Look Away
Look Away by Chicago was the number one song on this day in 1988. I was in college at the time and had been a fan of Chicago for over a decade by that point. I wasn’t hip to the whole Peter Cetera leaving or anything like that. Their music was good. That’s all I cared about.
Look Away is a breakup song. When we both agreed as lovers we were better off as friends… The guy isn’t taking it as well as the girl, who has already found a new love. The guy says he’s happy for her but asks her to look away if they cross paths because he doesn’t want her to see him cry. Pussy.
My ex-husband just got remarried last month. We’ve been divorced for over four years now and are the best of friends. I do wonder if he thought about me at all on his wedding day. His thoughts were with his new wife I’m sure, but wouldn’t you think back to your first wedding? I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask him.
Look Away was written by the wonderful Diane Warren. Many of my favorite songs were written by her. She seems like a bizarre and tough chick, so I admire her greatly. She says she was a rebellious child and ran away as a teen but came back because she missed her cat. That’s funny.
Diane Warren’s mom wanted her to give up her songwriting dream and become a secretary. Way to support your daughter. Why not just ask her to be a stripper or a whore? Diane Warren’s dad supported her when mom didn’t. He bought her a guitar and a practice room. She wrote Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion) for her father. Sweet.
Trivia
- Look Away was Chicago’s largest selling single ever.
- Look Away was the second single from the album Chicago 19. I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love was the first (also written by Diane Warren).
- Diane Warren’s first hit was Solitaire (Laura Branigan) in 1983.
- Diane Warren is the first songwriter to have seven hits (all by different artists) on the singles chart at the same time. She’s a bad ass.
- Look Away was Chicago’s seventh song to hit number one on the Adult Contemporary charts.
- Look Away was Chicago’s only number one song since Peter Cetera left the group in 1985.
- Cheap Trick was offered Look Away first. They chose The Flame instead.
- Look Away features Bill Champlin on lead vocals.
- Look Away was number one in Canada, number 10 in the Netherlands, number 15 in Sweden, and number 20 in Belgium.
Earlier this year in June, Brendan Greaves filed a lawsuit against Diane Warren. He claims she stole Look Away from him. Umm, excuse me? Diane Warren doesn’t need to steal songs. She’s awesome. Greaves was 14 when he allegedly wrote the song back in 1987. Why would you wait 30 years to file your lawsuit? Stupid.
Thanks for reading my Look Away blog which kind of segued into the awesomeness of Diane Warren. See you soon!