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Classic Covers - 'Walk on By'
Other | Tuesday 14th October 2014 | Katie
Composed by Burt Bacharach and originally recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1964, 'Walk on By' has been covered over eighty times. From extended jazz instrumentals to upbeat reggae versions this is a classic that just keeps on giving.
Isaac Hayes 1969 release on the album 'Hot Buttered Soul' deserves the first mention. A pioneer of the “Memphis Sound”, Hayes revamps the soulful classic into a twelve minute funk vamp- and each minute is precious. This version alone has been sampled by countless hip-hop greats, appearing on Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Warning', 2Pac's 'Me Against The World' and Wu-Tang Clan's 'I Can't Go To Sleep'. The strength of Bacharach's composition is illustrated by its genre-defying remakes and its sampling in the classics of another generation.
Punk-era iconoclasts, The Strangler's took 'Walk on By” in yet another direction with their 1988 version. Filled with the shadowy, aggression of youth this song sprawls over six minutes of guitar solos and hammering keys. This achingly brilliant track takes nothing away from the original and stands perfectly on its own rock'n'roll legs.
The original track became a UKG club classic for any DJ worth the Moschino shirt they stood in. Bringing it into the millennium, Steve Gurley's production gives the track a facelift with with swooping subs and a play on the iconic vocal motif. Pure gold.
