Runaway Boys

"Runaway Boys"
"Runaway Boys"
Single by Stray Cats
from the album Stray Cats/Built for Speed
B-side	"My One Desire"
Released	November 21, 1980
Genre	Rockabilly
Length	2:57
Label	Arista
Songwriter(s)	Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom
Producer(s)	Dave Edmunds
Stray Cats singles chronology

"Runaway Boys" is the debut single by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released November 21, 1980, by Arista Records in the UK, where it peaked at No. 9 on the Singles Chart.^[1] Its biggest success was in Finland, where it reached number one. The song was later included on the band's 1981 self-titled debut album.

Its first US release, by EMI America, was on the June 1982 album Built for Speed.

Cover versions

"Runaway Boys" was later covered by Drake Bell on his 2014 album Ready, Steady, Go!, which was produced by Brian Setzer.

Charts

Weekly Charts

Chart (1980–81)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[2]	15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[3]	3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[4]	1
Ireland (IRMA)^[5]	20
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[6]	3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[7]	4
UK Singles (OCC)^[8]	9

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Runaway Boys"
Chart (1981)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[9]	91

References

^ "STRAY CATS". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 297. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Stray Cats – Runaway Boys" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit STEP - SUE". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Runaway Boys". Irish Singles Chart.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stray Cats" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ "Stray Cats – Runaway Boys" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
^ "Stray Cats: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. 4 January 1982. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.

[ukchartposition-1] "STRAY CATS". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2013.

[2] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 297. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_Flanders_Stray_Cats-3] "Stray Cats – Runaway Boys" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.

[4] Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit STEP - SUE". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-10-29.

[sc_Ireland2_-5] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Runaway Boys". Irish Singles Chart.

[sc_Dutch40_Stray_Cats-6] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stray Cats" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.

[sc_Dutch100_Stray_Cats-7] "Stray Cats – Runaway Boys" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Stray_Cats-8] "Stray Cats: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.

[aus81-9] "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. 4 January 1982. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.

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v t e Stray Cats
Brian Setzer Lee Rocker Slim Jim Phantom
Albums	Stray Cats Gonna Ball Built for Speed Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats Rock Therapy Choo Choo Hot Fish 40
Singles	"Runaway Boys" "Rock This Town" "Stray Cat Strut" "(She's) Sexy + 17"
Related topics	Phantom, Rocker & Slick Kat Men
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