Sunday, 23 October 2016

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 297 - Dion

Runaround Sue - Dion
Laurie Records
Released 1961
US Chart #11

For some strange reason the person who uploaded this album has The Wanderer as the last track on the album. It was actually the 5th Track on Side One of the Original Album.

Labels for the Original Release
Side 1
Side 2

Singles on Runaround Sue

July 1961
US Chart #103

September 1961
US Chart #1*

*It was on this day in 1961 that the single Top the US Chart
 
The UK Release was on Top Rank International

UK Chart #11

November 1961
US Chart #36

The Majestic was the original A-Side but Radio Stations seemed to prefer The Wanderer on the B-Side. The single has two chart placings one for The Majectic and the other The Wanderer with the former B-Side coming out in the best chart postition.

The Wanderer / The Majestic
November 1961
US Chart  #3

The UK Release was on His Master's Voice

UK Chart #10

*******************
Dion DiMucci had enjoyed much success with Dion & The Belmonts between 1957-60 and it looked like that was to continue with his debut Solo single Lonely Teenager / Little Miss Blue (Laurie Records 1960) which reached #12 in the charts. But follow-up singles Havin' Fun / Northeast End of The Corner (Laurie Records 1961) and Kissin' Game / Heaven Help Me (Laurie Records 1961) both failed to chart. His debut Solo Album, Alone With Dion, didn't chart either.

Things were about to change when Dion hooked up with The Del-Satins. The New York based group had released a debut single in 1960 (I'll Pray For You) and signed with Laurie Records in 1961 and are probably best remembered for the stella back up harmonies on the hit singles of Dion that were to follow (though often without credit) beginning with Runaround Sue, which was also his first Solo hit in the UK. In the US it hit the top spot on this very day in 1961.

For the follow-up single the label chose The Majestic (which is one of my favourite Dion songs by the way) but it was the B-Side The Wanderer that was getting a lot of attention and airplay! Can you believe that, The Wanderer, originally a B-Side! When it was released in the UK The Wanderer was the clear A-Side and made it to #10 on the charts.

So good to listen to this again. I've been a big fan of Dion DiMucci since I was a kid. I loved the Dion & The Belmonts singles and of course many of the hits that Dion enjoyed as a solo artist. In the past 16 years he's released a number of brilliant albums - here's some links to a few tracks from them: Déjà Nu (2000), Bronx in Blue (2006), Son of Skip James (2007), Tank Full of Blues (2011), New York Is My Home (2016). He's still playing live and making great new music in 2016 aged 77!



Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!
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