Don't Walk Away (Jade song)

"Don't Walk Away" is a song by American R&B group Jade. It was released on November 23, 1992 as the second single from their debut album, Jade to the Max. It became one of the biggest Dance and R&B singles of the year. The song peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, the song also peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom.[2] The success of the single landed the trio spots on The Tonight Show, The Arsenio Hall Show and Top of the Pops in the United Kingdom. A cover version of this track by Jenny Jones was released in January 2009. The first verse and chorus were interpolated in Diplo & Sleepy Tom's 2015 dance track "Be Right There".[3]

"Don't Walk Away"
Single by Jade
from the album Jade to the Max
ReleasedNovember 23, 1992
Recorded1992
GenreNew jack swing[1]
Length
  • 4:44 (album version)
  • 3:37 (with intro edit)
LabelGiant Records
Songwriter(s)
  • Vassal Benford III
  • Ronald Spearman
Producer(s)
  • Vassal Benford III
  • Ronald Spearman
Jade singles chronology
"I Wanna Love You"
(1992)		 "Don't Walk Away"
(1992)		 "One Woman"
(1993)
Music video
"Don't Walk Away" on YouTube

In 2017, Billboard ranked the song number 52 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[4]

The bassline of the song was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest for the song "Award Tour", from the album Midnight Marauders.[5]

Critical reception

William Cooper from AllMusic stated that the song is "so infectious and irresistible", adding that it "may be a familiar tune heard on the radio years after its success".[6] Larry Flick from Billboard commented, ""I Wanna Love You" from the soundtrack to "Class Act" laid a fine foundation for this soft-yet-percussive midtempo romp. Charming female trio walks the stylistic line dividing En Vogue-ish urban flash and Exposé-esque pop flair. Catchy chorus ensures heavy multiformat radio action."[7] Music writer James Masterton said in his weekly UK chart commentary, "The cynic in me has the temptation to label this track as sanitised West coast production pop of the kind US FM radio is so enamoured with. Certainly all-girl groups of this particular genre never seem to make much of an impression over here, except it seems at this time of year. Predictions as to the future chart success of this one are divided but it is harmless and inoffensive enough to be an Easter hit."[8] A reviewer from Music & Media noted, "Hot on the heels of En Vogue, this female vocal group is already top 10 in the UK. The beat gets any person out of their arm chair, and the lyrics could make a guy walk on clouds."[9] Mark Kinchen for Music Week's RM Dance Update wrote, "Jade just catches me with great harmonies in the chorus. The trio's great vocals are backed by a slamming hip hop style track. When you play this one, play it very loud!"[10]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. It begins with a group of men hanging out by their cars. One of them are using a car phone to call the group. Jade then performs the song as they dance on the sidewalk, while people around them are watching and/or dancing. Other scenes shows the group singing on a staircase in the locality. In the end, the girls are seen in one of the cars, as it slowly drives away.[11]

Formats and track listings

Charts and certifications

Javine version
"Don't Walk Away/You've Got a Friend"
Single by Javine
from the album Surrender and Garfield The Movie OST
ReleasedAugust 9, 2004 (2004-08-09)[36]
GenreR&B
Length"Don't Walk Away" – 3:00
"You've Got a Friend" – 04:58
LabelInnocent
Virgin
Songwriter(s)"Don't Walk Away" – Vassal Gradington Benford III, Ronald Spearman
"You've Got a Friend" – Carole King
Producer(s)"Don't Walk Away" – Stargate
"You've Got a Friend" – Marius De Vries
Javine singles chronology
"Best of My Love"
(2004)		 "Don't Walk Away" / "You've Got a Friend"
(2004)		 "Touch My Fire"
(2005)

"Don't Walk Away" was covered by British R&B singer Javine. It was released as a double-A side single in the United Kingdom, along with "You've Got a Friend", a cover of the Carole King classic. The double A-side single peaked at number sixteen on the UK Singles Chart.

The single was her final for Innocent Records / Virgin Records.

Formats and track listings

CD: 1

  1. Don't Walk Away (Album Version)
  2. You've Got a Friend

CD: 2

  1. Don't Walk Away (Album Version)
  2. Don't Walk Away (Armand Van Helden Club Mix)
  3. Don't Walk Away (Soda Club Edit)
  4. Don't Walk Away (Bad Boy Remix)

Charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[37] 16

Notes
  1. Josephs, Brian (July 20, 2012). "The 25 Best New Jack Swing Songs". Complex. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  2. UK Singles Chart
  3. "Diplo Unleashes New Collab 'Be Right There' With Sleepy Tom". edm.com. August 21, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  4. "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  5. Midnight Marauders--A Tribe Called Quest (1993) Vibe. Accessed on May 25, 2021.
  6. Cooper, William. "Jade – Jade to the Max". AllMusic. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  7. Flick, Larry (November 7, 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 79. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. Masterton, James (March 14, 1993). "Week Ending March 20th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  9. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. May 8, 1993. p. 9. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  10. Kinchen, Mark (January 23, 1993). "Hot Vinyl Buzzing" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  11. "Jade - Don't Walk Away (1992)". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  12. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  13. "Jade – Don't Walk Away" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. "Jade – Don't Walk Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1734." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  16. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 20. May 15, 1993. p. 21. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  17. "Jade – Don't Walk Away" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Jade". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. "Jade – Don't Walk Away" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. "Jade – Don't Walk Away". Top 40 Singles.
  22. "Jade – Don't Walk Away". Singles Top 100.
  23. "Jade: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  24. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 20, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  25. "Jade Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  26. "Jade Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  27. "Jade Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  28. "Jade Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  29. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1993". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  31. "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. January 15, 1994. p. 24.
  32. "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  33. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  34. "American single certifications – Jade – Don't Walk Away". Recording Industry Association of America.
  35. "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. BPI Communications. 106 (3): 73. January 15, 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  36. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 7, 2004. p. 31.
  37. "Javine: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
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