If You Leave Me Now
For the Chicago compilation album, see If You Leave Me Now (album).
| "If You Leave Me Now" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Chicago | ||||
| from the album Chicago X | ||||
| B-side | "Together Again" | |||
| Released | July 31, 1976[1] | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | March – April 1976[1] | |||
| Genre | Soft rock[2][3] | |||
| Length | 3:55 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Writer(s) | Peter Cetera | |||
| Producer(s) | James William Guercio | |||
| Certification | Platinum | |||
| Chicago singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"If You Leave Me Now" is the title of a popular hit ballad by the American rock group Chicago, from their album Chicago X. It was written and sung by bass guitar player Peter Cetera and released as a single on July 31, 1976.
It is also the title of a compilation album released by Columbia Records (Columbia 38590) in 1983.
The single topped the US charts on October 23, 1976, and stayed there for two weeks, making it the first number one hit for the group as well as hitting number one on the Easy Listening charts.[4] It also reached number one in the UK on November 13, 1976, maintaining the position for three weeks.[5]
"If You Leave Me Now" was also Chicago's biggest hit worldwide, topping the charts in other countries such as Australia. It won Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus. It also received a nomination for Record of the Year. In addition, by August 1978 it had sold 1.4 million copies in the United States alone.[6]
The song has been featured in several television series and movies such as Three Kings, Shaun of the Dead, A Lot Like Love, Sex and the City, Happy Feet, South Park, and the video game Grand Theft Auto V.
For the past several years Chicago has 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. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to fight breast cancer.
Composition
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 and D sharp.[7]
Personnel
- Peter Cetera - lead & backing vocals
- Terry Kath - twelve-string acoustic guitar
- Robert Lamm - Fender Rhodes electric piano
- Danny Seraphine - drums
- Laudir de Oliveira - congas, shakers, finger cymbals, wind chimes
- Jimmy Pankow - trombone
- Lee Loughnane - trumpet
- Walt Parazaider - French horn
- James William Guercio - acoustic guitar & bass
- Jimmie Haskell - string & French horn orchestrations
Chart performance
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Succession
| Preceded by "Disco Duck (Part one)" by Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single October 23, 1976 - October 30, 1976 (two weeks) |
Succeeded by "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band |
| Preceded by "Don't Stop Believin'" by Olivia Newton-John |
Billboard Adult Contemporary chart number-one single September 25, 1976 (one week) |
Succeeded by "I Can't Hear You No More" by Helen Reddy |
| Preceded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat |
UK Singles Chart number-one single November 13, 1976 (three weeks) |
Succeeded by "Under the Moon of Love" by Showaddywaddy |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[26] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Gold | 500,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[28] | Platinum | 0^ |
|
^shipments figures based on certification alone | ||
Cover versions
There have been over 100 versions of "If You Leave Me Now" recorded by artists throughout the world, among them:
- Brotherhood of Man on their 1980 album Sing 20 Number One Hits
- Elkie Brooks released a version of the song on her album Pearls in 1981
- Mina released a version of the song on her album Finalmente ho conosciuto il conte Dracula... in 1985
- Marti Webb included the song on her album Encore (1985) which was later re-released on CD entitled If You Leave Me Now (1995)
- Peter Cetera re-recorded the song as a solo artist for his 1997 album You're the Inspiration: A Collection
- Khalil Fong, a R&B singer based in Hong Kong, recorded a version on his second Mandarin album, This Love
- The Isley Brothers on their 2001 album Eternal
- Danish popstar Christine Milton recorded an uptempo version for her debut album Friday in 2003
- Philippine bossa nova singer Sitti recorded a cover of this song for her second album My Bossa Nova
- Maggie Reilly on her 2002 album Save It For A Rainy Day
- Suzy Bogguss on her 2007 album Sweet Danger
- John Barrowman on his 2007 album Another Side
- Upside Down, a British boy band from 1996, charted at number 27
- 3T, feat. T-Rio, 2005
- Boyz II Men on their 2009 album Love
- Egotrippi has released a Finnish version called "Jos Sä Lähdet Pois"
- Jazz singer Laura Zakian on her 2014 album Songs For Modern Lovers
- River Series ft. Alex Charles (vocals), 1995 maxi single containing 4 Eurodance remixes, released by the Dance Pool label
- Afonso Nigro, Brazilian pop singer, recorded a Portuguese version called "Se Voce me Deixar", in 2004
- Gilmar Monteiro Brazilian singer of Arrocha, a music genre from Bahia, recorded a Portuguese version called "Não me Deixe Amor", and covered the original song, in English
Live cover performances
- Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire sang the song during their joint concerts with Chicago in 2004-2006. This version was included in the Love Songs album by Chicago.
Sampling
- A sample of the song is used by British electronica duo Lemon Jelly on the "Nice Weather For Ducks" B-side "Soft" (2003).
See also
- List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
- List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1976
- List of number-one singles from the 1970s (UK)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1976 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1976 (U.S.)
- List of European number-one hits of 1977
References
- 1 2 The Very Best Of: Only the Beginning (Media notes). Chicago. Rhino. 2002. pp. 10, 13. R2 76170.
- ↑ Larry Starr; Christopher Alan Waterman; Jay Hodgson (2009). Rock: A Canadian Perspective. Oxford University Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-19-542761-5. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ↑ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 55.
- 1 2 "1976 The Number One Singles | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ Green, Paul (August 26, 1978). "Platinum Singles Top '76–'77 Years". Billboard. 90 (34): 114. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ Cetera, Peter. "Chicago "If You Leave Me Now" Sheet Music in B Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. MusicNotes. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
- ↑ David Kent's "Australian Chart Book 1970-1992"
- ↑ "Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – Austriancharts.at". austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Top Singles". RPM. 26 (2): 23. October 9, 1976. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Single – Chicago, If You Leave Me Now". charts.de (in German). Media Control. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "If You Leave Me Now". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Creative Commons. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – Hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-06-09.
- ↑ Australian-charts.com
- ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 1976 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1963-12-08. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ↑ "Top 100 1976 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
- ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Music Canada. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ↑ "British single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 10, 2013. Enter If You Leave Me Now in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "American single certifications – Chicago – If You Leave Me Now". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 10, 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
External links
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