"The Wanderer"

Dion

album cover

Mapping the Journeys of. . .

With or without his street-corner harmonists the Belmonts, Bronx-born Dion DiMucci was, for many, the early embodiment of rock and roll cool. He looked great in leather, sang in a voice that simultaneously conveyed toughness and empathy, and showed generations of performers the importance of creating a persona to accompany the music. This song, one of a handful of singles to reach the Top 10 after Dion went solo in 1960, became his calling card.

"The Wanderer" is a durable rock and roll archetype—the teenager in love who's shed his letter-sweater innocence, and won't be tied down. Everything about him is twitchy, elusive. Having learned the hard way about love's consequences and tribulations, he's the type of guy who doesn't get too cuddly, and as he advises prospective lovers about this, his forthrightness becomes a virtue—he's doing the gals a favor by warning them of his roving ways.

For a jukebox-targeted song circa 1960, "The Wanderer" is a surprisingly developed character study. That's only half of it. As with his other singles from the period—especially the sunkissed "Runaround Sue" and the cover of the Drifters' "Ruby Baby"—Dion's exuberant refrains have their own magnetic pull; if you ever need to explain the wildcat energy of rock and roll to a Martian, these untroubled songs would be an excellent place to start.

"The Wanderer" first appeared on the album titled Runaround Sue (1961), which includes mature pop gems (the entrancing "Lonely World") as well as sparkling teen-idol treatments of "Dream Lover" and "In the Still of the Night." "The Wanderer" turns up on just about every decent hits collection; the most comprehensive survey of Dion is the three-disc King of the New York Streets.

Genre: Rock
Released: 1960, Laurie
Appears On: Runaround Sue; The Essential Dion; King of the New York Streets.
F.Y.I.: Dion and his group the Belmonts were on tour with Buddy Holly and others in January–February 1959. After the show in Clear Lake, Iowa, Dion decided he couldn't afford the $36 plane fare to the next gig; the plane crashed, killing Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper.
Catalog Choice: Born to Be with You (produced by Phil Spector, U.K.-only release); Bronx in Blue
Next Stop: Del Shannon: Greatest Hits
After That: The Wood Brothers: Ways Not to Lose.
Book Page: 225

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#1 from Adam, New Jersey - 05/24/2009 2:29

It seems to me that this is a rather disturbing song.  Very much in the manner of Steely Dan or the Cars, the uptempo of the music hides the fact that the narrator is incapable of (shall I dare say it) putting down roots and maintaining a relationship.  Put this in context - it is the Eisenhower Era - the norm was husband, wife, car, garage, 2.3 kids.  Here is a guy who is pretty clearly lonely.

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