"Walk Away" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her seventh studio album Bad Girls (1979). It was released as sixth and final single from the album on September 1, 1980.
| "Walk Away" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) Artwork for French release | ||||
| Single by Donna Summer | ||||
| from the album Bad Girls | ||||
| B-side | "Could It Be Magic" | |||
| Released | September 1, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | Pop, disco | |||
| Length | 4:30 | |||
| Label | Casablanca | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Pete Bellotte, Harold Faltermeyer | |||
| Producer(s) | Giorgio Moroder, Bellotte | |||
| Donna Summer singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Overview
editThe album had been released on Casablanca Records, with whom Summer had some of her biggest hits during the disco era. However, after a heated and much-publicized dispute, Donna left the label and in 1980 filed a lawsuit against them which was later settled.[1]
Donna signed to Geffen Records and began working on a new album that would distance herself from the suddenly passé disco genre. In an effort to assert their contractual control and milk the run of success they had enjoyed with Summer, Casablanca not only released the single "Walk Away" but issued a collector's edition compilation album of the same name.[2]
When first released, Casablanca promoted it as a Double-A side single, with a re-release of her 1976 hit "Could It Be Magic" on the flip side. Although Billboard magazine reviewed it as such, radio was receptive only to the more contemporary-sounding "Walk Away", so the magazine noted only the A-side during its charting on the Hot 100, where it peaked at number 36 in October 1980.[3]
The 12" single version, at 7:15, would later be released on The Dance Collection: A Compilation of Twelve Inch Singles CD, in 1987, to compete with Summer's new release All Systems Go.[4]
Critical reception
editStephen Holden, in his review of the album Bad Girls for Rolling Stone, noted that Summer had never sounded so playful and sophisticated as in the song "Walk Away".[5]
Charts
edit| Chart (1979–1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[3] | 36 |
| US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[6] | 1 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] | 35 |
References
edit- ^ McLean, Craig (13 June 2008). "Donna Summer: too hot to handle". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. Walk Away: The Best of Donna Summer (1977-1980) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ a b "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. The Dance Collection Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (July 12, 1979). "Donna Summer: Bad Girls : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 22.
- ^ "Donna Summer Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2023.