{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{short description|1966 single by the Left Banke}} {{for|the 2011 film|Walk Away Renee (film){{!}}''Walk Away Renee'' (film)}} {{Infobox song | name = Walk Away Renée | image = Walk away renee by the left banke US single side-A variation A.png | alt = side-A vinyl label | caption = One of label variants of the US single | type = single | artist = the Left Banke | album = Walk Away Renée/Pretty Ballerina | B-side = I Haven't Got the Nerve | released = July 1966<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Robert |title=Revolver: How the Beatles Re-Imagined Rock 'n' Roll |date=2012 |publisher=Backbeat Books |location=Montclair |isbn=978-1-61713-009-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/revolverhowbeatl0000rodr |url-access=registration |page=247}}</ref> | recorded = March 1966<ref name=":0">{{Cite AV media |title=The History Of The Left Banke |last=Hyde |first=Bob |publisher=Rhino |year=1985 |id=RNLP 123}}</ref> | studio = World United, New York City<ref name=":0" /> | genre = *Baroque pop<ref name="Stanley">{{cite news|last1=Stanley|first1=Bob|author-link1=Bob Stanley (musician)|title=Baroque and a soft place|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/sep/21/popandrock1|newspaper=The Guardian|date=September 21, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Psychedelic 2020">{{cite book|last= Lanza|first= Joesph|chapter= Love and "The Internal Muzak Denial Move|date= November 10, 2020|title= Easy-Listening Acid Trip - An Elevator Ride Through '60s Psychedelic Pop|publisher=Feral House|location= Port Townsend|page= 124}}</ref> *psychedelic pop<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/boston-more-than-a-feeling-1225126/|title=The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|date=February 16, 2024|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 16, 2024}}</ref> * orchestral pop<ref name= "Zivkovic 2024">{{cite web|last=Zivkovic|first=Ljubinko|title=Sixteen brilliant Baroque pop albums that make for must-listens|website= AudioPhix|date=November 25, 2024|url= https://audiophix.com/sixteen-brilliant-baroque-pop-albums-make-must-listens|accessdate=March 28, 2026}}</ref> * pop rock<ref name= "Zivkovic 2024"/> | length = {{Duration|m=2|s=43}} | label = Smash | writer = *Michael Brown *Bob Calilli *Tony Sansone | producer = *Harry Lookofsky *Bill Jerome *Steve Jerome<ref name=":0" /> | next_title = Pretty Ballerina | next_year = 1966 }}
"'''Walk Away Renée'''" is a song written by Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, and Tony Sansone for the band the Left Banke, released as a single in July 1966. Steve Martin Caro is featured on lead vocals. It spent 13 weeks on the US charts, with a top spot of No. 5.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596065/walk_away_renee |title=Walk Away Renee |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 9, 2004 |access-date=September 29, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226124902/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596065/walk_away_renee |archive-date=February 26, 2009 }}</ref> The song has been widely considered a quintessence of the baroque pop genre.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Guerrieri |first1=Matthew |title=Via Spector and Serendipity, the Harpsichord Invaded Pop |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2016/01/21/via-spector-and-serendipity-harpsichord-invaded-pop/gZDq2y9nf2IbvOKIOJx82O/story.html|newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=January 22, 2016 |access-date=May 10, 2021}}</ref> As musician Marshall Crenshaw explained, "There's something about 'Walk Away Renee' that's one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard, just in terms of provoking an emotional reaction."<ref name="crenshaw">{{cite web |last1=Hurt |first1=Edd |title=Marshall Crenshaw: The Cream Interview |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/marshall-crenshaw-the-cream-interview/article_670ca1f8-97df-52f8-98bd-3ee72b462c9e.html |website=Nashville Scene |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=24 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2005, ''Rolling Stone'' placed it at No. 220 in the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/3 |title=The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 9, 2004 |access-date=September 29, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625061023/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/3 |archive-date=June 25, 2008 }}</ref> The track returned to nationwide charts with cover versions by the Four Tops (1967), Southside Johnny and the Jukes (1986) and Rick Price (1993). It also featured on the Rickie Lee Jones 1983 e.p. "Girl at Her Volcano".
==Background== Michael Brown has stated that the song is one of a number he wrote about Renée Fladen (later Fladen-Kamm), the then-girlfriend of the Left Banke's bassist Tom Finn and object of Brown's affection. She was associated with the band for a few weeks, and was described as a free-spirited and tall blonde. Brown wrote it one month after he met her.<ref name="Walk Away Renee">[http://larryhovis.net/leftbanke/walkawayrenee.php Walk Away Renee] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427073215/http://larryhovis.net/leftbanke/walkawayrenee.php |date=April 27, 2007 }} from leftbanke.nu</ref> "Walk Away Renée" was one of a series of love songs the infatuated Brown wrote for his muse.<ref>{{cite book |first=Dave |last=Simons |title=Studio Stories: How The Great New York Records Were Made : From Miles To Madonna, Sinatra To The Ramones |page=168 |publisher=Backbeat Books |year=2004 |isbn=0-87930-817-6}}</ref> Other works about her include the band's second hit "Pretty Ballerina" and "She May Call You Up Tonight". After decades of obscurity, she was identified in 2001 as a noted singer, vocal teacher, and artist on the West Coast.<ref>{{cite book |author=Mary Devlin |title=Medieval Music, Magical Minds |year=2001 |page=21 |quote=Renée Fladen-Kamm, my longtime vocal coach and vocal director of the Sherwood Consort, is a highly trained and skilled light lyric soprano, who has performed not only early music but opera as well—most often Mozart, who was partial to the ...}}</ref>
According to band member Tom Finn:
{{quote|A bunch of teens got an apartment together around Tin Pan Alley, in the Broadway area, and Renee lived there part time when she wasn't living with her mother. Most of the kids were like half runaways in those days, and there was a "crash pad" there, as we used to call it. I guess I brought her to the studio one day where Michael met her and fell in love with her.<ref name = "Eden">Tom Finn, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080214203858/http://leftbanke.larryhovis.net/finn.php interview with music journalist Dawn Eden], posted to a Left Banke fan website created by Charlemagne Fezza circa 2006.</ref>}}
Brown says of his unrequited love for Renée: {{quote|I was just sort of mythologically in love, if you know what I mean, without having evidence in fact or in deed{{nbsp}}... But I was as close as anybody could be to the real thing.<ref>Michael Brown, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080214203924/http://leftbanke.larryhovis.net/michael.php interview with Dawn Eden]</ref>}}
Renée was looking on during the recording of the song, and her presence nearly prevented its completion. In an interview, Brown stated: {{quote|My hands were shaking when I tried to play, because she was right there in the control room{{nbsp}}... There was no way I could do it with her around, so I came back and did it later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.classicbands.com/leftbanke.html |title=The Left Banke |website=Classic Bands |access-date= May 6, 2008}}</ref>}}
However, co-writer Tony Sansone has given a different version of the origin of the song and contends that he is the primary writer. Sansone has stated in interviews that he wrote the lyrics, and he randomly chose the name Renée because the Beatles used the name "Michelle" in their hit song of the same name; he likewise chose a French name, Renée.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpFAmNaY7yc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/dpFAmNaY7yc |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Just Walk Away Renée |via=YouTube |date=September 23, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Stagnaro |first=Angelo |url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-songwriters-walk-with-musical-success/ |title=50 Years Ago, This Catholic Wrote a Song That Made the Beatles Jealous | Daily News |website=NCRegister.com |access-date=September 29, 2016}}</ref>
==Composition== The song features an alto flute solo<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shaw |first1=Phil |title=Michael Brown: Keyboard player who wrote 'Walk Away Renee', a tale of unrequited love, for his group Left Banke when he was 16 years old |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/michael-brown-keyboard-player-who-wrote-walk-away-renee-a-tale-of-unrequited-love-for-his-group-left-banke-when-he-was-16-years-old-10131326.html |work=The Independent |date=24 March 2015}}</ref> played during the instrumental bridge of the middle portion of the song. Brown was inspired to add it by the Mamas & the Papas song "California Dreamin'" which had been recorded in November 1965, but was not an immediate hit until early 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/californiadreamin/index.html |title=California Dreamin', Present at the Creation |publisher=NPR |access-date=April 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218014724/http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/californiadreamin/index.html |archive-date=February 18, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The arrangement for "Walk Away Renée " also includes a lush string orchestration, a jangling harpsichord part, and a descending chromatic bass melody. Its production was credited to World United Productions, Inc., but the session was produced by brothers Bill and Steve Jerome, along with Brown's father, jazz and classical violinist Harry Lookofsky, who also led the string players.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="larryhovis.net">[http://larryhovis.net/leftbanke/session.php Session Notes For Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina LP] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070420181054/http://larryhovis.net/leftbanke/session.php |date=April 20, 2007}}</ref> The session took place in March 1966.<ref name=":0" />
===Personnel=== '''Musicians''' * Al Rogers – drums * John Abbott – bass * George (Fluffer) Hirsh – guitar * Michael Brown – harpsichord * Friends – strings * Jackie Kelso [uncredited] – flute * John Abbott – arranger * Steve Martin Caro – lead vocal * George Cameron & Tom Finn – backing vocals
'''Technical'''<ref name="larryhovis.net"/> * Steve Jerome – producer, engineer * Harry Lookofsky – producer, strings * Bill Jerome – producer
==Chart performance== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1966) !align="left"|Peak<br />position |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|3|song=Walk Away Renée|artist=Left Banke|chartid=6822|access-date=15 January 2021}} |- |align="left"|New Zealand (Listener)<ref>http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=NZ%20listener%20charts&qyear=1966&qmonth=Dec&qweek=16-Dec-1966#n_view_location</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|5 |- |align="left"|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002''</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|5 |- | US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19661105.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 5, 1966 |access-date=January 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530053346/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/19661105.html |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|2 |} {{col-2}}
'''Year-end charts''' {| class="wikitable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1966) ! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |- |US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1966.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1966/Top 100 Songs of 1966 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |access-date=September 29, 2016}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|40 |- |CAN ''RPM'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2811&Itemid=49|title=Top 216 Hits of 1966 |website=hitsofalldecades.com |access-date=June 14, 2021}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|51 |} {{col-end}}
==Four Tops cover== {{Infobox song | name = Walk Away Renée | image = Walk away renee by four tops UK single side-A solid centre.png | alt = side-A label | caption = Solid centre variant of the UK single | type = single | artist = the Four Tops | album = Reach Out | B-side = Your Love Is Wonderful | released = January 18, 1968<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/m1119|title = Walk Away Renee / Your Love Is Wonderful - Four Tops|publisher=45cat|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = {{Duration|2:42}} | label = Motown | writer = Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, Tony Sansone | producer = Holland–Dozier–Holland | prev_title = You Keep Running Away | prev_year = 1967 | next_title = If I Were a Carpenter | next_year = 1968 }}
The Four Tops' recording was featured on their 1967 album ''Reach Out'' and is the second most successful cover version,<ref>{{cite book|author=Studwell, William E.|author2=Lonergan, David|page=[https://archive.org/details/classicrockrollr0000stud/page/148 148]|year=1999|title=The Classic Rock and Roll Reader: Rock Music from Its Beginnings to the Mid-1970s|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0-7890-0151-9|url=https://archive.org/details/classicrockrollr0000stud/page/148}}</ref> having reached number 15 on the soul singles chart,<ref name="whitburn212">{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=212}}</ref> number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and charting higher than the Left Banke in Canada at number 2 on the RPM Magazine charts. Overseas, it peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 in the Irish Singles Chart in January 1968.<ref name="autogenerated317">{{cite book|author=Whitburn, Joel.|page=317|year=2008|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2006|publisher=Record Research Inc|isbn=978-0-89820-172-7}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated426">{{cite book|author=Brown, Tony.|author2=Warwick, Neil |page=426|year=2004|title=The Complete Book of the British Charts|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=1-84449-058-0}}</ref> The Andantes provided backing vocals on this Motown release in unison with the other Tops. ''Record World'' called it a "pretty version" of the song.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Single Picks of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=February 3, 1968|page=1|accessdate=2023-06-08|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/68/RW-1968-02-03.pdf}}</ref> ''Billboard'' called it "an exciting rock ballad" and said that the "driving vocal workout and exciting production will hit hard and fast."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Spotlight Singles|magazine=Billboard|date=January 27, 1968|page=53|accessdate=2023-06-08|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1968/Billboard%201968-01-27.pdf}}</ref>
===Personnel=== * Lead vocals by Levi Stubbs * Background vocals by Obie Benson, Duke Fakir, Lawrence Payton, and the Andantes * Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
===Chart performance=== {{col-begin|width=65%}} {{col-2}}
====Weekly charts==== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1968) !align="left"|Peak<br />position |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|2|song=Walk Away Renee|artist=The Four Tops|chartid=100179|access-date=15 January 2021}} |- {{singlechart|Ireland2|5|song=Walk Away Renee|artist=The Four Tops|access-date=15 January 2021}} |- {{singlechart|UK|3|song=Walk Away Renee|artist=The Four Tops|date=19680110|access-date=15 January 2021}} |- |align="left"|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref name="autogenerated317"/> | style="text-align:center;"|14 |- |align="left"|US ''Billboard'' R&B/Soul<ref name="whitburn212"/> | style="text-align:center;"|15 |- {{singlechart|West Germany|31|song=Walk Away Renee|artist=The Four Tops|songid=155932|year=1968|access-date=15 January 2021}} |} {{col-2}}
====Year-end charts==== {| class="wikitable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1968) ! style="text-align:center;"|Rank |- |Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.5867&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada|website=www.collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|78 |- |UK | style="text-align:center;"|82 |- |US (Joel Whitburn's ''Pop Annual'')<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=1999 |title=Pop Annual |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |isbn=0-89820-142-X}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|113 |} {{col-end}}
==Rick Price version== {{Infobox song | name = Walk Away Renee | cover = Walk Away Renee by Rick Price.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Rick Price | album = Heaven Knows | B-side = We've Got Each Other | released = {{start date|1993|5|3}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Release Summary – Product Available from : 03/05/93: Singles|magazine=The ARIA Report|issue=169|page=20|date=May 2, 1993}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 4:26 | label = Columbia | writer = Michael Brown, Bob Calilli, Tony Sansone | producer = Chris Lord-Alge | prev_title = A House Divided | prev_year = 1993 | next_title = Where Is the Love | next_year = 1993 }}
In May 1993, "Walk Away Renée" was released by Australian singer-songwriter Rick Price as the fifth single from his debut studio album, ''Heaven Knows''. The song peaked at number 21 in Australia and number 52 in Germany.
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable" |- !Chart (1993) !Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Australia|21|artist=Rick Price %5BAU%5D|song=Walk Away Renee}} |- {{single chart|Germany|52|artist=Rick Price|song=Walk Away Renée|songid=43205|access-date=January 15, 2021}} |} {{Clear}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://archive.today/20130418174452/http://pewmanfustudios.blip.tv/file/498863/ Walk Away Renee – Left Banke Machinima Video] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060819201439/http://leftbanke.nu/ leftbanke.nu] * {{Discogs master|268071}} * {{YouTube|qDfrW5cWqMU|The Left Banke - Walk Away Renée}}
{{Four Tops singles}} {{Rick Price}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walk Away Renee}} Category:1966 debut singles Category:1968 singles Category:1993 singles Category:1966 songs Category:Baroque pop songs Category:Four Tops songs Category:The Left Banke songs Category:Rick Price songs Category:Smash Records singles Category:Songs about heartache Category:Songs about loneliness Category:Songs about real people Category:Songs about musicians Category:Cultural depictions of pop musicians Category:Songs written by Michael Brown (rock musician) Category:Song recordings produced by Brian Holland Category:Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier Category:Motown singles Category:Columbia Records singles