"Walking Away" is a song by English singer Craig David. It was written by David and Mark Hill and released as the third single from his debut studio album, Born to Do It (2000), on 20 November 2000. It reached number three in the United Kingdom and number one in New Zealand, where it was the most successful song of 2001 according to the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).
| "Walking Away" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Craig David | ||||
| from the album Born to Do It | ||||
| B-side | "Human" | |||
| Released | 20 November 2000 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Wildstar | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Mark Hill | |||
| Craig David singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Craig David - Walking Away (Official Video)" on YouTube | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Craig David - Walking Away (US Version)" on YouTube | ||||
In 2008, the track was re-recorded for David's Greatest Hits compilation, released in November 2008 in the United Kingdom. The new versions each feature a different artist: Lynnsha on the French version, Nek on the Italian version, Álex Ubago on the Spanish version and Monrose on the German version. Monrose's vocals were sung in English rather than in German, whereas the other artists sang in their native languages.
Music videos
Original version
There are two versions of the video. The European music video begins with David with his girlfriend in a car, where she is seen yelling at him. He turns on the radio and the song starts. He then gets out of the car and the landscape continually changes, showing different places. This was directed by Max & Dania.
The US version starts with an acapella sample of the Ignorants remix, leading into the actual song. The video shows him "walking away" from troubles in his life: a flooded apartment, a fire in his 67 Camaro convertible, electrical problems at the train station, and a tornado at the end of the video. This was directed by Lenny Bass.
Greatest Hits version
New versions of the songs were recorded and shot in 2008, and it features Lynnsha on the French version, Nek on the Italian version, Álex Ubago on the Spanish version and Monrose on the German version. The video was shot in black and white, and the guest artist is seen in some scenes. Sometimes, the two singers are seen together.
Track listings
Charts
Year-end charts
| Chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[40] | 80 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[41] | 72 |
| Chart (2001) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[42] | 30 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[43] | 69 |
| France (SNEP)[44] | 72 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[45] | 1 |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100)[31] | 75 |
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)[46] | 59 |
| US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[47] | 58 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[48] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[49] | Gold | 5,000* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[50] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 20 November 2000 | CD | Wildstar | [51][52] |
| Germany | 28 November 2000 | Maxi-CD | Edel | [9] |
| Japan | 24 January 2001 | CD | Victor Entertainment | [53] |
| United States | 25 March 2002 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | Atlantic | [54] |
| 1 April 2002 | Contemporary hit radio | [55] | ||
| 7 May 2002 | Hot adult contemporary radio | [56] |