Wikipedia

If You Leave Me Now

For the compilation album by Chicago, see If You Leave Me Now (album). For the song by Charlie Puth, see If You Leave Me Now (Charlie Puth song).

"If You Leave Me Now" is a song by the American rock group Chicago, from their album Chicago X. It was written and sung by bass player Peter Cetera and released as a single on July 30, 1976. It is also the title of a Chicago compilation album released by Columbia Records (Columbia 38590) in 1983.

"If You Leave Me Now"
Single by Chicago
from the album Chicago X
B-side"Together Again"
Released30 July 1976 (US)[1]
24 September 1976 (UK)[2]
RecordedMarch – April 1976[1]
Genre
Length3:58
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Peter Cetera
Producer(s)James William Guercio
Chicago singles chronology
"Another Rainy Day in New York City"
(1976) 		"If You Leave Me Now"
(1976) 		"You Are on My Mind"
(1977)

The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 on October 23, 1976, and stayed there for two weeks, making it the first number one hit for the group. It hit the number one on the Easy Listening charts[6] and was also Chicago's biggest hit internationally, topping the charts in other countries such as the UK, Australia, Ireland, Canada, and Netherlands. In the UK, it maintained the number one position for three weeks.[7] It was one of five "non-disco" songs to make it to number one in the US in a nine-month period of 1976.[8] According to writer Zachary Houle of PopMatters, "The song was so pervasive on radio upon its release that, reportedly, those tuning in in New York could hear the song playing on four different stations, each with varying formats, simultaneously."[9]

The song won Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) (strings) for arranger Jimmie Haskell[10] and producer James William Guercio[11] and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus,[12] the first Grammy Award won by the group.[13] It also received a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.[14] In addition, by August 1978 it had sold 1.4 million copies in the United States alone.[15] It has been certified gold and platinum by the RIAA.[16]

In 2010 Chicago teamed with the American Cancer Society and offered the opportunity to bid on the chance to sing their hit, "If You Leave Me Now" with them on stage live at their concerts, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society to fight breast cancer.[17] The fund raising effort has continued in succeeding years.[18][19][20]

Composition and recording

edit

Peter Cetera originally wrote "If You Leave Me Now" at the same time as Chicago VII's "Wishing You Were Here", and composed it on a guitar.[21] According to information on the sheet music for the song at MusicNotes, "If You Leave Me Now" is written in the key of B major, and Cetera's vocal range varies between F sharp 3 (F♯3) and D sharp 5 (D♯5).[22]

Band manager James William Guercio initially played acoustic guitar on the demo version of the track, figuring that regular guitarist Terry Kath would record the proper part when he was in the studio next. However, the band decided that Guercio's part sounded satisfactory and consequently left that effort on the record.[23] Walter Parazaider recalled that he heard the song on the radio while cleaning his pool and initially thought "it sounded like McCartney," not realizing it was his own band's work.[24]

Promotion and marketing

edit

The Chicago X album art depicted a partially unwrapped chocolate bar bearing the Chicago logo.[9] In the same vein, the single, "If You Leave Me Now", was depicted as a chocolate "kiss" from the album in a full-page advertisement in Cash Box magazine.[25]

Reception

edit

Cash Box said that it's "an excellent ballad," with "lushly colored" instrumentation and "carefully constructed" vocals.[26] Record World called it "a good single choice" with a "strong vocal line."[27] In an article from June 2020, The Guardian listed "If You Leave Me Now" as number 73 on its list of "The Greatest UK No 1s: 100–1", noting, "It’s impossibly lush and beautifully written, but its sadness is pervasive and affecting."[28]

Upon the group's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, entertainment and pop culture writer Troy L. Smith included "If You Leave Me Now" in his list of seven Chicago songs that "kill any doubt about their candidacy", and said, "... it's a key contributor to the band's fame and, thus, its Rock Hall induction. And while we're being honest, Peter Cetera delivers, hands down, the best vocal performance of any Chicago song."[29]

Charts

edit

Certifications

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[59] Gold 75,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[60] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[61] Platinum 30,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[62] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[63] Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[64] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

edit

Chicago

Additional personnel

Chess version

edit
"If You Leave Me Now"
Single by Chess
ReleasedFebruary 1, 1993
Recorded1992
GenreDance
Length3:53
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)Peter Cetera
Producer(s)Boogie Park, Brothers United

In 1992, German music group Chess covered the song which achieved modest success. While the original is a ballad, Chess's version is uptempo and danceable, adapted to the state of dance music of the 1990s. Their version is also on the compilations Larry präsentiert: Neue Smash-Hits 93 (English: Larry presents: New Smash-Hits 93) and Maxi Dance Sensation 9.

Track listing

edit

CD maxi-single

  1. If You Leave Me Now (Airplay Mix) - 3:53
  2. If You Leave Me Now (12" After Dark mix) - 5:13
  3. Please, Don't Leave Me (Instrumental Mystery Mix) - 5:16

Charts

edit
Chart (1993) Peak
position
German Singles Chart[65] 67

Other cover versions

edit

Peter Cetera re-recorded "If You Leave Me Now" as a solo artist for his 1997 album You're the Inspiration: A Collection,[66] and most recently recorded a duet version of the song with Italian vocalist, Filippa Giordano, for her 2018 album, Friends and Legends Duets.[67][68]

The website SecondHandSongs lists over 130 covers of "If You Leave Me Now" by recording artists from around the world between 1976 and 2020, among them:[69]

British DJ, producer, songwriter and former member of the Outlaw Posse, K-Gee, together with Michelle Escoffery performed a hip hop version of "If You Leave Me Now" for K-Gee's 2002 album, Bounce to This. In 2000, K-Gee told Billboard writer Kwaku that he thought the chorus of "If You Leave Me Now" "'sounds phat.'"[84]

Live cover performances

edit

In other media

edit

"If You Leave Me Now" is featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto V (appearing on the in-game radio station Los Santos Rock Radio), and is also played when Trevor Philips returns the kidnapped wife of a drug kingpin.[87][88] The song is also featured in the episodes, "Casa Bonita" and "Awesom-O", of South Park,[89] as well as "Egg Drop", the 12th episode of the third season of the American sitcom Modern Family.[90] The song was also featured in a scene on the British comedy horror film Shaun of the Dead where Shaun is still reeling from his breakup and Ed is trying to cheer him up.[91] In the early 2000's, the song was performed by the mascot "Sockpuppet" in a commercial for the now-defunct website Pets.com.[92] "If You Leave Me Now" was part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film, Three Kings, which is set in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War. Desson Howe, reviewing the film for the Washington Post, notes how film director David O. Russell cuts from the "frenzied din of confusion" outside a moving car in the scene to the interior of the car, where the "easy sounds" of the song are playing.[93] The song was also featured in the 2023 film The Flash, which is an installment in the DC Extended Universe.The song is also featured in the season 6 episode “Boy, Interrupted” of the HBO show Sex and the City. It plays at the end of the episode when Carrie attends the Gay and Lesbian Prom.

In the HBO miniseries, The Regime, the dictator portrayed by Kate Winslet sings a "cringy" rendition of "If You Leave Me Now" in the initial episode which first aired on March 3, 2024.[94][95] In an interview with Patrick Ryan of USA Today, Winslet discussed the song selection: "It’s such a great metaphor ... I thought that song choice was very much to do with her trying to express her gratitude for her loyal followers. It's a fantastic play on the world of ‘likes,’ and how she’s a leader by social media more than anything.” In the same article, series creator Will Tracey said the song was written into the very first draft, ' “I was trying to think of an American song that might’ve hit the airwaves in Europe when she was a kid: something seemingly innocuous and maudlin and soft rock. But I always felt there’s something in that rising hook in the melody; there’s a sadness contained in a lot of those seemingly vacuous radio ballads. So it seemed like the right song to mine for a ridiculous moment at the top of the show,” but one that also becomes “strangely poignant” by the series’ end.'[96]

In the fall of 2024, the song was used in tv commercials for Canadian Tire in Canada.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b The Very Best Of: Only the Beginning (Media notes). Chicago. Rhino. 2002. pp. 10, 13. R2 76170.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ "BRIT Certified". BPI.
  3. ^ Larry Starr; Christopher Alan Waterman; Jay Hodgson (2009). Rock: A Canadian Perspective. Oxford University Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-19-542761-5. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  4. ^ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  5. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (July 17, 2000). "Take the Money and Run: Pop". Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-312-19821-3.
  6. ^ a b c Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 55.
  7. ^ a b "1976 The Number One Singles | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  8. ^ Grein, Paul (October 23, 1976). "Discomania: Market Study Show Craze in Impact Akin to British of '60s". Billboard. Vol. 88, no. 43. p. 5. Retrieved December 6, 2017 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b Houle, Zachary (October 8, 2010). "Exploring Chicago: 'Chicago X'". PopMatters. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  10. ^ "Jimmie Haskell". GRAMMY.com. May 4, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  11. ^ "James Guercio". GRAMMY.com. May 14, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  12. ^ "Chicago". GRAMMY.com. May 14, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  13. ^ Gurza, Agustin (March 5, 1977). "Wonder's Grammy Streak Continues". Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 9. p. 65. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Grein, Paul (January 19, 1985). "Grammy Nominations". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 3. p. 77. Retrieved March 6, 2019 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ Grein, Paul (August 26, 1978). "Platinum Singles Top '76–'77 Years". Billboard. Vol. 90, no. 34. p. 114. Retrieved January 10, 2013 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA Chicago If You Leave Me Now". RIAA. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  17. ^ "Grammy-Winning Band Chicago and the American Cancer Society Create Extraordinary Fan Experience to Fight Breast Cancer" (Press release). American Cancer Society. March 16, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  18. ^ Cain, TIM (October 6, 2011). "Tim Cain column: Chicago keeps sniping after split". Herald-Review.com. Decatur, Illinois U.S.A. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  19. ^ Coker, Eric (August 24, 2012). "Chicago continues to make audiences smile - Inside Binghamton University". www.binghamton.edu. Binghamton University. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  20. ^ Byrne, Terry (August 20, 2013). "Chicago at Wolf Trap by Terry Byrne". DCMetroTheaterArts. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  21. ^ Cetera, Peter (September 28, 2015). "Peter Cetera/September 28" (audio). Humble & Fred Radio.Com (Interview). Interviewed by Howard Glassman and Fred Patterson. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Humble and Fred Radio. Event occurs at 51:09. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  22. ^ Cetera, Peter (March 31, 2008). "Chicago "If You Leave Me Now" Sheet Music in B Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. MusicNotes. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "If You Leave Me Now by Chicago - Songfacts".
  24. ^ Ruhlmann, William James (1991). Chicago Group Portrait (Box Set) (Media notes). New York City, NY: Columbia Records. p. 7. Archived from the original (CD booklet archived online) on February 13, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  25. ^ "If You Leave Me Now: Yours with a kiss" (PDF). Cash Box: 2. August 14, 1976. Retrieved April 21, 2023 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  26. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 7, 1976. p. 18. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  27. ^ "Hits of the Week". Record World. August 7, 1976. p. 1.
  28. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben; Petridis, Alexis; Snapes, Laura (June 5, 2020). "The 100 greatest UK No 1s: 100-1". the Guardian. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  29. ^ Smith, Troy L. (March 29, 2016). "Chicago's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legacy in 7 songs". Cleveland.com. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  30. ^ "Australian Chart Books". www.australianchartbooks.com.au. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  31. ^ "Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – Austriancharts.at". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  32. ^ "Ultratop.be – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  33. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5082A." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  34. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. October 9, 1976. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  35. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  36. ^ "Tous les Titres de l'Artiste choisi" (in French). InfoDisc. November 4, 1976. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  37. ^ "Single – Chicago, If You Leave Me Now". charts.de (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  38. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – If You Leave Me Now". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  39. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 28, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Chicago".
  40. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  41. ^ "charts.nz – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  42. ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  43. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  44. ^ "Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – Hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  45. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 10/23/76". tropicalglen.com.
  46. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 428. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  47. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1976". Kent Music Report. December 27, 1976. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
  48. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5173a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  49. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1976 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. December 8, 1963. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  50. ^ "Top 100 1976 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  51. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  52. ^ "Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1976". www.45cat.com. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  53. ^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1976–Top 100 Pop Singles". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  54. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1976".[permanent dead link‍]
  55. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 429. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  56. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1977". Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  57. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1977 - Singles". swisscharts.com.
  58. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  59. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Music Canada. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  60. ^ "Danish single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  61. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Radioscope. Retrieved December 18, 2024. Type If You Leave Me Now in the "Search:" field.
  62. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  63. ^ "British single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  64. ^ "American single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  65. ^ "If You Leave Me Now von Chess [DE]". www.chartsurfer.de.
  66. ^ Taylor, Chuck (July 12, 1997). "For former Chicago crooner Cetera, making hits is a hard habit to break". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 28. p. 85. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  67. ^ Soriano, Raul (November 2, 2018). ""Friends and Legends Duets" marca el regreso de Fillipa Giordano". La CarteleraMX (in European Spanish). Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  68. ^ Jam, Oliver (October 30, 2018). "Filippa saca disco junto amigos y legendas que admira | Weird". Weird: Rock, Música, Entrevistas, Reseñas y Tocadas. (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  69. ^ "Cover versions of If You Leave Me Now by Chicago | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  70. ^ "BROTHERHOOD OF MAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  71. ^ "Happy Birthday To Elkie Brooks - uDiscover". uDiscover Norway. February 25, 2015. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  72. ^ Sexton, Paul (May 29, 2017). "British Vocal Star Elkie Brooks Dives For 'Pearls'". uDiscoverMusic. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  73. ^ "if you leave me now | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  74. ^ Abbott, Jim (August 24, 2001). "Isley Brothers Are Masters of Emotional Power". OrlandoSentinel.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  75. ^ "Les reines du tube de l'été dédicacent à". Le Parisien. November 8, 2004. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  76. ^ "If You Leave Me Now". www.3t.com (official 3T website). Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  77. ^ "Billboard CD reviews: Lil' Mo, Patti Scialfa" Artist: Suzy Bogguss". Reuters. August 31, 2007. Archived from the original on May 27, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  78. ^ Stack, Eamonn (2007). "BBC - Music - Review of John Barrowman - Another Side". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  79. ^ ThisisRnB staff. (January 4, 2018). "Listen: Boyz II Men Team Up with Charlie Puth on "If You Leave Me Now"". ThisisRnB. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  80. ^ Lederer, Barry (August 29, 1981). "Disco Mix" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 34. USA: Leo Zhito. p. 61. Retrieved April 5, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory.com.
  81. ^ "Five Daft Punk songs that you didn't know used samples". Skiddle.com. August 8, 2018. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  82. ^ "Do "Teachers" & "Fresh" Have the Same Sample?". The French Shuffle. May 12, 2017. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  83. ^ "If You Leave Me Now – (Chicago cover) Leonid & Friends feat. Arkady Shilkloper" – via www.youtube.com.
  84. ^ Kwaku (September 30, 2000). "K-Gee's 'Care' Launches Instant Karma Label". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 40. USA: Nielsen Business Media. p. 34. Retrieved May 4, 2019 – via The Internet Archive.
  85. ^ "Love Songs". Billboard. February 5, 2005. p. 64 (Full page advertisement for album). Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  86. ^ "Grammy Salute to Music Legends ~ About | Great Performances | PBS". Great Performances. September 15, 2020. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  87. ^ "Here's all 162 new songs in the refreshed GTA 5 soundtrack". VG247. November 18, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  88. ^ Wong, Kevin. "Rockstar Games leads the video game soundtrack revolution". Red Bull. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  89. ^ "The Top 100 South Park Songs". Consequence. February 2, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  90. ^ Ovide, Shira (January 12, 2012). "'Modern Family': Season 3, Episode 12, 'Egg Drop': TV Recap". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  91. ^ Foster, Tom (November 3, 2018). "The Best Uses of Chicago Songs in Movies or TV". TVOvermind. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  92. ^ Alex Moazed; Nicholas L. Johnson (May 31, 2016). Modern Monopolies: What It Takes to Dominate the 21st Century Economy. St. Martin's Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-250-09190-1 – via Google Books.
  93. ^ Howe, Desson (October 1, 1999). "'Kings' Rules With Uncommon Wisdom". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  94. ^ Peters, Fletcher (March 4, 2024). "Kate Winslet Performs Terrible Karaoke as a World Leader in 'The Regime'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  95. ^ Cotter, Padraig (March 6, 2024). "The Regime Episode 1's Cringest Scene Recalls Kate Winslet's Forgotten One-Hit Music Career". ScreenRant. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  96. ^ Ryan, Patrick (March 3, 2024). "Kate Winslet was told to sing worse in 'The Regime,' recalls pop career that never was". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_You_Leave_Me_Now&oldid=1263742331"