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Watch Walk Away on YouTube "Walk Away" – The James Gang

A classic Joe Walsh rocker from his time with The James Gang, “Walk Away” is one of a handful of songs that highlights everything that is great about Joe Walsh.

“Walk Away” was relatively prominent in Phish shows during 1988-1990. Rather than dropping out completely like some rarities, it then went halfway, receding into key improvisational moments, including several strong “Tweezer” jams (2/20/93, 4/30/93, and 7/22/93), while the version offered on 8/14/93 was notable for turn-on-a-dime segues from "Sparks" and into “Antelope.” The famed 5/7/94 Bomb Factory gig saw “Walk Away” stretched beyond recognition, emerging from a loose take on “Sweet Emotion,” dissolving into an extended Type-II jam led by Page, before resolving in an instrumental take on The Breeders’ “Cannonball.”

Watch Walk Away on YouTube "Walk Away" – Phish, 4/29/90, Woodbury, CT

The song itself then walked away, gone for the 367 shows from 5/7/94 to 10/29/98. Upon its return it was only played sporadically up until Phish’s first hiatus, though when it did appear it made a splash in memorable shows including 7/25/99 Deer Creek (segue out of “Birds of a Feather”), 6/14/00 Fukuoka, Japan (officially released as LivePhish 04), and 6/29/00 Garden State Arts Center (segue out of “Cities”).

When “Walk Away” returned after Phish’s extended hiatus in 2009, the song quickly morphed a regular first set bell-ringer. Beginning on 6/17/10 Hartford, CT, Trey and Page began ramping up their solos, leaving several notable versions with a distinctive, albeit brief, jam segment. Instead of a simple second set closer, the new energy and drift from the norm left “Walk Away” as a show highlight. Other standout versions include 1/1/11 Madison Square Garden, and 8/5/11 The Gorge. Whether the improvisational promise of “Walk Away” is ever fulfilled remains an open question, though, as its final appearance to date was on 10/29/13 in Reading, PA.

Watch Walk Away on YouTube "Walk Away" – Phish, 10/29/13, Reading, PA. Video by LazyLightning55a.

(Walsh)
Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI)

Takin' my time
usin' my line
tryin' to decide what to do
looks like my stop
don't wanna get off
got myself hung up on you

Seems to me
you don't want to talk about it
seems to me
you just turn your pretty head and walk away

places I've known
things that I'm growin'
don't taste the same without you
I got myself in
the worst mess I've been
and I find myself startin' to doubt you

Seems to me
we talk all night, here comes the morning
seems to me
you ignore just what was said and
greet the day

Seems to me
you don't wanna talk about it
seems to me
you don't wanna talk about it
seems to me
you just turn your pretty head and walk away

I've got to cool myself down
stompin' around
thinking some words I can't name ya
meet you halfway
got nothin' to say
still I don't 'spose I can blame ya

Seems to me
you don't wanna talk about it
seems to me
you just turn your pretty head and walk away
Walk away!