Walk On By (song)
| "Walk On By" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Dionne Warwick | ||||
| from the album Make Way for Dionne Warwick | ||||
| B-side | Any Old Time of Day (Bacharach & David) | |||
| Released | April 26, 1964 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | 1964 at Bell Sound Studios, November 1963 | |||
| Genre | Soul, pop | |||
| Length | 2:55 | |||
| Label | Scepter 1274 | |||
| Writer(s) |
Burt Bacharach Hal David | |||
| Producer(s) |
Burt Bacharach Hal David | |||
| Dionne Warwick singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Walk On By" is a song composed by Burt Bacharach, with lyrics by Hal David. The song was originally recorded by Dionne Warwick.
Charting versions
"Walk On By" has charted numerous times in various countries, with wildly different arrangements. The following entries discuss the chart versions of the song, in the order in which they appeared:
Dionne Warwick version (1964)
The original version of "Walk On By" was recorded at the same December 1963 session that yielded her hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart". "Walk On By" was the follow-up to that single, released in April 1964 and reaching #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Cashbox's R&B chart.[1] (Billboard did not print rhythm and blues charts during 1964, the year of the song's peak performance.) The song also reached the top 10 in a brief run on Billboard's easy listening survey. The song was ranked #70 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2]
Session drummer Gary Chester played on this recording.[3]
Warwick also recorded a German version of the song, entitled "Geh Vorbei".[4]
| Chart (1964) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | 6 |
| US R&B | 1 |
| US A/C | 7 |
| UK Singles Chart | 9 |
Bobby Kris & The Imperials version (1965)
Toronto folk-rock group Bobby Kris & The Imperials released a fairly straight-ahead cover version late 1965. The track became a major hit in Canada, reaching #8 in early 1966, but "Walk On By" was to be the band's only hit.
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM 100 | 8 |
Isaac Hayes version (1969)
| "Walk On By" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Isaac Hayes | ||||
| from the album Hot Buttered Soul | ||||
| B-side | "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" | |||
| Released | 1969 | |||
| Genre | Funk, soul | |||
| Length | 12:30 | |||
| Writer(s) |
Burt Bacharach Hal David | |||
| Isaac Hayes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Funk/soul musician Isaac Hayes released a cover version in 1969 on his album Hot Buttered Soul and transformed the song into a twelve-and-a-half minute funk vamp. Edited for single release down to under 5 minutes, this single reached #30 on the U.S. charts.
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | 30 |
The Stranglers version (1978)
In 1978, The Stranglers recorded a punk rock sounding version (with an extended organ solo) that hit No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart.[5] The video for the Stranglers' version was based on the 1966 movie "Blowup" and was filmed in the same location as the movie, Maryon Park in London.[6]
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[5] | 21 |
Average White Band version (1979)
The Average White Band cut a lightly disco-tinged version of "Walk On By" (featuring reggae and funk underpinnings) that charted in 1979. Though AWB is primarily remembered as an instrumental band, their version of "Walk On By" was a vocal track—as were many of their other songs.
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 46 |
| US Hot 100 | 92 |
D-Train version (1982)
In 1982, funk duo D-Train recorded a UK and U.S. R&B/dance hit with the song in a boogie/funk cover.
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 44 |
| US R&B | 42 |
| US Dance | 45 |
Jo Jo Zep version (1983)
In 1983, Australian act Jo Jo Zep covered the song in a slow, moody version that featured electronics and synthesizers. The track was a minor hit in Australia, peaking at #55, but was a major hit in New Zealand, hitting #6.
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 55 |
| New Zealand | 6 |
Melissa Manchester version (1989)
In 1989, sInger Melissa Manchester hit #6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts with her version of the song.
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US A/C | 6 |
Sybil version (1990)
In 1990, singer Sybil, who had scored her biggest hit a year prior with a cover of Warwick's "Don't Make Me Over," also scored a U.S. and UK hit with "Walk On By."
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
| US Hot 100 | 74 |
| US R&B | 3 |
| US Dance | 3 |
Gabrielle version (1997)
In 1997, UK singer Gabrielle released her version of "Walk on By" as the fifth and final single from her album, Gabrielle. It reached #7 in the UK.
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 96 |
Cyndi Lauper version (2003)
"Walk on By" was the first single from Cyndi Lauper's 2003 covers album, At Last. It was also included on Lauper's 2004 DVD Live at Last. It was released as a promo only. Remixes of the song reached #10 on the U.S. dance chart.
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 10 |
Seal version (2005)
Seal released a version of "Walk On By" as a single in January 2005. Though the song did not chart in his native UK, it made the lower reaches of the charts in several European countries.
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria | 57 |
| Germany | 49 |
| Switzerland | 46 |
Other versions (not definitive)
- Alan Price
- Alicia Keys recorded a hip hop version of the song on 2003 mutli-platinum album, The Diary of Alicia Keys
- Aretha Franklin
- Connie Francis recorded the song for her album, Connie Francis Sings Bacharach & David
- The Beach Boys covered the song in a studio outtake for their 1969 album, 20/20.
- Bob Baldwin released a version of the song on his 1997 album, Cool Breeze.[7][8]
- Bobby Caldwell released a paced down version on his 1995 album, Soul Survivor
- Brenda & the Tabulations on their 1967 album, Dry Your Eyes
- Jack McDuff on his 1966 album, Walk On By
- A 1960s garage rock version was recorded by The Outcasts from Manhasset, New York[9]
- The Dells recorded a version on their 1972 album, The Dells Sing Dionne Warwicke's Greatest Hits, released on Cadet Records, produced by Charles Stepney
- Diana Krall recorded a jazzy version of the song on her 2009 album, Quiet Nights
- Florence Ballard after she left the Supremes
- Gábor Szabó recorded a jazz instrumental version on his album, Gypsy '66
- George Benson released a jazz version of the song on his 1968 album, Gilbert Gravy
- Gloria Gaynor released her version on her 1975 album, Experience Gloria Gaynor
- Grant Green recorded an instrumental version on his 1971 album, Live at Club Mozambique.
- Helen Shapiro recorded a version in 1964, released on her album Helen Hits Out! on Columbia Records.[10]
- The Jackson Five recorded a live take of the Isaac Hayes version on their live soundtrack album Goin' Back to Indiana
- Kendra Morris recorded a version for her 2013 album Mockingbird
- Kevin Coyne released the song as a single in 1976.
- Kiki Dee recorded a version of the song in 1969 for Motown Records during her work on the Great Expectations album, but the song was not released until 2005 on the retrospective album Kiki Dee - Love Makes The World Go Round: The Motown Collection
- Laura Nyro recorded a version of the song that was included on her 2001 Angel in the Dark (posthumous album recorded 1994–1995)
- Maggie Reilly recorded a version of the song for his 1996 album, Elena.
- The Miracles recorded a version on their 1966 album Away We a Go-Go...one of two Dionne Warwick cover tunes on that album.
- Paul Carrack recorded a version on his 2001 album, Groovin'
- Paul Rodgers recorded a version of it on his 2014 album The Royal Sessions.
- Peter Nero
- Peter White released a version of the song on his 1994 album, Reflections[11][12]
- Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers recorded a version on their 1966 album Tough!.
- Roland Kirk recorded a version on his 1965 album Slightly Latin
- Ronan Keating recorded the song for his 2011 album, When Ronan Met Burt
- The Undisputed Truth on the album Law of the Land
- Vanilla Fudge on the 1984 album Mystery
- We Five released a version as a single in 1969. It was featured on their album, The Return of the We Five.[13]
References
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 609.
- ↑ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
- ↑ "The Official Gary Chester Website - Discography". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
- ↑ Geh Vorbei (Walk On By) on YouTube
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 535. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "Vampire Diaries!". Strangled.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ↑ "Cool Breeze overview". *Allmusic.com.
- ↑ "CD Review of Bob Baldwin - Cool Breeze". JazzReview.com.
- ↑ The Outcasts from Manhasset, New York discography at Discogs
- ↑ "Tracks on Helen Hits Out! - Helen Shapiro (November 1964) - SecondHandSongs". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ↑ "Reflections overview". Allmusic.com.
- ↑ "Reflections CD Sequel Is Next For Peter White". Allmusic.com.
- ↑ We Five, There Stands the Door: The Best of We Five Retrieved March 7, 2012.
External links
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