Giving It All Away

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"Giving It All Away"
Giving it All Away.jpg
Single by Roger Daltrey
from the album Daltrey
ReleasedApril 1973
RecordedJanuary–February 1973
Studio
Genre Soft rock
Length3:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Roger Daltrey singles chronology
"Giving It All Away"
(1973)
"Thinking"
(1973)

"Giving It All Away" is the debut solo single by Roger Daltrey, the lead vocalist of the Who. The song was written by the then-unknown Leo Sayer with David Courtney. [1] [2] [3] [4] Adam Faith and David Courtney produced the track. [5]

The song was the first single from the 1973 album Daltrey . It reached number five in the UK Singles Chart but failed to chart in the US. Daltrey would never beat this chart position in the UK throughout his whole solo career. [6]

Record World called it "a moving tune with a sensitive arrangement and production in support." [7]

The British release, with considerable airplay of "Giving It All Away", (first lines "I paid all my dues so I picked up my shoes, I got up and walked away") coincided with news reports of the Who being sued for unpaid damage to their hotel on a recent tour, including a TV set being thrown out of the window.

Daltrey performed the song on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973. [8]

Sayer later recorded his own version of the song for his second studio album Just a Boy (1974), along with another track from Daltrey, "One Man Band".

Daltrey later re-introduced the song into his setlist for his 2022 UK solo tour.

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References

  1. Thomson, Dave. "Daltrey". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  2. "Giving It All Away (3:25)". Last.fm. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. "Daltrey". Amazon. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  4. "Roger Daltrey - Giving It All Away". YouTube. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  5. "Roger Daltrey - Giving It All Away (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  6. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 138. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 7 April 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  8. The Old Grey Whistle Test Vol. 3 (DVD). BBC Video. 2006.