Don't Leave Me This Way

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"Don't Leave Me This Way" is an R&B/soul/disco song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a hit single for both Thelma Houston and again for The Communards.

Contents 1 Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes version 1.1 Chart performance 1.2 Sample 2 Thelma Houston version 2.1 Chart performance 3 The Communards version 3.1 Chart performance 4 Other versions 5 References

[edit] Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes version

“Don't Leave Me This Way”
Single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes from the album Wake Up Everybody
Released	1975 (1975)
Genre	R&B/soul/disco
Label	Philadelphia International
Writer(s)	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes singles chronology
"Wake Up Everybody (Part 1)" (1975) "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1975) "Tell the World How I Feel About 'Cha Baby" (1976)

The Blue Notes' original version of the song, featuring Teddy Pendergrass' lead vocal, was included as an album track on the group's successful Wake Up Everybody LP. Though not issued as a single in the United States, the Blue Notes' recording reached #3 on the Billboard Disco charts and later reached #5 on the UK singles chart.

[edit] Chart performance

Country	Peak position
United Kingdom	5
United States Billboard Disco Chart	3

[edit] Sample

[edit] Thelma Houston version

“Don't Leave Me This Way”
Single by Thelma Houston
Released	1976 (1976)
Genre	disco
Label	Motown
Writer(s)	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert
Certification	Platinum (US)
Thelma Houston singles chronology
"You've Been Doing Wrong For So Long" (1976) "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1976) "Any Way You Like It" (1976)

"Don't Leave Me This Way" was covered by Motown artist Thelma Houston in 1976. Her version, with its more overt disco arrangement, was a massive international hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in April 1977. The song peaked at #13 in the UK. The song is considered by many to be one of the greatest songs of the disco era.

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

"Don't Leave Me This Way" was also covered by pop diva Sheena Easton in 2001 on her "Fabulous" disco album and in 2008 by American Idol finalist Ramiele Malubay and in 2004 by finalist LaToya London.

[edit] Chart performance

Country	Peak position original version	Peak position remix version
The Netherlands	4[1]
United Kingdom	13	35
United States Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	1
United States Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1	19
United States Billboard Hot 100	1
United World Chart	1

Preceded by "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul	Billboard Hot 100 number one single April 23, 1977	Succeeded by "Southern Nights" by Glen Campbell
Preceded by "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder	Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number one single February 19, 1977	Succeeded by "I've Got Love on My Mind" by Natalie Cole
Preceded by Four Seasons of Love by Donna Summer (all cuts)	Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "Any Way You Like It" December 25, 1976 - January 29, 1977	Succeeded by "Disco Inferno" / "Starvin'" / "Body Contact Contract" by The Trammps
Preceded by "Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand	United World Chart number one single April 9, 1977	Succeeded by "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA
Preceded by "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA	United World Chart number one single April 23 – May 7, 1977	Succeeded by "Hotel California" by Eagles

[edit] The Communards version

“Don't Leave Me This Way”
Single by The Communards with Sarah-Jane Morris from the album Communards
Released	1986 (1986)
Genre	Hi-NRG
Writer(s)	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert
The Communards with Sarah-Jane Morris singles chronology
"Disenchanted" (1986) "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1986) "So Cold the Night" (1986)

Nine years later, the song was revived by The Communards in an avowedly 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. The featured guest vocalist was jazz singer Sarah Jane Morris. The song only reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 but did top the Billboard Dance chart.

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.

[edit] Chart performance

Country	Peak position
The Netherlands	1[2]
United Kingdom	1
United States Hot Dance Club Play	1
United States Billboard Hot 100	40

Preceded by "I Want to Wake Up with You" by Boris Gardiner

UK number one single September 7, 1986

Succeeded by "True Blue" by Madonna

[edit] Other versions

The song has been recorded by several other artists including Isaac Hayes, Gerard Joling, Sheena Easton, José Galisteo, Andy Abraham, and The Temptations, amongst others.

[edit] References