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walk away renee

Certain Songs #920: The Left Banke – “Walk Away Renee”

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Album: Walk Away Renee / Pretty Ballerina
Year: 1966

On the short list of Prettiest Songs Ever Recorded, Baroque Pop Division, “Walk Away Renee” is one of those songs that can inspire an equal amount of chills and tears, depending on whether you’re fixating on the gorgeous melody or the heartbreaking words.

It’s also, for some reason, one of those songs that I’ve never dug that deep into, like somehow understanding would ruin the beauty. So there were a whole bunch of things I never knew about “Walk Away Renee” until just now.

[Read more…] about Certain Songs #920: The Left Banke – “Walk Away Renee”

Certain Songs #55: Billy Bragg – “Walk Away Renee (Version)”

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B-side, 1986.

One of the B-sides of the 12" of “Levi Stubbs’ Tears”  I bought in 1986, Billy Bragg’s version of “Walk Away Renee” is a basically a spoken-word-with-guitar piece about a short relationship. 

It begins with a great, sad joke:

She said, “It was just a figment of speech.”

And I said, “you mean ‘figure.’”

And she said, “no, ’:figment,’” because she could never imagine it happening.

But it did.

And the rest of the song is Billy describing the entire arc of the relationship while Johnny Marr plays an exquisite instrumental version of “Walk Away Renee” on acoustic guitar.

At one point, there’s a great pun on “eligible” & “illegible” that’s impossible to put into words, and at the end, Billy moves on.

It’s positioned as a b-side throwaway cover, but it completely resonated with me in 1986. In its own small way, I think it’s as moving and profound as anything he’s ever written, including the classic A-side.

Fan-made video for “Walk Away Renee" 

My Certain Songs Spotify Playlist:

Every "Certain Song” Ever