A top draw in their native Phoenix, Phil and the Frantics were basically unknown elsewhere until a 1966 side called "I Must Run" appeared on Pebbles Volume 2 a decade and a half later. Without question, the song is one of the greatest garage ballads ever made. Using the Zombies' "I Must Move" as its blueprint, "I Must Run" coalesces that band's minor-key drama with teenage naivete and a dreamy vocal-organ interplay that recalls the under-the-street-light aura of doo-wop (Trivia note: Waylon Jennings plays the 12-string guitar on this masterpiece). The good news for anyone who loves "I Must Run" is that Phil and the Frantics were the purveyors of several more evocative ballads.What set Phil & The Frantics appart from most of their Arizona contemporaries was their ability to pull off strong original material, as exemplified by excellent songs like "Pain", "Where Am I Running to" and "Till You get What You Want". With their penchant for minor keys, winsome vocal leads and organ-driven arrangements, the Frantics owe a heavy debt to the Zombies. No further proof of that is needed than "I Must Run", a shameless rewrite of that group's "I Must Move" - except the Frantics track actually surpasses the original in atmosphere and emotional hurt. Get this - you won't be disappointed.
All thanks to ^abracadabra^
