After Dion parted ways with the Belmonts in 1961, “Runaround Sue” became a rock and roll song (in a modified doo-wop style) that peaked at No. 1 on the US Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot R&B chart.
It was co-written by Dion and Ernie Maresca and is about an unfaithful partner. On Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” the song came in at number 351.
Dion’s song “Runaround Sue” earned her entry into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
Who was Runaround Sue written about?
For a long time, many have believed that the “Sue” in Dion’s Runaround Dion named Sue (1961) after his longtime spouse, whom he wed more than 50 years prior.
It turns out that the girl named Sue who worked at a Manhattan nightclub and didn’t run about at all was the song’s inspiration, not his wife.
Dion claims that he began writing the song while improvising the lyrics during a casual birthday celebration for a friend. He then invited his pals to add doo-wop background harmonies to a clapping beat.
