The Runaways – Cherry Bomb

“Cherry Bomb” – Single by the Runaways from the album The Runaways. Released on March 16, 1976.

“Cherry Bomb” was written by Runaways manager Kim Fowley and guitarist Joan Jett for the group’s self-titled debut album. The title is a play on the name of their lead singer Cherie Currie, who was just 16 when this song was released. A “Cherry Bomb” is a small explosive device popular with kids, but in the context of this song, it means an underage girl who is lots of trouble – in this case taunting her parents and other adults with suggestions of promiscuity and bad behavior.

This was all by design, as Fowley was out to shock with The Runaways and generate a great deal of hype. The band earned a lot of press and a fair amount of rock credibility, since they played their own instruments and for the most part were genuinely talented. In many ways, however, Currie was the weak link – it was hard to take a band seriously when their lead singer wore lingerie on stage and presented herself as jailbait. Currie left the group in 1977 after their third album, and when asked why The Runaways were having a hard time being taken seriously, Joan Jett said, “It was that whole ‘Cherry Bomb With The Corset’ thing with Cherie.”

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The Runaways - Cherry Bomb

The Runaways - Cherry Bomb (Good Quality)02:21

The Runaways

Cherie Currie – lead vocals
Lita Ford – lead guitar
Joan Jett – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Sandy West – drums, backing vocals

Additional musician
Nigel Harrison – bass-guitar