Walk On By (song)

The original version of "Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick 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 number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Cashbox's R&B chart.[3] (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 run on Billboard's easy listening survey. The song was ranked number 70 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the second highest song by a solo female on the list after "Respect" by Aretha Franklin.[4] "Walk On By" became Warwick's second international million seller following "Anyone Who Had A Heart" in January 1964.

Session drummer Gary Chester played on this recording[5] as did session bassist Russ Savakus.[6] Other musicians included Artie Butler on organ, Paul Griffin on piano, Irwin Markowitz and Ernie Royal on trumpet, Bill Suyker and Allen Hanlon on guitar, Max Pollikoff, Charles McCracken, Eugene Orloff and Julius Held and George Ockner on violin, Harold Coletta on viola, Lucien Schmit on cello, Paul Winter on saxophone, and George Devens on percussion.

Warwick also recorded a German version of the song, titled "Geh Vorbei".[7]

The Toronto folk-rock group Bobby Kris and the Imperials released a fairly straight-ahead cover version in late 1965. The single became a major hit in Canada, reaching number 8 in early 1966, but "Walk On By" was to be the band's only hit.

Funk/soul musician Isaac Hayes released a cover version of "Walk on By" in 1969 for his studio album Hot Buttered Soul and transformed the song into a twelve-minute funk vamp. Edited for single release down to under 5 minutes, this single reached number 30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. This version was also featured in the film Dead Presidents and is sampled in 1992 by Compton's Most Wanted in "Hood Took Me Under", in 1994 by The Notorious B.I.G. in Warning, in 1995 by Tupac Shakur in "Me Against The World", in 1999 by MF DOOM in "Dead Bent", in 2000 by Wu-Tang Clan in "I Can't Go to Sleep", in 1996 by Hooverphonic in "2 Wicky" and in R&B singer Beyoncé's 2016 song "6 Inch".

Thi song is sampled by the late South African artist Hip Hop Pantsula in "Let Me Be" off his 2005 album YBA 2 NW. In this song Hip Hop Pantsula features Mo'Molemi.

"Walk On By"
Single by Gloria Gaynor
from the album Experience Gloria Gaynor
B-side	"Real Good People"
Released	October 1975
Recorded	1975
Length	3:00
Label	MGM
Songwriter(s)	Burt Bacharach Hal David
Producer(s)	Meco Monardo

Gloria Gaynor released her disco version on her 1975 album, Experience Gloria Gaynor. It became a hit in South Africa during the fall of the year, reaching #12, and #17 in Germany.

In 1978, the Stranglers recorded a punk rock-sounding version of "Walk on By" (with extended organ and guitar solos) that hit No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart.[13] 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.[14] Chart performance may have been impaired by the fact that an E.P. featuring the song had been given away with the first 75,000 copies of their album Black and White.

The Average White Band cut a lightly disco-tinged version (featuring reggae and funk underpinnings) that charted in 1979. Though AWB is sometimes remembered as an instrumental band, their version of "Walk On By" was a vocal track—as were many of their other songs.

In 1982, "Walk on By" was covered by the funk duo D-Train who had a UK and U.S. R&B/dance hit with the song in a boogie/funk version.

In 1983, Australian group Jo Jo Zep covered "Walk on By" in a slow, moody version that featured electronics and synthesisers. The song was lifted from the band's seventh studio album, Cha. The track was a minor hit in Australia, peaking at number 55, but was a major hit in New Zealand, hitting number 6.

In 1989, "Walk On By" was covered by singer Melissa Manchester. Her version of the song hit number 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

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".

"Walk On By"
Single by Gabrielle
from the album Gabrielle
Released	20 January 1997
Recorded	1996
Length	3:21
Label	Go Beat Universal
Songwriter(s)	Burt Bacharach Hal David
Producer(s)	The Boilerhouse Boys
Gabrielle singles chronology
"If You Ever" (1996) "Walk On By" (1997) "Sunshine" (1999)

In 1997, UK singer Gabrielle released her version of "Walk on By" as the fifth and final single from her studio album, Gabrielle. It reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart. Despite being one of her bigger hits, it was not included on her Greatest Hits compilation in 2001, being the only Top 10 hit in her career not to appear on it.

"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 number 10 on the U.S. dance chart.

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.

• Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her 1964 album, Runnin' Out of Fools.
• Roland Kirk recorded a version on his 1965 album Slightly Latin.
• Kirsti Sparboe on her 1965 album Kirsti Sparboe with Norwegian lyrics as "Gå Forbi".
• The Three Souls (Featuring Sonny Cox) recorded a jazz version of the song on their 1965 album, Soul Sounds.
• Jack McDuff on his 1966 album, Walk On By.
• The Miracles recorded a version on their 1966 album Away We a Go-Go, one of two Dionne Warwick cover tunes on that album.
• Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers recorded a version on their 1966 album Tough!.
• Gábor Szabó recorded a jazz instrumental version on his album, Gypsy '66.
• Stanley Turrentine on his 1966 album Rough 'n' Tumble.
• Brenda & the Tabulations on their 1967 album, Dry Your Eyes.
• The Wildare Express (Featuring Reuben Wilson) recorded a jazz version of the song in 1967, released on their Walk On By album.
• George Benson also released a jazz version on his 1968 album, Gilblet Gravy.
• Peter Nero on his 1968 album Impressions (The Great Songs of Burt Bacharach & Hal David).[23]
• Sherwin-Williams compilation of 1960s hits titled Easy Does It (1968).
• Connie Francis recorded the song for her 1968 album, Connie Francis Sings Bacharach & David.
• Florence Ballard recorded a version in 1968 for her shelved solo debut album for ABC Records; after her firing from the Supremes and departure from Motown. The incomplete album was left unreleased until the 2001 compilation The Supreme Florence Ballard.
• Stan Getz on his 1968 album of Bacharach & David versions What the World Needs Now.
• Johnny Mathis recorded the song for his 1968 album Love Is Blue.
• The Beach Boys covered a portion of the song in a studio outtake for their 1969 album, 20/20.
• 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.
• Isaac Hayes, 1969, see above.
• Don Patterson on his 1969 album, Brothers-4.
• Thee Midniters recorded an instrumental version on their 1969 album Giants.
• Cal Tjader on his 1969 album, Cal Tjader Sounds Out Burt Bacharach.
• We Five released a version as a single in 1969. It was featured on their album, The Return of the We Five.[24]
• Alan Price covered the song in 1969 on a BBC music broadcast.[25]
• A 1960s garage rock version was recorded by the Outcasts from Manhasset, New York and it's include on their 1985 compilation album Meet the Outcasts!.[26]
• The Jackson Five recorded a live take of the Isaac Hayes version on their 1971 live soundtrack album Goin' Back to Indiana.
• Grant Green recorded an instrumental version on his 1971 album, Live at Club Mozambique.
• 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.
• Cliff Richard with Olivia Newton-John for Cliff Live in Japan '72.
• The Undisputed Truth on their 1973 album Law of the Land.
• Gloria Gaynor, 1975, see above.
• Kevin Coyne released the song as a single in 1976.[27]
• The Stranglers, 1978, see above.
• Average White Band, 1979, see above.
• D-Train, 1982, see above.
• Jo Jo Zep, 1983, see above.
• Vanilla Fudge on the 1984 album Mystery.
• Melissa Manchester, 1989, see above.
• Sybil, 1990, see above.
• Whitney Houston performed the song several times in 1994 during her Bodyguard Tour, and also performed it on her 1997 HBO special Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C..
• Peter White released a version of the song on his 1994 album, Reflections.[28][29]
• Bobby Caldwell released a paced down version on his 1995 album, Soul Survivor.
• 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.
• Bob Baldwin released a version of the song on his 1997 album, Cool Breeze.[30][31]
• UK singer Gabrielle, 1990, see above.
• The Mavis's contributed a version to the 1998 compilation To Hal and Bacharach, later included in their 2002 compilation Throwing Little Stones.
• Paul Carrack recorded a version on his 2001 album, Groovin'.
• Kelly Clarkson performed the song in 2002 on "Top 5" week of season 1 of American Idol.
• Cyndi Lauper, 2003, see above.
• Seal, 2005, see above.
• Alicia Keys recorded a hip hop version of the song on 2003 mutli-platinum album, The Diary of Alicia Keys.
• Michael McDonald recorded a version on his 2008 album Soul Speak.
• Diana Krall recorded a jazzy version of the song on her 2009 album, Quiet Nights.
• Ronan Keating recorded the song for his 2011 album, When Ronan Met Burt.
• Sheryl Crow performed the song 2012 on "In Performance at the White House".
• Paul Rodgers recorded a version of it on his 2014 album The Royal Sessions.
• Kendra Morris recorded a version for her 2013 album Mockingbird.
• Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio recorded a version for their 2016 debut album Close But No Cigar.
• Saxophonist Jerry Weldon recorded a jazz version on his 2018 album Those Were the Days.

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics