"Don't Look Back" is a song by British pop band the Korgis, released by London Records as a non-album single on 6 August 1982. The song was written by James Warren and was produced by Trevor Horn.
Background
Warren originally wrote and demoed "Don't Look Back" without any definite plans on its future use. The demo ended up being passed by Warren's publishers, Warner Chappell Music, to producer Trevor Horn, who expressed interest in producing the song.[1] Warner Chappell set up a meeting and a deal was agreed. In a 2015 interview with The Strange Brew, Warren recalled, "Trevor was the most inventive producer of that period and [Warner Chappell] thought he might be able to come up with something magical."[2]
Warren was later critical of himself when reflecting on the recording session, which he described in 2015 as "rather tense" with the "final result not very satisfactory". He told The Strange Brew, "I blame myself! I like the song but I sort of got in the way of the recording by constantly trying to recreate my original demo. I should have just let Trevor and Anne [Dudley] do their own thing with it. A pity. Not my finest moment."[2] It was intended for Warren to work with Horn again on a follow-up single, "Endangered Species", but the plans never came to fruition.[1]
Release
"Don't Look Back" was released in the UK by London Records on 6 August 1982.[3] With the production agreement with Horn in place, a deal for the song's release as a single was secured with London on the strength of the producer's involvement.[1] The single failed to enter the UK Singles Chart, but did reach the unnumbered 'bubbling under' section for two consecutive weeks in September 1982, which would have been equivalent to a position between 76 and 100 at a time when the main charts covered the top 75.[4][5]
Despite its poor reception in the UK, the song was one of the most-played songs in Brazil in 1983.[citation needed]
Critical reception
Upon its release as a single, Radio Luxembourg DJ Rob Jones, writing for the Daily Mirror, stated, "I always hoped that the Korgis wouldn't be a one-hit wonder. Trevor Horn brings out the best in them with a beautiful production job."[6] Simon Tebbutt of Record Mirror stated, "Smooth, subtle, sensitive and airey, it has the same effect on the senses as an overdose of horse tranquilliser."[7] Paul Screeton of Hartlepool Mail called it "rather wimpish and bland" and "for incurable romantics only".[8]
^ abcdDon't Look Back: The Very Best of the Korgis (UK CD compilation album liner notes by Kieron Tyler (with special thanks to James Warren)). The Korgis. Castle Music. 2003. CMDDD 673.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
