Walking Away (Information Society song)

Last updated
"Walking Away"
Single by Information Society
from the album Information Society
B-side "Make It Funky"
Released1988
Recorded1988
Genre New wave
Length
  • 5:01 (album version)
  • 3:59 (radio and video edits)
Label Tommy Boy
Songwriter(s) Paul Robb
Producer(s) Fred Maher
Information Society singles chronology
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)"
(1988)
"Walking Away"
(1988)
"Repetition"
(1989)
Music video
"Walking Away" on YouTube

"Walking Away" is a 1988 song by American synth-pop group, Information Society. Released as a single in late 1988, the song peaked at No. 9 in the United States in February 1989, No. 5 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart and No. 15 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Walking Away" is the second single from the band's eponymous album. The music video was directed by Mark Pellington.

Contents

The song contains samples of William Shatner as James T. Kirk saying "It is useless to resist us" from the Star Trek episode, "Mirror, Mirror", and James Doohan as Scotty saying "Let's Go See!" from the Star Trek episode, "Wolf in the Fold".

Background

Singer Paul Robb said,

"Walking Away" was a song where I sat down and said, "I want to write a song that's kind of like "What's on Your Mind," but it's going to be directed to some former members of our band who had sort of quit the band at an importune moment. As a matter of fact, they both quit right before we made it big with "Running." So if you listen to the lyrics of "Walking Away," it's basically just someone complaining about people who left. That's because that's exactly what it is. It's a very transparent song - there's no deep meanings in that one. [1]

Track listings

EP

  1. "Walking Away" (S.M.D. Mix) – 7:09
  2. "Walking Away" (House Dub) – 6:09
  3. "Walking Away" (Radio Version) – 3:59

12" single

No.TitleLength
1."Walking Away" (Space Age Mix)6:36
2."Space Age Dub"7:57
3."Make It funkier" (Boot It Up Vocal)2:56
4."Walking Away" (S.M.D. mix)7:09
5."Walking Away" (House Dub)6:09
6."Walking Away" (Radio Version)3:59

CD single

No.TitleLength
1."Walking Away" (Radio Version)3:58
2."Walking Away" (LP Version)5:01
3."Walking Away" (Space Age Mix)6:36
4."Walking Away" (S.M.D. mix)7:08

Charts

Chart (1988–1989)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 9
US Hot Dance Music/Club Play 5
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1
US Hot Black Singles 64
US Modern Rock Tracks 15
US Cashbox [2] 10
US Radio & Records [3] 6
Canada RPM Top Singles [4] 23
Canada RPM Canadian Dance Chart [5] 9
Canada RPM 30 Retail Singles [6] 24

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References

  1. Prato, Greg (March 16, 2016). "Paul Robb of Information Society : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts.com. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  2. "Cash Box Top 100 2/25/89". Cashboxmagazine.com.
  3. "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits". Hitsofalldecades.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  4. "RPM Weekly" (PDF). March 18, 1989. p. 6. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  5. "RPM Weekly" (PDF). February 18, 1989. p. 14. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  6. "RPM Weekly" (PDF). March 11, 1989. p. 6. Retrieved March 14, 2022.