Don't Leave Me This Way

"Don't Leave Me This Way" is a song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert. First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a disco hit for Motown artist Thelma Houston in 1977. The song was also a hit for British duo The Communards in 1986.

This article is about the song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert. For the Tina Turner song, see Don't Leave Me This Way (Tina Turner song).

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes original version
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
One of artworks for Dutch vinyl single
Single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
from the album Wake Up Everybody
B-side"To Be Free to Be Who We Are"
Released
  • November 1975 (as an album track)
  • November 1977 (as a single)
Format
  • album track
  • 7" vinyl
  • 12" vinyl
Recorded1975
Genre
Length
  • 6:08 (Album version)
  • 3:59 (7' edit)
  • 7:07 (12" version)
  • 11:00 (1988 version)
LabelPhiladelphia International
Songwriter(s)Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert
Producer(s)Gamble & Huff
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes singles chronology
"Tell the World How I Feel about 'Cha Baby"
(1976)		 "Don't Leave Me This Way"
(1975)		 "Reaching for the World"
(1977)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

The Blue Notes' original version of the song, featuring Teddy Pendergrass's lead vocal, was included on the group's 1975 album Wake Up Everybody. Though not issued as a single in the United States at the time, the Blue Notes' recording reached number 3 on the US Billboard Disco Chart in the wake of Thelma Houston's version. The song proved to be the group's biggest hit in the UK, number 5 on the UK singles chart, when released there as a single in 1977. It became the title track of a budget LP issued on the CBS Embassy label in the UK in 1978.[1] The track was finally issued as a 12-inch single in the US in 1979, coupled with "Bad Luck".

Chart performance
Chart (1975) Peak
position
US Billboard Disco Chart[2] 3
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Swedish Singles Chart[3] 13
UK Singles Chart[4] 5

Thelma Houston version
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
Single by Thelma Houston
from the album Any Way You Like It
B-side"Today Will Soon Be Yesterday"
ReleasedDecember 2, 1976
Format
  • 7" vinyl
  • 12" vinyl
Recorded1976
Genre
Length5:42 (album version)
  • 3:29 (7" single version)
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)
  • Kenneth Gamble
  • Leon Huff
  • Cary Gilbert
Producer(s)Hal Davis
Thelma Houston singles chronology
"You've Been Doing Wrong for So Long"
(1976)		 "Don't Leave Me This Way"
(1976)		 "If It's the Last Thing I Do"
(1977)

"Don't Leave Me This Way" was covered by then-upcoming Motown artist Thelma Houston in 1976. Originally assigned to Diana Ross, it was intended to be the follow-up to her hit "Love Hangover" but was reassigned and given to Houston instead.

Following the release of her fourth album Any Way You Like It, a Boston record pool unanimously reported positive audience response to "Don't Leave Me This Way" in discos, and the song was selected for release as a single.[5] Houston's version became a massive international hit, topping the soul singles chart[6] and, nine weeks later, the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in April 1977. The song peaked at number 13 in the UK.[7] The song went to number one on the disco chart.[8] Later in the year, it was featured on the soundtrack of the movie, Looking for Mr. Goodbar. In 1978, "Don't Leave Me This Way" won the award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards.[9]

Houston's version was revived in 1995 in several remixes, which reached number 19 on the US Billboard Dance Chart and number 35 in the UK.[7] This version got Houston ranked number 86 on VH1's "100 Greatest One-hit Wonders", as well as the number 2 spot on their "100 Greatest Dance Songs" list.

The 1994/1995 remixes are: R&B vs 4:00 | Remix radio vs 4:00 | 7” radio edit 4:00 | Club remix vertigo 5:40 | House club remix 5:40 | Factory team remix 5:50 | U.S. club edit 5:50 | Serious rope club remix 7:10 | Serious rope 7” remix 4:10 | Jazz voice's classic club trax 6:10 | Jazz voice's dub mix 7:35 | Xs'2 house pump mix 7:30 | Joe T. Vanelli dubby mix 8:40 | Joe T. Vanelli light mix 5:20 | Joe T. Vanelli Radio Cut 3:54 | Joe T. Vanelli Extra Dubby 5:17 | Junior sound factory mix 9:30 | Tribe dub (acid vocal) 7:20 | Junior's factory dub 9:30 | Junior gospel dub 7:55 | Junior's Tribe Prank Mix and Radio Edit 3:20.

HIV/AIDS significance

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Houston's version of the song became an unofficial theme song for the AIDS epidemic in gay male communities of the west. American artist Nayland Blake created a work for American Foundation of AIDS research about the epidemic that referenced the song and its significance in the community. An art exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia entitled "Don't Leave Me This Way – Art in the age of AIDS" opened in 1994 containing various works about the epidemic. A 246-page publication of the exhibition also followed.[10]

Chart performance

The Communards version
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
Single by The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris
from the album Communards
B-side"Sanctified"
ReleasedAugust 1986
Format7" vinyl,
12" vinyl,
CD single,
Cassette single
Recorded1985–1986
GenreHi-NRG[27][28]
Length4:50
LabelLondon
Songwriter(s)Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert
Producer(s)Mike Thorne
The Communards singles chronology
"Disenchanted"
(1986)		 "Don't Leave Me This Way"
(1986)		 "So Cold The Night"
(1986)

The song was covered by The Communards in a Hi-NRG version. This recording topped the UK charts for four weeks in September 1986, becoming the biggest selling record of the year in the process.[4] The featured guest vocalist was the female jazz singer Sarah Jane Morris.[29] The song became a Top 40 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Dance chart.[30] In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 16th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.[31]

Several remixes were issued, notably the "Gotham City Mix" which was split across two sides of a 12" single and ran for a total of 22 minutes 55 seconds.

The album liner notes dedicate the song to the GLC.

Chart performance
Chart (1986–87) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[32] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 19
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles) 4
France (SNEP)[35] 6
Ireland (IRMA)[36] 1
Italy (FIMI)[37] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 2
Spain (AFYVE)[41] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 2
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[43] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[44] 40
West Germany (Official German Charts)[45] 5

Year-end charts
Chart (1986) Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[46] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[47] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[48] 2
West Germany (Official German Charts)[49] 71

Cover versions

Jeanie Tracy released a cover version of this in 1985 on Megatone Records.

A version of the song is featured in the stage musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical during a funeral scene.

Ewan McGregor covers the song in ‘Elephant Love Medley’ in the film Moulin Rouge

Sheena Easton covered the song for her 2000 retro disco album Fabulous.

Andy Hallett sang in 2003 episode of Angel. Episode name: Life of the Party.

Episode 6 of the 2004 BBC musical drama serial Blackpool featured the Communards version, accompanied on screen by the singing and dancing of the characters, as part of the story.

Cher covered the song during her Las Vegas residency show Cher.

The 2012 song "Lying Together" by French Kiwi Juice samples vocals from Houston's cover.

The song appeared in the 2015 film The Martian directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon.

Bakermat covered the song in 2017 with their single "Baby".

References
  1. Andrew Hamilton. "Don't Leave Me this Way – Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  2. "Allmusic – Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes – Billboard singles". Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  3. "swedishcharts.com". Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  4. "everyhit.com search results for "Don't Leave Me This Way"". Archived from the original on March 19, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  5. Stibal, Mary E. (October 1977). "Disco—Birth of a New Marketing System". Journal of Marketing. American Marketing Association. 41 (4): 82–88. doi:10.2307/1250240.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 262.
  7. "Official Charts > Thelma Houston". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 124.
  9. "Past Winners Search". Grammy Foundation. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  10. Cosgrove, Stuart (May 10, 1995). "Don't leave me this way". The Independent. London.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 142. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Austriancharts.at – Thelma Houston – Don't Leave Me This Way" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4701a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  14. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Thelma Houston (single) (screen shot of search results from offiziellecharts.de)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  15. "Charts.nz – Thelma Houston – Don't Leave Me This Way". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – Thelma Houston – Don't Leave Me This Way". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  17. "Allmusic – Thelma Houston – Billboard singles". Retrieved December 3, 2008.
  18. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 113.
  19. "Cash Box Top 100 4/16/77". Tropicalglen.com. April 16, 1977. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  20. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 21 May 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  21. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  22. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  23. "Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  24. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1977". Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  25. "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  26. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1977". Tropicalglen.com. December 31, 1977. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  27. Robbins, Ira; Rompers, Terry. "Bronski Beat". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  28. "Reviews > Dance > Picks > Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 98 (38): 73. September 20, 1986. ISSN 0006-2510.
  29. Morris will record later (2001) an acoustic version of the song, included in her album "August"
  30. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 62.
  31. Westbrook, Caroline (July 25, 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut". Metro. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  32. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  33. "Austriancharts.at – The Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  34. "Ultratop.be – The Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  35. "Lescharts.com – The Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  36. "Chart Track: Week 39, 1986". Irish Singles Chart.
  37. "I singoli più venduti del 1986". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Creative Commons. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
    10. Don't Leave Me This Way – The Communards [#5]
  38. "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Communards" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  39. "Dutchcharts.nl – Communards with Sarah Jane Morris – Don't Leave Me This Way" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  40. "Charts.nz – The Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  41. Salaverri, Fernando (January 1987). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  42. "Swisscharts.com – The Communards – Don't Leave Me This Way". Swiss Singles Chart.
  43. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 117. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  45. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Communards with Sarah Jane Morris – Don't Leave Me This Way". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  46. "Jaaroverzichten 1986". Ultratop. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  47. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  48. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  49. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
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