"Don't Walk Away" is a song by American singer

Pat Benatar Patricia Mae Giraldo (''née'' Andrzejewski, formerly Benatar; born January 10, 1953), known professionally as Pat Benatar, is an American rock singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has had two multi-platinum albums, five platinum alb ...

, which was released in 1988 as the second single from her seventh studio album ''

Wide Awake in Dreamland ''Wide Awake in Dreamland'' is the seventh studio album by American rock music, rock singer Pat Benatar, and her eighth album overall, released in 1988. After a string of successful albums, this was her last rock-oriented album of the 1980s, bef ...

''. The song was written by Nick Gilder and Duane Hitchings, and produced by Peter Coleman and

Neil Giraldo Neil Thomas Giraldo (born December 29, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known as the musical partner of Pat Benatar since 1979and spouse since 1982. He has also performed, written and produced for art ...

Background

It was Chrysalis' decision to release "Don't Walk Away" as a single from ''Wide Awake in Dreamland''. Benatar told Todd Everett of the

King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...

, "'Don't Walk Away' is so typical of what they'd choose to release."

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery. It achieved medium rotation on

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

Critical reception

On its release as a single, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' described "Don't Walk Away" as "less aggressive" than the preceding single "All Fired Up", and added that "perhaps the nice mesh of Benatar's vocal and the power of this pretty pop track will produce a hit". Barry Young of '' The Press and Journal'' gave the single a two out of five star rating and wrote, "Benatar continues to produce ultra-American, drive-in teen rock with little relevance to this side of the Atlantic. Some nice touches here, but mainly typical Benatar."

Track listing

;7–inch and cassette single #"Don't Walk Away" – 4:10 #"Lift 'em on Up" – 4:54 ;7–inch single (US promo) #"Don't Walk Away" – 4:10 #"Don't Walk Away" – 4:10 ;12–inch and CD single (UK 12-inch and German 12-inch/CD release) #"Don't Walk Away" – 4:10 #"Lift 'em on Up" – 4:54 #"Hell Is For Children" (Live Version) – 6:14 #"We Live for Love" (Special Mix) – 3:57

Personnel

Don't Walk Away *

– vocals *

– guitar * Kevin Savigar – keyboards *

Fernando Saunders Fernando Saunders is an American musician, singer and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He is perhaps best known for his longtime partnership with musician Lou Reed, from 1982 to 1987 and again from 1996 to 2008. Biography Fernando Saund ...

– bass * Myron Grombacher – drums * Frank Linx, Nick Gilder – backing vocals Production * Peter Coleman – producer and mixer on "Don't Walk Away" and "Lift 'em on Up" * Neil Giraldo – producer and mixer (all tracks) * Frank Linx, Steve Ford, Gil Morales – assistant engineers *

George Marino George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...

– mastering

Charts

References

{{authority control 1988 songs 1988 singles Pat Benatar songs Songs written by Nick Gilder Chrysalis Records singles