Why Can't I Walk Away
| Why Can't I Walk Away | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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Why Can't I Walk Away is the twenty-fourth studio album by American singer Vic Damone, released on 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.
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 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]
Collectables included this CD in a box set entitled Only the Best of Vic Damone, which contains six of his studio albums and one compilation and was released on November 27, 2007[2]
Chart performance
The single, "The Glory of Love", debuted in the issue dated December 30, 1967 on the magazine's Easy Listening chart did even better eventually reaching peaked at number 15 during a nine-weeks stay.[3]
"Nothing to Lose" debuted on the Billboard Easy Listening chart in the issue dated April 27, 1968, peaked at number 40 during a two-weeks stay on the chart.[3]
"Why Can't I Walk Away" debuted on the Billboard Easy Listening chart in the issue dated September 14, 1968, peaked at number 21 during a eight-weeks stay on the chart.[3]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [4] |
| Billboard | [5] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [6] |
Dave Nathan of Allmusic's 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."[7]
Record World notes "Vic makes a ripple of "Star Dust" and a ball out of "Like Someone in Love."[8]
The Cincinnati Enquirer enjoyed the "excellent choices for Vic's smooth phasing and warm vocal quality".[9]Journal & Courier called it "one of his best efforts in years"[10]
The Memphis Press-Scimitar praised [Damone] for "continues in his mini-Sinatra style, sleepily cooing the words[11]
Both The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, and Billboard gave the album a four-star rating as well.[5][6] while getting a lower three-star rating from AllMusic.[7]
Track listing
Side one
| 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
| 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
| 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
- ^ "Why Can't I Walk Away/Stay With Me". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Only the Best of Vic Damone". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ ""Why Can't I Walk Away" - Album Ratings". Allmusic. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
- ^ a b "Pop Special Merit album Reviews: Four Star" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 1. January 4, 1969. p. 56.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 392. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ a b Nathan, Dave, Vic Damone - Why Can't I Walk Away Album Reviews, retrieved 2024-05-09
- ^ "Album Reviews: Pick Hits" (PDF). Record World. January 11, 1969. p. 8. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
- ^ "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.