“Stay with me; don’t you go nowhere,” Michael Jackson sang years ago to who he promised would always be The Lady In My Life. Promises aren’t always kept, of course, so now we have a breakup ballad.

“Don’t Walk Away,” he croons on one of his saddest songs, “Tell me what I have to do so you stay.” But there’s not anything he can do. She hasn’t felt “love” for him, or even smiled around him, in a long time.

The best part of the song comes at the final third. That’s when the bass drum finally kicks in along with some solemn background vocals for a heartbroken Michael Jackson to do his signature ad-libs to.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001