Easier to Walk Away
{{Short description|1990 single by Elton John}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox song
|name=Easier to Walk Away
|cover=EltonJohnETWA.jpg
|alt=
|type=single
|artist=Elton John
|album=The Very Best of Elton John and To Be Continued...
|B-side="I Swear I Heard The Night Talking"
"Made for Me"
|released={{start date|1990|11|df=y}}
|recorded=Los Angeles, July 1990
|studio=
|venue=
|genre=Pop
|length=4:22
|label=Rocket
|writer=Elton John, Bernie Taupin
|producer=Don WasElizabeth Rosenthal, His Song: The Musical History of Elton John.
|prev_title=You Gotta Love Someone
|prev_year=1990
|next_title=Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
|next_year=1991}}
"Easier to Walk Away" is a song by the English musician Elton John, written by him along with Bernie Taupin and the second and final single released from the Rocket Records 2-CD retrospective The Very Best of Elton John, issued largely in overseas markets excluding the United States, where the more expansive box set To Be Continued... was issued. The song reached the Top 75 and Top 20 in some countries. A music video was made to promote the song composed of some Elton John music videos from 1978 to 1990 and some stock footage from various decades.
This song tackles escaping an unfaithful relationship with his wife (in which the singer was involved) by finding another place to release his emotions about their relationship peacefully.
Release
The song peaked at No. 63 in the UK,{{Cite web|title=Elton John {{!}} full Official Chart History |date=23 January 1971 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21478/elton-john/|access-date=2022-01-31|publisher=Official Charts Company}} No. 57 in Australia, No. 59 in Canada, No. 51 in Germany{{Cite web|title=Elton John |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artist_search=Elton+John&do_search=do|access-date=2023-04-10 |publisher=Offizielle Deutsche Charts}} and No. 71 in the Netherlands but it had better success in Austria and France, peaking at No. 23 and No. 20 respectively.
Music video
The entire music video was shot in black and white. It shows John in various activities he was involved like attending Watford F.C. games and having fun backstage and various historical events in history.{{Cite web|title=Elton John – Easier To Walk Away|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atdKuw_Vdzg |access-date=31 January 2022|website=YouTube| date=29 March 2008 }}
It is also comprised some Elton John music videos from 1978 to 1990 (from how the video started):
- "Healing Hands" (1989) {{small|(some clips repeated)}}
- "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (1988)
- "You Gotta Love Someone" (1990) {{small|(some clips repeated)}}
- "Wrap Her Up" (1985) {{small|(some clips repeated)}}
- "Paris" (1986) {{small|(some clips repeated)}}
- "A Word in Spanish" (1988)
- "Sacrifice" (1989)
- "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983)
- "Ego" (1978)
Personnel
- Elton John – vocals and piano
- Randy Jackson – bass guitar
- Kenny Aronoff – drums
- Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
- Michael Landau – guitar
- David Lasley, Harry Bowens, Donald Ray Michell, Sweet Pea Atkinson – backing vocals
- James Newton Howard – synthesizers and arrangements
- Michael Mason – Synclavier{{Cite web|title=Elton John Lyrics: Easier To Walk Away|url=http://www.eltonography.com/songs/easier_to_walk_away.html|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Eltonography }}
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for "Easier to Walk Away" ! scope="col"| Chart (1990–1991) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite Ryan|page=146}}
| 57 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Austria|23|artist=Elton John|song=Easier to Walk Away|rowheader=true|access-date=15 August 2022}} |
| {{single chart|France|20|artist=Elton John|song=Easier to Walk Away|rowheader=true|access-date=15 August 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|51|songid=39942|artist=Elton John|song=Easier to Walk Away|rowheader=true|access-date=15 August 2022|refname=Germany}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|71|artist=Elton John|song=Easier to Walk Away|rowheader=true|access-date=15 August 2022|refname=Dutch}} |
| {{single chart|UK|63|date=19901223|rowheader=true|access-date=15 August 2022}} |
| scope="row"| Zimbabwe (ZIMA)* Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
| 11 |