"Waltz Away Dreaming" is a song by Irish singer Toby Bourke and English singer George Michael. It was released as a single on 26 May 1997 in the United Kingdom, and later appeared on Bourke's 2000 album, Room 21. The song was a top ten hit, charting at number ten on the UK Singles Chart, and staying in the charts for four weeks.[3] It remains as Bourke's only hit.
| "Waltz Away Dreaming" | ||||
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| Single by Toby Bourke with George Michael | ||||
| from the album Room 21 and Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (cassette version only) | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 26 May 1997[1] | |||
| Recorded | March 1997[2] | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 4:44 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| George Michael singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Waltz Away Dreaming" on YouTube | ||||
Background and recording
editThe song was recorded as a tribute to Michael's mother, Lesley Angold, who passed away on 26 February 1997.[4][5] According to Bourke, "He [Michael] was utterly focused on this track. Lesley died on (Wednesday) and we were both in the studio on Saturday starting this."[2]
The song was slightly remixed by Tim Hammill and released as "Waltz Away Dreaming '99" in Europe.
"Waltz Away Dreaming" has not appeared on any of Michael's studio albums. It did eventually appear in 1998 on his greatest hits album Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael, but only on the cassette version. A music video was also made for the single.
Critical reception
editBritish magazine Music Week rated the song three out of four, describing it as "a low-key, folksy ballad written by the pair in tribute to George Michael's late mother. With plenty of profile, it could be a hit."[6]
Track listing
edit
A-side
B-side
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A-side
B-side
(CNR 5300347 / Arcade ARC311 (Netherlands) / CNR ARC 1007–8 (Germany) / ICE 991001 CDS)
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Charts
edit| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (OCC)[7] | 19 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[3] | 10 |
References
edit- ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 May 1997. p. 43. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Dublin musician recalls George Michael's pride at duet". RTÉ.ie. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Gariano, Francesca (29 June 2022). "The true story of George Michael's complicated relationship with his mother". Today.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "Lesley Angold Panayiotou: What Happened To George Michael's Mother?". Dicy Trends. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 May 1997. p. 13. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2021.