Don't Leave Me This Way

Harold Melvin

About 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.


Year:
2011
6:06
31 
#3

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Don't leave me this way
I can't survive, I can't stay alive
Without you love, oh baby
Don't leave me this way
I can't exist, I will surely miss
Your tender kiss
So don't leave me this way

Oh baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you
So come on down and do what you've got to do
You started this fire down in my soul
Now can't you see it's burning, out of control
So come down and satisfy the need in me
Cos only your good loving can set me free

Don't leave me this way
I don't understand how I'm at your command
So baby please don''t leave me this way

Don't leave me this way
'Cos I can't exist
I will surely miss
Your tender kiss
So don't leave me this way

Oh baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you...
Don't leave me this way
I can't survive, I can't stay alive
Without you love, oh baby
Don't leave me this way
I can't exist, I will surely miss
Your tender kiss
So don't leave me this way

Oh baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you...

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Harold Melvin

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the middle of the 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997. Despite group founder and original lead singer Harold Melvin's top billing, the Blue Notes' most famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during the successful years at Philadelphia International. The remaining members of the Blue Notes have reunited for Soul Train Cruises in 2013, … more »

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Written by: RICKY NELSON

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Release
"Don't Leave Me This Way" was first made popular by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in 1975. It was initially released on their album "Wake Up Everybody."
Teddy Pendergrass' Vocals
The original version of the song featured Teddy Pendergrass as the lead vocalist. He was the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes at the time.
Thelma Houston's Version
Thelma Houston remade the song in 1976 and it became her most successful hit. Her version reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S.
Grammy Award
Thelma Houston's version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1977.
CBS Promotion Strategy
CBS, which owned the rights to Houston's and The Communards' versions, chose not to promote the former in the UK, giving the latter a chance to thrive and it became a major hit.
The Communards' Version
British synth-pop duo The Communards covered the song in 1986 and it remains one of their biggest hits. It reached number 1 in the UK and several other countries.
Length of the Communards' Version
The Communards' version of "Don't Leave Me This Way" is particularly notable for its length, with some versions of the song lasting more than 10 minutes.
LGBTQ+ Anthem
Over time, "Don't Leave Me This Way" has been embraced by many as an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community, especially the version by The Communards which was a gay duo.
Usage in Films and TV Shows
The song has been used in numerous films and TV shows, including "Milk," "Looking," "Queer as Folk," and "The Martian."
Various Covers
Aside from Thelma Houston and The Communards, the song has been covered by numerous other artists, including Cher, Diana Ross, and Sheena Easton.
Song's Theme
Regardless of the version, "Don't Leave Me This Way" is universally understood as a song of desperation and longing, told from the perspective of someone who doesn't want their lover to leave.

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