 31. New York: Record World Publications Inc. May 29, 1976. p. 28. ISSN 0034-1622. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2023.
  22. ^ Lee Zhito, ed. (May 29, 1976). "Top Album Picks: The Runaways – The Runaways" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 88, no. 22. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. p. 82. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  23. ^ Album Reviews: The Runaways — The Runaways (PDF). Vol. 38. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. June 5, 1976. p. 20. ISSN 0008-7289. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2023.
  24. ^ David Hepworth (June 26, 1976). "Platters: The Runaways: The Runaways (Mercury, Import)". New Musical Express. London: IPC Magazine Ltd. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved April 10, 2024. via Rock’s Backpages (subscription required)
  25. ^ Robot A. Hull (August 1976). "The Runaways: The Runaways". Creem. Birmingham, Michigan: Cambray Publishing, Inc. ISSN 0011-1147. Retrieved April 10, 2024. via Rock’s Backpages (subscription required)
  26. ^ Kris Needs. "Review: The Runaways — The Runaways". ZigZag. London: Goodhead Press Ltd. via Rock’s Backpages (subscription required) |url=https://www-rocksbackpages-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/Library/Article/the-runawaysi-the-runawaysi |date=September 1976 |access-date=2024-03-10}}
  27. ^ Maureen Paton (September 25, 1976). "Albums: Runaways — It's a Cop-Out. The Runaways — The Runaways (Mercury)". Melody Maker. Vol. 51, no. 39. London: IPC Magazines Ltd. p. 25. ISSN 0025-9012. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  28. ^ Rosalind Russell (September 25, 1976). "Albums: The Runaways: The Runaways (Mercury SRM 1 1090)" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Inc. p. 16. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  29. ^ James Spina (December 1976). "Spinaddict: The Runaways — The Runaways (Mercury)". Hit Parader. No. 149. Derby, Connecticut: Charlton Publications, Inc. p. 25. ISSN 0162-0266. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  30. ^ Robert Christgau (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  31. ^ Johnny Huston (1995). Eric Weisbard; Craig Marks (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 198—199. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  32. ^ Colin Larkin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. New York City: Muze UK Ltd. pp. 4688. ISBN 1-56159-237-4.
  33. ^ Allan Orski (1999). Gary Graff; Daniel Durchholz (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Vol. 2. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 963. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  34. ^ Martin Popoff (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector’s Guide Publishing. p. 235. ISBN 978-1-8949-5902-5.
  35. ^ Marc Coleman; Nathan Brackett; Christian Hoard (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4 ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 706. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  36. ^ David Kent (historian) (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 261. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  37. ^ "The Runaways Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
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