Walk on Air
| "Walk on Air" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by T'Pau | ||||
| from the album The Promise | ||||
| B-side | "Hold on to Love" | |||
| Released | 8 July 1991[1] | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 4:34 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Andy Richards | |||
| T'Pau singles chronology | ||||
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"Walk on Air" is a song by British band T'Pau, which was released in July 1991 as the second single from their third studio album, The Promise (1991).[2] It was written by Carol Decker and Ron Rogers, and produced by Andy Richards.[3] "Walk on Air" reached No. 62 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the charts for two weeks.[4]
A music video was filmed to promote the single.[5] The 7" single's B-side, a live version of "Hold on to Love", was exclusive to the single and described as a previously unreleased alternate "unplugged"-style recording of the track from The Promise.[6] The 12" and CD formats featured the additional track "Dirty Town", a non-LP song that would re-appear as B-side to the band's next single "Soul Destruction".[7]
Background
[edit]Decker was inspired to write the lyrics of "Walk on Air" after a friend's boyfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident. She revealed of the song's message in 2019, "You never know what is going to happen to you. You just never know. Life can turn on a sixpence."[8]
Critical reception
[edit]Upon its release, Terry Staunton of the NME commented, "'Walk on Air' sounds not unlike John Waite's 'Missing You', which is fine by me." He added that T'Pau are "no-nonsense pomp rockers who know what they want to do and do it very well".[9] Andrew Hirst of the Huddersfield Daily Examiner picked the song as the newspaper's "single of the week" and praised it as a "fine bout of chartbound chugging melodic rock".[10] Chris Lloyd of The Northern Echo stated, "Carol Decker always contrives to work herself into an over-emotional state in the course of a four minute single. She successfully manages again here, building up to a massive, powerful and pointless chorus."[11] Jan Rowe of the Hull Daily Mail awarded the single a two star rating and called it an "undemanding yet catchy single [which] is a typical example of T'Pau's music". She continued, "Lilting and atmospheric, it chunters away in the background with its standard love lyrics and smoochy sound. Pleasant but not worth buying a new stylus for."[12]
Track listing
[edit]- 7-inch single
- "Walk on Air" – 4:34
- "Hold on to Love" – 4:33
- 12-inch and CD single
- "Walk on Air" – 4:34
- "Hold on to Love" – 4:33
- "Dirty Town" – 4:03
Personnel
[edit]T'Pau
- Carol Decker – lead vocals
- Dean Howard – lead guitar
- Ronnie Rogers – rhythm guitar
- Michael Chetwood – keyboards
- Paul Jackson – bass guitar
- Tim Burgess – drums
Production
- Andy Richards – producer of "Walk on Air"
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing on "Walk on Air"
- Bob Ludwig – mastering on "Walk on Air"
- T'Pau – producers of "Hold on to Love" and "Dirty Town"
Other
- Tony McGee – photography
- Mark Millington/The Graphic Edge – sleeve design
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[4] | 62 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[13] | 23 |
References
[edit]- ↑ "World Music: Dire Straits 'Calling Elvis' On 45" (PDF). Radio & Records. 14 June 1991. p. 41. Retrieved November 4, 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ↑ "T'Pau - Walk On Air (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-13.
- ↑ "T'Pau - Walk On Air / Hold On To Love - Siren - UK - SRN 142". 45cat. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
- 1 2 "T'PAU | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
- ↑ YouTube (2007-07-24). "T'pau - Walk On Air". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
- ↑ "T'Pau - Walk On Air / Hold On To Love - Siren - UK - SRN 142". 45cat. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
- ↑ "T'Pau - Soul Destruction at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
- ↑ "T'Pau - Walk on Air". YouTube. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ↑ Staunton, Terry (20 July 1991). "Singles". New Musical Express. p. 18.
- ↑ Hirst, Andrew (20 July 1991). "Reviews: Single of the Week". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 29.
- ↑ Lloyd, Chris (19 July 1991). "Pop: Singles". The Northern Echo. p. 21. Retrieved 12 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Rowe, Jan (27 July 1991). "The Sound Box". Hull Daily Mail. p. 7. Retrieved 30 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "Playlist Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 27 July 1991. p. 14. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
External links
[edit]- "Walk On Air" at Discogs (list of releases)