Baby, Walk On

"Baby, Walk On"
Single by Matraca Berg
from the album Lying to the Moon
Released	June 9, 1990
Genre	Country
Length	3:08
Label	RCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)	Matraca Berg, Ronnie Samoset
Producer(s)	Wendy Waldman, Josh Leo
Matraca Berg singles chronology
"Baby, Walk On" (1990) "The Things You Left Undone" (1990)

"Baby, Walk On" is a song originally recorded by American country music singer Matraca Berg. It was her first single release, and it appears on her 1990 debut album Lying to the Moon . A second version, titled just "Walk On", was released by Linda Ronstadt in 1995.

History

As with most of the tracks on Lying to the Moon , Berg wrote the song with Ronnie Samoset, with Josh Leo and Wendy Waldman as producers. ^[1] Instead of a B-side, the commercial single release featured three snippets from the album. Berg's version was also the B-side of her 1991 single "It's Easy to Tell". ^[2]

Critical reception

Kimmy Wix of Cash Box reviewed Berg's version with favor, stating that "an energy-boosting time that says 'If you're gonna walk, take big steps!'" and that it "not only flaunts Berg's driving vocals, but gives us a tune full of deep-boppin' music, as well as a message with which we can easily relate." ^[3]

Linda Ronstadt version

Linda Ronstadt recorded the song under the title "Walk On" in 1995. Her version, appearing on the album Feels Like Home for Elektra Records, feature sAlison Krauss on backing vocals. ^[4] Ronstadt's version also charted in 1995, with "The Waiting" on the B-side. ^{[5] [6]}

A review in Billboard of Ronstadt's version was favorable, stating that it "gives this progenitor a chance to fully strut her vocal stuff." ^[7]

Chart performance

Matraca Berg

Chart (1990)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [8]	36
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	61

Linda Ronstadt

Chart (1995)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [9]	61
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	62

References

1. Lying to the Moon (CD booklet). Matraca Berg. RCA Records Nashville. 1990. 2066-2-R.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 40. ISBN   978-0-89820-203-8.
3. Wix, Kimmy (May 5, 1990). "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box: 20.
4. Promis, Jose F. "Feels Like Home - Linda Ronstadt". Allmusic . Retrieved January 27, 2011.
5. Whitburn, pp. 290-291
6. Jessen, Wade (April 29, 1995). "Country Corner". Billboard. p. 26.
7. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . April 22, 1995. p. 75.
8. "Matraca Berg Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
9. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.