If I Walk Away

Album: Illuminations (2010)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is one of six songs Groban wrote with Dan Wilson that appear on the Illuminations album - they were teamed up by the album's producer, Rick Rubin. Groban had the title, the verse melody and the chorus, where he pleads, "If I walk away, please follow me."
  • The song's co-writer Dan Wilson recorded a new version for his 2017 album Re-Covered. As part of the album, he wrote: "'If I Walk Away' sounds like an artistic journey. Hesitating artistically until someone gives you a clue, a direction:

    Lately I've been the quiet one
    Waiting, searching the lines of the songs you played for me


    Then heading off on that artistic journey:

    Sailing into the misty air
    Bound for I don't know where
    When we're there we'll see
  • The second verse came about after Dan Wilson asked, "What would Neil Diamond do?" Groban stated imitating Diamond, making up a song in his style. It was just a good, but when Groban sang what he made up in his own voice, it worked.

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