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Don't Walk Away appreciation thread

filmandmusic

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There is something about it. The depressive lyrics which are straightforward but relatable for many million people around the world. The song itself doesn't have a straightforward structure, there is no real repeated chorus just a pre chorus with changing words each time it starts. The outro is classic, love the interplay between the background vocals and Michael's classic passionate ad libs. It also has those classic Disney like string sections that Michael clearly loved. Very underrated track. It would have been so great to hear those ad libs live.
I liked those few songs on the Invincible album where the sound was more stripped down instead of overproduced, it is refreshing
I can just see this being used in some romantic drama to devastating effect.
 
I am a big fan of Don't Walk Away. It is one of my most played songs from Invincible. I never understood the disdain for it, tbh. I think its' a beautiful little song. It has got a nice country feel to it, Michael's vocals convey a lot of emotion. I see Don't Walk Away as the 2001 version of She's Out Of My Life.
 
I love the song. So sad and depressing.

Every one who has ever been thru a break-up (which means nearly everyone above 15) can relate to it.

The despair, the grieve. I actually don't listen to the song often, but I do like the song a lot.
 
I really like the first part but I don't like the second part that much.
It was one of the first songs I could get into on Invincible... long before the rest.
 
Here's a story about me and Invincible.

It's 2001, I'm 13 years old and buy Invincible after hearing the remixes to YRMW and Butterflies. I listen to the CD for the first time and those songs aren't on there and the rest of this album has only sappy songs or very aggressive futuristic sounding songs - I don't like a single song and the CD gathers dust somewhere in my house.

A couple years later I see the 30th Anniversary special on VH1 and it connects with me that this Michael Jackson fella is the same guy from Moonwalker that I used to watch obsessively as a kid and he's incredible. I also like the live performance of YRMW and I start to wonder why I didn't like the album when I listen to it just a couple years earlier.

I find my CD, listen to the entire thing start to finish and not just the first 30 seconds of each song like I had done a couple years earlier. I'm blown away, the aggressive futuristic sounding songs are great and the sappy songs are actually masterpieces that I beat myself up over for not appreciating the first time.

It took some time for the entire album to grow on me, I used to to think Don't Walk Away was so boring, but now when I listen to it I come to tears 90% of the time.
 
Maxym said:
I really like the first part but I don't like the second part that much.
It was one of the first songs I could get into on Invincible... long before the rest.
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Could you elaborate on what you mean when you say “the second part”? Do you mean when the backing vocals (i.e., “If you go, I won’t forget you, girl ↵ Can’t you see that you will always be? ↵ Even though I had to let you go”) enter?
 
I do actually like this song, his screaming vocals are very rough and it's a bit off putting to me, though.
 
Agonum said:
Could you elaborate on what you mean when you say “the second part”? Do you mean when the backing vocals (i.e., “If you go, I won’t forget you, girl ↵ Can’t you see that you will always be? ↵ Even though I had to let you go”) enter?
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Yes, I see this song as 2 parts... the second one starting after the verses ended. On genius.com it's considered as "outro".
But I would say I already start finding it boring on the second part of the bridge (which almost repeats the first part.
So, for me it could fade out at approximately 2:20.
 
“Don’t Walk Away” is stunning. The country-adjacent aesthetic was a wonderful change of pace for MJ, it makes wonderful use of his lower register, and his delivery is as always remarkable. I wouldn’t change a thing about it if I could, and I wish MJ worked with that songwriting team more.
 
Absolutely love this song! Usually I don't like sad songs, but this one has something about it, the lyrics, Michael's voice, its sad but at the same time not sad. All my feeling get in the way. There is nothing left to do but walk away. LOVE it! Its also what I am trying to do in my real life! Walk away!
 
DWA is my second favorite Invincible song, second only to Speechless. Any other singer would make the song less interesting, MJ's voice enhances the song astronomically.

I don't usually cry listening to music, but I've cried 3 times in 3 different years listening to it.
 
Love this song. The second verse has some really beautiful vocals in particular, when he sings just to try and see you smile one more time part.

When I was younger I used to constantly repeat the middle section of the bridge, Michael makes an amazing sound which I find stunning. It sounded a bit like the sound he made after the nameeeee bit during I'll be there 30th anniversary, just more controlled.

If anyone knows what the hell I'm talking about 😁
 
Blues_Away2023 said:
Love this song. The second verse has some really beautiful vocals in particular, when he sings just to try and see you smile one more time part.

When I was younger I used to constantly repeat the middle section of the bridge, Michael makes an amazing sound which I find stunning.
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Could I have a approx time stamp? I'm intrigued but can't hear anything that matches this.

Blues_Away2023 said:
It sounded a bit like the sound he made after the nameeeee bit during I'll be there 30th anniversary, just more controlled.
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Didn't watch those so can't use that as a guide.

Blues_Away2023 said:
If anyone knows what the hell I'm talking about 😁
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No, it's a mystery to me, lol.
 
Blues_Away2023 said:
A bit underwhelmed after me hyping it up? 😁
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Sorry! :ROFLMAO:

It is lovely, don't get me wrong. I love the song, there is not one bit of it I don't love. But, er, yeah, I guess I was expecting something that was gonna blow my head off, lol. Although, if that was the case, you'd think I would've already known which bit you meant. It is definitely a lovely vocal moment from Michael and he's saying a lot.

It is interesting the little bits that catch your attention. I can remember waxing lyrical over on the 'Small Moments You Love' thread about the way Michael says 'illusion' when he's trying to teach Michael Jordan how to moonwalk in Jam. The number of times I've had to replay that single word. :D
 
filmandmusic said:
There is something about it. The depressive lyrics which are straightforward but relatable for many million people around the world. The song itself doesn't have a straightforward structure, there is no real repeated chorus just a pre chorus with changing words each time it starts. The outro is classic, love the interplay between the background vocals and Michael's classic passionate ad libs. It also has those classic Disney like string sections that Michael clearly loved. Very underrated track. It would have been so great to hear those ad libs live.
I liked those few songs on the Invincible album where the sound was more stripped down instead of overproduced, it is refreshing
I can just see this being used in some romantic drama to devastating effect.
Click to expand...
I understand your passion and love to this song, but the truth is that DGA is one of the weakest song on Invincible album. It's surely could never become a single. I mean, there are literally only 2 song weaker than DGA: 2000 watts and YAML. But still i love DGA and it's vibe
 
zinniabooklover said:
Sorry! :ROFLMAO:

It is lovely, don't get me wrong. I love the song, there is not one bit of it I don't love. But, er, yeah, I guess I was expecting something that was gonna blow my head off, lol. Although, if that was the case, you'd think I would've already known which bit you meant. It is definitely a lovely vocal moment from Michael and he's saying a lot.

It is interesting the little bits that catch your attention. I can remember waxing lyrical over on the 'Small Moments You Love' thread about the way Michael says 'illusion' when he's trying to teach Michael Jordan how to moonwalk in Jam. The number of times I've had to replay that single word. :D
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Haha it's fine 😁 we all have our own little moments we love. The small moments thread sounded like a good one!
 
Blues_Away2023 said:
Haha it's fine 😁 we all have our own little moments we love. The small moments thread sounded like a good one!
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Oh, definitely check it out. :)

The small moments you love

People love to focus on the big moments about MJ, but what are the small moments you enjoy? I've always loved it at the end of Smooth Criminal live when after the lights go down, and MJ is walking backstage to change for the next song, he stays in character
www.mjjcommunity.com www.mjjcommunity.com
 
zinniabooklover said:
Sorry! :ROFLMAO:

It is lovely, don't get me wrong. I love the song, there is not one bit of it I don't love. But, er, yeah, I guess I was expecting something that was gonna blow my head off, lol. Although, if that was the case, you'd think I would've already known which bit you meant. It is definitely a lovely vocal moment from Michael and he's saying a lot.

It is interesting the little bits that catch your attention. I can remember waxing lyrical over on the 'Small Moments You Love' thread about the way Michael says 'illusion' when he's trying to teach Michael Jordan how to moonwalk in Jam. The number of times I've had to replay that single word. :D
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You were dead on the floor!
 
It didn't stand out to me back in 2001, but in the last 10 years I've come to love it. It's currently one of my top 5 faves on the album and probably in my top 40 MJ songs period. Also, Janet went for a similar vibe with her song "Lesson Learned" on her 2015 album, also a track that I love.
 
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