"Slipping Away" by Dave Edmunds

Song#:  1448
Date:  05/14/1983
Debut:  93
Peak:  39
Weeks:  15
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Edmunds last hit the Pop chart two years earlier with his remake of "Almost Saturday Night" (#54) from his album "Twangin..." His follow-up album "D.E. 7th" didn't feature any Pop hits, but two songs were able to reach the Rock chart including the #28 "From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)," a cover of a Bruce Springsteen song that was an outtake from his album "The River." Edmunds had historically self-produced his own work, but for his next venture he decided to collaborate with another producer. ELO's Jeff Lynne stepped in and produced two songs for Edmunds' LP "Information." Not only did Lynne produce this first single, he also wrote it. The song did well enough to become Edmunds' second (and final) Top 40 entry (#7 Rock).

ReduxReview:  You can definitely hear Jeff Lynne's ELO influence right off the bat and it worked well for Edmunds. It is even more apparent on the other Lynne-produced track "Information." I kind of dig both, but that just may be my love for most anything ELO-ish coming through. Although it is a slicker, 80s synth sound, Edmunds doesn't stray too far from his rockabilly roots, which Lynne had flirted with in ELO. I think it was a pretty inspired pairing. Edmunds must have thought so as well because he tapped Lynne to produce six songs for his next album "Riff Raff," including three written by Lynne. Very interesting and very good.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although Edmunds' album "Riff Raff" would continue his collaboration with Jeff Lynn, it would fail to produce any Pop chart entries. However, the album's opener, "Something About You," would do well on rock radio and reach #16 on that chart. The song was a remake of a 1965 hit by The Four Tops. Their original version reached #19 Pop and #9 R&B.

_________________________________________________________________________________