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Learning Ukulele with Curt

Runaway

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Runaway.

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-200

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Ukulele

Categories: Theory, Intervals, Progressions, RMA, Harmony

Louis-Martin/Curt-2020-FFUF

2026-08-23

Runaway

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Runaway.

Runaway

Released: 1961

Runaway is a 1961 number-one Billboard Hot 100 song by Del Shannon. It was written by Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook, and became a major international hit. It topped the Billboard charts for four consecutive weeks, and Billboard ranked it as the No. 5 song for 1961. It was No. 472 on the 2010 version of Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and No. 466 on the 2004 version.

Singer-guitarist Charles Westover and keyboard player Max Crook performed together as members of "Charlie Johnson and the Big Little Show Band" in Battle Creek, Michigan, before their group won a recording contract in 1960. Westover took the new stage name "Del Shannon", and Crook, who had invented his own clavioline-based electric keyboard called a Musitron, became "Maximilian"." wikiwand

Yellow Book

Runaway is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Ukulele Chords

Dm C Bb A7 Bm7 D G

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Dm C Bb A7 Bm7 D G

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Runaway is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of D . Original recording by Del Shannon is in Key of Bb at 79 bpm.
  • Start on Root ↑ M2.
  • ULHA-YB-200-Melody-TAB

    C Tuning, Low G

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

Dm
Dm
C
C
I
VII

Dm:

D Aeolian, D Minor Pentatonic All the chords of this section are available when using the D Blues Scale: D F G A Bb C.

Bb
Bb
A7
A7 :||
III
V
D
D
Bm7
Bm7
I
VI
D
D
Bm7
Bm7
I
VI
D
D
Bm7
Bm7
I
VI
D
D
Bm7
Bm7
I
VI
D
G
A7
A7
I
V
D
G
D
D
I
IV
I

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an A section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a B or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Runaway is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of D . Original recording by Del Shannon is in Key of Bb at 79 bpm.

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Runaway.

RMA1

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

Intro & Verse Strum

ULHA-YB-200-Strum

C Tuning, Low G

This strumming pattern and slight variations can be done on the Verses of the song. Measures 7 & 8, the A7, the V turning back (turnback, turnaround) to the Dm or going to the chorus's D . Is the following pattern:

Verse Turnbacks

ULHA-YB-200-Turnback

C Tuning, Low G

Chorus

ULHA-YB-200-Chorus

C Tuning, Low G

art by Curt Sheller

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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