Why Can't I Walk Away is a studio album by American singer Vic Damone, released in November 1968, by RCA Records. his final album for the label, It was produced by Neely Plumb and arranged and conducted by Perry Botkin Jr. and J. Hill.
| Why Can't I Walk Away | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1968 | |||
| Genre | Traditional Pop, Vocal Pop | |||
| Length | 30:36 | |||
| Label | RCA Records | |||
| Producer | Neely Plumb | |||
| Vic Damone chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Why Can't I Walk Away | ||||
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it features singles "Why Can't I Walk Away". "Nothing To Lose", The Glory of Love, The LP had a mix of covers of old and recent hits that included two songs from that also had chart success in 1965 via Little Anthony and the Imperials: "Goin' Out of My Head" and 1967 Otis Redding: "The Glory of Love"
The album was released on compact disc for the first time by Collectables Records on January 21, 2003 as tracks 13 through 23 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 1 through 12 consisting of the other album being Damone Debut's RCA album from November 1966, Stay with Me.[1]
In 2007, Collectables included the album in a CD box set entitled Only the Best of Vic Damone, which contains six of his studio albums and one compilation.[2]
Chart performance
editThe single, "The Glory of Love", peaked at number 15 on Billboard magazine's Easy Listening chart in early 1968 during a nine-week stay.[3]
Follow-up singles, "Nothing to Lose" and "Why Can't I Walk Away", peaked at numbers 40 and 21, respectively, on the same chart.[3]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Billboard | [5] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
Dave Nathan of AllMusic stated that "Damone brings off steady performances of 11 tunes, some standards, but mostly contemporary material. That he can croon with the best is shown on "Watch What Happens," arranged by Billy Byers, and on "Stardust." But he is equally adroit on up-tempo tunes."[4]
The Cincinnati Enquirer enjoyed the "excellent choices for Vic's smooth phasing and warm vocal quality".[7]
Journal & Courier called the album "one of his best efforts in years"[8]
The Memphis Press-Scimitar praised Damone as he "continues in his mini-Sinatra style, sleepily cooing the words[9]
Track listing
editSide one
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Why Can't I Walk Away" (From the Broadway musical "Maggie Flynn") | Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George David Weiss | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Watch What Happens" (From The 20th Century Fox Pictures: "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") | Norman Gimbel, Michel Legrand | 2:31 |
| 3. | "If You Are But a Dream" (From The RKO Pictures :" The House I Live In") | Nathan J. Bonx, Jack Fulton, Moe Jaffe | 2:30 |
| 4. | "Stardust" | Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish | 3:41 |
| 5. | "Like Someone in Love" (From The RKO Pictures : "Belle of the Yukon") | Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke | 2:46 |
| 6. | "When You've Laughed All Your Laughter" | Richard Loring, Dorothy Wayne | 2:52 |
Side two
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Should Care" (From the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film "Thrill of a Romance") | Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn | 3:05 |
| 2. | "The Glory of Love and the Theme" (From "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner") | Billy Hill | 2:21 |
| 3. | "Take It from Me Girl" | Dorothy Wayne, Joseph Parnello | 2:44 |
| 4. | "Nothing to Lose" | Henry Mancini, Don Black | 2:16 |
| 5. | "Goin' Out of My Head" | Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein | 3:12 |
Charts
edit| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | "The Glory of Love" | US Easy Listening (Billboard) | 15 |
| 1968 | "Nothing to Lose" | 40 | |
| "Why Can't I Walk Away" | 21 |
References
edit- ^ "Why Can't I Walk Away/Stay With Me". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Only the Best of Vic Damone". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn presents Billboard top adult songs, 1961-2006. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research Inc. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-89820-169-7.
- ^ a b Nathan, Dave. "Vic Damone – Why Can't I Walk Away: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
- ^ "Pop Spotlight & Special Merit Picks: Why Can't I Walk Away" (PDF). Billboard. June 11, 1966. p. 56.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 392. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio". Newspapers.com. 1968-12-29. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
- ^ "Journal and Courier from Lafayette, Indiana". Newspapers.com. 1969-01-11. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "The Memphis Press-Scimitar from Memphis, Tennessee". Newspapers.com. 1969-01-03. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Vic Damone Single Releases. Retrieved May 8, 2024
- ^ Vic Damone Charting Singles. Retrieved May 8, 2024.