In which year did George Benson record "Walk On By" ?

Question

And on which Album, does it appear ?

Answer 1

Original Version: 1968
Street Date: July 18, 2000 - Remastered
Album: Giblet Gravy
Song: Walk On By
My Note: I Love This Music.
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Answer 2

"Walk On By"

[Song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David]

Sometimes our Smooth Soul Survivors are so embedded into the music listening culture they just pass us by. So it almost was with this latest offering from the archives. Out on the road and appreciating the sounds of WNUA 95.5, smooth sounds for Chicago, I happened upon on one of the better examples of what this feature tries to make a good habit of promoting. It came courtesy of Peter White, a guy from Watford, England who has really made good and a track from his 1994 release ‘Reflections’. The tune is ‘Walk on By’ with which, on ‘Reflections’, White shares a sweet duet with R&B and jazz crossover saxophonist Boney James.

‘Walk On By’ did not survive; it simply never went away. Right from 1964, when Dionne Warwick made it a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, the recording has never slipped from attention. Whether by the host of cover versions that have followed the original or the numerous and continuing plays it enjoys on the ever increasing number of oldies stations ‘Walk On By’ remains firmly in the center of popular music culture.

It could be argued that ‘Walk On By’ proved to be the finest hour in an eternity of fine compositions from Burt Bacharach.

Bacharach, born Kansas City in 1928, has been defined by some as one of the most important composers of popular music in the 20th century and an equal to the likes of George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. Be that as it may, Bacharach was a man for his time. His collaboration, in 1957, with Hal David not only delivered his first hit, ‘The Story of My Life’ by Martie Robbins; it also heralded the start of a writing partnership that would span fourteen years. This combination with David delivered most of the many subsequent big hit singles that Bacharach was to be credited with.

Part of the renowned Brill Building ‘music factory’, Bacharach and David found the ultimate vehicle for their songs in Dionne Warwick. Bacharach met Warwick in 1961 at an arranging session while she was singing with the Gospelaires, the Drifters backing vocal group of the time. In the seven years that followed she was the recipient of fifteen top forty Bacharach and David compositions.

Dionne Warwick was born in East Orange, New Jersey in 1940. Her magically melodic voice coupled with the sophisticated pop compositions of Bacharach and David was the proverbial match made in heaven. During the prolific sixties Bacharach and David doubled as Warwick’s music producers but, in 1971, Warwick ceased working with Bacharach, the year that he also spilt with writing partner Hal David.

Strangely enough, despite her cascade of success throughout this period she never made it to the top of the pop charts. To do this she had to wait until 1974, three years after the split with her mentors, and a journey to Philadelphia to record ‘Then Came You’ with the Spinners. As often is the case in the world of popular music time changes everything and, in 1993, Warwick again worked with Bacharach. It was on ‘Sunny Weather Love’ from her album ‘Friends Can Be Lovers’.

As stated, ‘Walk On By’ can still be heard everywhere and among the replays, reprises and covers comes a fair smattering from the world of soul, jazz, and smooth jazz.

It was back in 1964 that Aretha Franklin started to pay her respects to this classic track when she featured it on her album ‘Runnin Out of Fools’. This version can also be found on the 1992 compilation ‘Jazz Into Soul’. Two years later and the excellent Crusaders included it on their 1966 release ‘Talk That Talk’. Also in 1966 the tune was given the guitar treatment by the Hill – Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo on the album ‘Midnight Guitars Volume 1’.

George Benson covered the track on his 1967 ‘Giblet Gravy’, an album that is a particular favourite of mine for no other reason than the photograph on the sleeve. I recommend that you check it out for yourselves.

In 1969 came what was probably a seminal release of ‘Walk On By’, so different to the original that it is almost callous to refer to it as a cover. When Isaac Hayes produced an epic twelve-minutes of pure perfection on his classic ‘Hot Buttered Soul’ it was impossible to see how he could ever top it. Although Hayes subsequently had his moments it is reasonable to say that perhaps he never did.

In 1971 it was the turn of Kool and the Gang with the inclusion of ‘Walk On By’ on the tastefully named release ‘Live At The Sex Machine’.

With both Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin having their name on the track it was predictable that a third diva of soul, this time Gloria Gaynor, should include it in her music portfolio. Find it on her 1975, ‘Experience’.

Those Scottish white soulsters the Average White Band chose to include ‘Walk on By’ on their 1979 ‘Feel No Fret’ while soul real dealers D Train put it on their stunning debut album of 1982, ‘You’re The One For Me.’

From that time on the world of soul gave way to the universe of jazz in terms of the covers on offer. First up, in 1988, came ‘MCA Jazz Sampler 88’ that included a version of the track by Australian band The Missing Links while, in 1992, Stanley Turrentine had it on ‘Soulful Saxophone’. In 1993 the original Warwick cut formed part of the album ‘Slow Jams – The 60’s’ a recording that is commendable for the excellent selection of 1960’s soul to be found on it.

With 1994 came the already referred to ‘Reflections’ by Peter White, a high class collection of superior covers.

Bobby Caldwell put a nice spin on the number as part of his aptly named 1995 ‘Soul Survivor’ (perhaps he got that name here) while, in the same year, a sometime collaboration of smooth jazz superstars including George Jinda, Chuck Loeb, Mark Johnson and Marion Meadows, all performing as The Fantasy Band, included it on the excellent ‘Sweet Dreams’. Keyboardist Bob Baldwin played ‘Walk On By’ the smooth jazz way on his 1997 ‘Cool Breeze’ while in 1998 Jazz Jamaica did the number a completely different way on their ‘Double Barrel’.

Last to date and the Mercedes Hall version of the number that can be found on her 1999 release ‘Somewhere In The Night’. This track was also lifted for inclusion on the standout 2000 Jazz FM compilation ‘Ocean Drive.’

As can be seen, ‘Walk On By’ has an incredible pedigree to which even this extensive discography cannot do full justice. It’s simply a smooth soul number that has stood the test of almost forty years and is an impeccable example of a great Smooth Soul Survivor.