Del Shannon, "Runaway," on Letterman, February 10, 1987

[@Ben__P]

Paul Shaffer is ROCKIN that keyboard... OMG!!!

[@raggededge82]

Paul is a world-class musician and having him on Late Night / Late Show was such an amazing luxury for the fans.

[@Nestor123057]

Yes, he nailed that solo.

[@jamesharris184]

Timeless. Paul knows this is a very very big deal and is loving it and so are we.

[@mhildack]

So true. I love that all of these old late night clips are available

[@cakins1986]

Paul would have been 12 when this song released. I'm sure it meant a lot to him growing up as an aspiring musician and pianist/keyboardist.

[@tomford6136]

What a pro! Strolls onstage like a boss and proceeds to blow the roof off of the dump! All with a grin and a sense of joy that is wonderful to see.

[@billj696]

I can just imagine how many times Del performed that song live. And he still put his heart into it on Letterman without resorting to lip synching.

[@aarenmyatt4509]

I heard it was one of his big gripes in life being known for 1 song, real fans know many but it's probably a common sentiment in the old entertainment industry. Del Shannon is one of my favorites. I loved his 1950's style in this performance with the coat and everything.

[@madambutterfly7513]

R I P Del Shannon, you were loved by millions, we will never forget you!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@marcob6880]

"when our hearts were young" what a great line

[@terrietackett8964]

A legend.....It was so tragic that three years later he ended his life due to a lifelong struggle with Bipolar Depression.. RIP, Del . 💔💔

[@davidmann4533]

I to have fought my whole life with bipolar depression God bless you Dell Shannon You are keeping me alive thank you

[@izumiasmr]

just a random drunk comment! keep it up! tomorrow I wake up sober, drink a bit more.. and join you to the struggle & love with the life!

[@Traveler311]

That's horrible!! He was so talented.

[@dmimcg]

he only killed himself AFTER he was prescribed Prozac.

[@TowGunner]

It’s been reported by his wife that Del was stressed due to pushing himself to finish a new album and schedule upcoming concerts. His doctor advised him to take Prozac. 15 days later, he shot himself. “He was very much in charge of his business, but within days after he started taking Prozac I noticed a personality change in him. He developed severe insomnia, extreme fatigue, chills, racing heart, dry mouth, and upset stomach," testified LeAnne Westover, Shannon's widow. "Suicide was totally out of character for my husband. There was no note and no goodbye." As usual, doctors getting payouts from big pharma to prescribe drugs.

[@pevangel1954]

He never knew how talented he was. I loved him, wish that us loving him was enough.

[@rockturtleneck]

One of the best songs ever--still sounds great today.

[@dtonesmith766]

Probably in the top ten best performances.

[@leebaker2588]

easily

[@matthewcummings5927]

No doubt.

[@danielhurley2894]

This is one of the most entertaining live performances of great song that I can remember. Really fun to watch - - over and over again.

[@ozneroll2132]

Thank you Don Giller for posting this!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

That performance gave me chills. Fantastic. Paul's solo sounded spot on.

[@josephkelley8641]

Yeah - the entire band is killing it - good to see those guys again -it's been awhile.

[@thomassalyers1391]

Absolutely terrific,,,

[@WillieDuitt1]

The keyboard solo is what does it for me....it has that haunting sound.

[@sportsmediaamerica]

Ha ha, Paul looks up at the camera in the middle of that. Effin' amazing and brilliant.

[@AMEER-114-]

​@@WillieDuitt1 I'm very sure that Paul S invited Del to do this live... Just so Paul could perform the classic organ solo for all USA

[@alexsaitta4041]

It is all live, and so tight. Shannon starts and the band comes in right on time. His voice is great too. Paul is loving it, the entire song, because he knows this was at the root of harder rock that came from the likes of Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, and more so Buddy Holly in this song.

[@bbmtge]

Thank you for telling us what we just watched and even more thanks for reading Paul's mind.

[@samsrocky]

To think younger people 30+ years after his death still find his work as moving as people did back then. Del Shannon is legendary

[@russellcyr4867]

I'm learning this on guitar and stumbled upon this clip. Del still has it. Love the way he looks over at Paul and smiles after the first falsetto phrase..."See...I still have it!" Hard to believe that a guy that seems so together and happy onstage would end his own life three years later. Tragic.

[@cybolton302]

Nice pick-up on Del's glance at Paul @1:12. That's exactly what he seems to be saying with the look. And you're also right about his death... tragic. I always wonder how a person feels when they do one magnificent thing so early in their life and it seems like they'll never do anything remotely close again.

[@michaelbackhouse6758]

A Del Shannon single was the first record I ever bought, as a kid. While visiting the USA in this same year I got to hear him live in a bar in Orlando. He was great. So sad to hear of his passing three years later. Great to see he could cut the mustard as evidenced by the Letterman appearance.

[@VtRD]

What everyone who was ever left by their true love has felt--this is why Runaway will be played forever.

[@hectorlabbe]

Great classic never dies!!! Thank you Dell, had an amazing voice!!! ❤

[@pcallas66]

I remember watching this in 1987. I loved it. Paul Shannon and Will Lee glued it together. The late night band was the perfect band to back Del Shannon up. May Del rest in peace.

[@dongiller]

Shannon, Shaffer… :)

[@johnbergstrom1494]

IMO-The greatest American Rock and Roll song.

[@CarinaPrimaBallerina]

Del has such a wonderful falsetto! Love love love love this song ❤

[@RyanAlexanderDiduck]

Paul made his OBX-A sound just like Max Crook's "Musitron." A knockout performance. Thanks for preserving this clip, Don!

[@dongiller]

And he used the same sound for the closing music theme. Which he had never done before.

[@roadking99jokerst60]

Here I was figuring it would have been a Hammond B3. Thank you for details.

[@pauleypavillion6088]

I was a 30 y/o guy then and first listen to this back in the mid 1960's as a little boy living in the country 8 miles west of Lodi California from one of our AM/FM radio set in our homes. It's one of my favorite 1960's songs from that decade.

[@MrTonyBrooklyn]

REST IN PEACE MR.SHANNON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@WillieDuitt1]

In the late '80s the Cleveland Indians would have concerts after ballgames to boost attendance. One such concert had the Beach Boys playing, one of their guests was Del Shannon, he sang Runaway and he brought the house down, shortly after that I heard he had died...when I hear this song I always think of that summer evening with Mr. Shannon singing as if his life depended on it and the crowd roaring like a lion in appreciation....the keyboard solo is haunting like running ice thru my veins. RIP Del Shannon.

[@derekllewellyn6663]

I didn't know beach boys years before 50s made most amazing

[@markmiller3308]

Awesome story! Loved when MLB teams did that. Once saw Earth Wind and Fire after an M’s game in the Kingdome back in the day.

[@Philipe0849]

When I head this, I wondered if Paul would be able to deliver that keyboard oldie sound, Paul nailed it! Del Shannon' vocals are amazing

[@tonyaelliott4070]

I wish Del had not run away. But sometimes you can't overcome problems. God how I miss Del. Would have loved so much to have seen you with the Wilburys. Would have been perfect ❤️❤️💙💙

[@richardvervoorn6626]

ALMOST the best rendition of one of my ALL TIME FAV’s !…

[@JamesGillComedy]

This is absolutely sensational. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing.

[@tollerstone378]

Paul is having so much fun this is one of the first songs I ever remember hearing

[@jeff503pdx]

Wow, sounds great. Del has such a great dynamic voice and Paul on that solo! So good.

[@1968jimmymack]

it is so rare that a man can hit both low and high notes so well.

[@6yjustice521]

True

[@celosemnexo]

Not that rare.

[@richardmcgrath9729]

​@@celosemnexo OK trollboy .. Name 5... Or fuckoff..

[@marywright7397]

It sold 80, 000 records a day when it first came out, amazing!

[@gofigure17]

Don Giller, I do not know you, but I truly love you so much for posting all these videos. Even though a lot of these clips could be considered before my time, I deeply appreciate the quality of the interviewing, music performances and rambunctious sketches. I have always felt simpatico with Letterman’s absurdity As for this clip in particular, this has always been one of my favorite songs of all-time, and to see this on one of my favorite shows of all-time was such a pleasure.

[@dongiller]

Thanks!!

[@georggswan8133]

Thank u again Spencer Marshall

[@ReneJustice-mb7hu]

Paul ROCKED IT on the keys!

[@scottmurphy650]

Paul is an incredible keyboardist and is always fun to watch, he's a NUT!

[@thomasdowns1117]

What a great tune and great performer we had with Del ! An early rock star who was underrated for his style and his sound.

[@philcollins8239]

Del's Original Guitar Rifts for the beginning of this Song changed Rock n Roll forever... RIP Runaway Man !

[@garylobo3]

To me this performance, along with Springsteen on Dave's last show on NBC, were the top two ever, on Letterman's iconic show.

[@LPJack02]

RIP Del Shannon (December 30, 1934 - February 8, 1990), aged 55 You will always be remembered as a legend.

[@Dan_Frechette_Songwriter]

They all nailed it

[@johnnyf8227]

and a year later he blows his head off. Depression is so very serious. RIP Dell.

[@barrytooley6724]

Actually it was three years

[@ruthferris7346]

@@barrytooley6724 yea

[@holdencaulfield4808]

Wow. They Killed this! Amazing performance.

[@USAPethead]

Paul Shaffer is a legend, and all of Dave's band were awesome.

[@grapeview61]

I've watched this at least 30 times in the last 24 hours it's so awesome

[@christineabides]

Hah I watch it weekly

[@brewer921]

Thank you for posting this.

[@tonyaelliott4070]

Del Shannon my man! Rest in paradise 🙏 Del

[@dannymiller7880]

Fantastic , what a great voice, a genuine nice guy

[@richardvervoorn6626]

As a kid when this song came out, it gave me chills and this version with Paul Schaefer on the keyboard is as good as I’ve ever heard !

[@dongiller]

Shaffer; Paul Shaffer. :)

[@bluekg13]

I remember watching Born on the Fourth of July and Tom Cruise singing this. It was my intro to old 60’s music

[@marywright7397]

Love the song and him !❤️❤️

[@katiezee2]

Revisiting this because I'm binging on the Crime Story tv series, which uses Runaway as its theme song. . Like any artist who has a smash hit record, they must get sick of performing it for the 3000th time, but if Del felt that way, he didn't show it - he knocked it out of the park!

[@derekllewellyn6663]

It's looks like being back my room it's looks dream like I feel like I was in contact info conjuring cast 2013

[@jonjonesmp5783]

Amazing artist... Thank you for music🦾, thanks for Runaway

[@andydabilis5157]

And that, boys and girls, is rock and roll, watch while you can because it's going away .....

[@BohdanPankiw]

Amen!

[@dinosaursr]

What a great tune. Boys knocked it out of the park.

[@sirtalis69]

Man Paul really killed it on that synth!

[@johntechwriter]

Yeah, his heart is in the right place, even though he comes across as a sycophant sometimes,

[@patricias5122]

DelShannon was very generous in the way he threw it to him, too.

[@andrewfurst5711]

@@johntechwriter I always assumed that the sycophant part by Paul was an act, a humorous act. Letterman's show broke a lot of the "rules" of the late night talk show, and was originally considered something of a parody of talk shows, even though it was in fact a talk show itself. Paul was (and is) not just a great musician but a humorous guy - he was on SNL (prior to being with Letterman) for a reason. He recognized the sycophantic role of the traditional "second banana" such as Ed McMahon, and played it up. McMahon knew his role with Carson, and IMO Shaffer sometimes parodied that attitude. At least that's my take on it. And that's not a knock on McMahon, who was a war hero, Navy pilot in both WWII and Korean War, can't take that away from him.

[@markmiller3308]

THIS! You can tell it takes Paul and the band back to their youth and probably playing this jn bars and dances they’d have at various halls. This was a staple song and the band really had fun on it, especially Paul.

[@chasam1234]

Great charisma ...What a man!

[@contatvs]

Ouvindo e dancando ao mesmo tempo em pleno 2023. Adooooro.

[@davidlancaster8152]

Good job Don! Thanks!

[@LyonsArcade]

If you listen back to it 1 more time, listen how great Paul's keyboards are the whole time... then notice how hot the drums are the whole time... then notice how the bass player is walking it the whole time... then hear the little chokes the backup guitar player is playing.... of course Del's great and killing it but the band is CRAZY.

[@sammartinezduarte2639]

What a great song, iconic. Rip Del 🙏🏽

[@josephkelley8641]

Thank you Don Giller!!

[@stuartgreen7809]

I’ve been learning how to listen for the bass by watching Leland Sklar’s show on KZbin. Loved the bass changes on this and always loved the song.

[@stewartsnape1231]

5 ⭐️ solo by Paul, I like it when Don rickles is on and jokes with him

[@genenie5981]

Great performance! RIP Del.

[@ThereIsNoLord]

I remember seeing this, and I also remember Carl Perkins doing a Knockout version of "Blue Suede Shoes" -- one of a handful of music moments on the show that stuck by me. Paul's "organ grindery" response to a viewer mail is another one!

[@ardentizzy7720]

Lovely thank you

[@madjidhamdini1977]

i'm a 1977 boy , this track is a part of my childhhod , i'm electrician at work but also electronician and electronic music DJ , i want to say : the keyboard song is amasing ! 1961 ! the moog come years after !!! lovely sound ^^

[@ronhoek69]

Dave Letterman was soooo good

[@circushead]

Legendary legend.

[@alevine1951]

To me Runaway is a song that exemplifies the genre of rock n' roll - I would choose it to include as part of a space capsule for aliens to find With such an accomplishment, with the delight he still appeared to have in this performance, and with all his other hits, accolades, and recognition, I can not quite comprehend how he would choose to forsake it all and prefer the non-being of eternal night.

[@kevincosgrove948]

Thats why chuck berry’s “Johhny Be Good” is on the golden record which is aboard the Voyager 1 which is now in interstellar space and was launched in the early 70’s

[@davidmann4533]

I suffer from bipolar depression and can fully understand why Dell did what he did what stops me sometimes I have no idea

[@richardvervoorn6626]

I agree with your sentiments here but as we are all becoming more aware as knowledge and understanding of depression and bipolar symptoms, the difficulties surrounding them can and are so extremely difficult to deal with. I too will miss D.S. ABSOLUTELY LOVE Runaway, it had a profound effect on me back in the day and this version on the T.S. was perfectly put together by Paul and this band. Del Shannon, and one of the absolute best Rock & Roll songs ever to hit the airwaves…❤

[@TheAceY2k]

His voice really changed through the times, but he can still do the wawawawa😂

[@Mike8981]

better if anything!

[@lifeisacarnival1359]

Not any more.

[@greysuit17]

Not really

[@azynkron]

If you're not a natural singer, this is what happens to your voice. It sounds goddamn awful.

[@LyonsArcade]

I don't think his voice really changed at all, he sounds great here...

[@garylobo348]

Sigh. Killing it while playing the instrument you love and have mastered, seems to be the most fun an adult can have with their clothes on. That applies to everybody in this band and this song by a true artist.

[@kevinmcdonald6446]

How much fun is the band having? ALL OF IT.

[@joemartines3545]

Great stuff...

[@seikiarjuna78]

Just 3 years after this performance, he took his own life at age 55. RIP legend!

[@tubefrog1762]

37 years ago for this appearance, version. Always sounds great.

[@CarolStJohn-ev9ry]

That was fun!

[@speedracer2336]

Live! No piped in music, autotune, music mixers, enhancers, etc. So called artists of today should view this!

[@timmccarthy5782]

So great . Love the bass.

[@scottmurphy650]

Man I miss those days. Del was awesome.

[@buicklincoln]

Love this song and LOVED the TV show Crime Story!

[@jargonellie6630]

Such a sad loss Del Shannon. XxX

[@mumblesslam]

He might look like a goof, but I have always appreciated Paul's unbridled enthusiasm and love for the music. All musicians should be so passionate about the love of their craft.

[@PRmoustache88]

This has to be the best version. Paul Schaeffer reached his apotheosis here along with Del Shannon. This is the best version.

[@dongiller]

Shaffer; Paul Shaffer.

[@callixvision6481]

@@dongiller Oof

[@lowspark68]

Music is magic.

[@isabelturner4731]

Oh how I miss this great singer. I hope God will send us another onelike him.

[@ThereIsNoLord]

Fucking god. What is wrong with people?

[@DoctorShocktor]

Actually the various genetic mixes, birthdates, upbringing and survival are entirely dependent on humans. No God if they existed, has anything to do with it now if they ever did. Del Shannon committed suicide with a gun. Maybe you should be praying that your God stop people from becoming suicidally depressed, or that you God eliminate all guns and other weapons. More useful and merciful than just creating new beings to throw into a cruel world.

[@terrietackett8964]

Sure do miss that show !! 💕💕

[@GXREBF]

I still come back

[@christineabides]

“It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down I had the radio on, I was drivin' Trees went by, me and Del were singin' little Runaway” -RIP Tom & Del

[@usethetools]

i just love the organ player... omG.

[@sandiwood9104]

Del Shannon still has it!!!

[@dabearcub]

This must have been a real highlight for Paul ❤

[@RobertLinthicum]

Del looks great, sounds great, total package.

[@fieldingm1969]

Just noticed - co-executive producer of the show with David Letterman was Jack Rollins, Woody Allen's manager and long-time executive producer.

[@lukewalker1051]

Just a great song of any era. Del died much too soon. Credit to Paul for keyboards.

[@DustinBlythe]

Such a cool moment.

[@raykrocker994]

such a talent.

[@garylobo348]

That Paul Shaffer knew what time it was... You didn't have to tell him twice to take it. I think he is... And was...a musical genius. Just perfect boys. And didn't Del look fantastic after all those years!?

[@cybolton302]

I'm with you... Shaffer comes off as a musical savant, someone who would be right at home with The Wrecking Crew.

[@frankbocchicchio1271]

Paul nailed it