- Sweet Pea Atkinson - vocals

- The Boneshakers

- Was (Not Was)

Genre: soul

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Don't Walk Away

Company: Island / Ze

Catalog: 9007-1

Year: 1982

Country/State: C

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: timing strip on front cover (not shown on above photo); promo copy; original lyric inner sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4318

Price: $7.00

Cost: $66.00

I've been a Sweet Pea Atkinson fan since the early 1980s when I heard his magical voice as a member of the criminally overlooked Was (Not Was). 

While billed as an Atkinson solo effort, 1982's David and Don Was produced "Don't Walk Away" could well have been another Was (Not Was) album.  The fact that most of the Was (Not Was) crew provided musical support only underscored the comparison.   Propelled by Atkinson's wonderful voice, musically the set's a beguiling mixture of classic old school soul (Atkinson's roots lay in the genre) and early-1980s dance music.  While I don't have a problem with most of the synthesizer propelled stuff (okay, 'Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight' sucks), my personal preference lies with the 1960s influences and material such as Atkinson's cover of the General Johnson title track and his duet with Carol Hall on 'Anyone Who Had a Heart'.   

"Don't Walk Away" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Dance or Die   (David Was - Don Was)
2.) Don't Walk Away   (General Johnson)
3.) Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight   (Eddie Rabbitt - David Malloy - Even Stevens) - 
4.) So Much in Love   (Jackson - Stragis - Williams) - 

(side 2)

1.) Dig Deep   (David Was - Don Was - Randy Jacobs) - 
2.) Anyone Who Had a Heart (duet with Carol Hall)   (Burt Bacharach - Hal David) - 
3.) Girls Fall For Me   (David Was - Don Was)
4.) Should I Wait   (David Was - Don Was)


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