- If You Leave Me Now
Infobox Single
Name = If You Leave Me Now
Artist = Chicago
from Album =Chicago X
B-side = "Together Again"
Released = July 1976
Format = 7"
Recorded = 1976
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:58
Label =Columbia Records
Writer =Peter Cetera
Producer =James William Guercio
Certification = Platinum
Chart position =
* #1 (USA, UK, World)
Last single =Another Rainy Day in New York City (1976)
This single = If You Leave Me Now (1976)
Next single = You Are On My Mind (1977)"If You Leave Me Now" is the title of a popular hitballad by the American rock group Chicago, from their album "Chicago X ". It was written and sung bybass guitar playerPeter Cetera and released as a single in July 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. It also reached the number one spot in the UK, maintaining the position for three weeks. It was popular in multipleradio format s, and at one point during its peak listeners could hear it being played simultaneously on four differentNew York City radio stations."If You Leave Me Now" was also Chicago's biggest hit worldwide after topping the charts in other countries such as Britain and Australia. It went on to win
Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus.Cover versions
There have been over 100 versions of "If You Leave Me Now" recorded by artists throughout the world, among them:
*
Elkie Brooks , released a version of the song on her album "Pearls" in 1981.*
Peter Cetera re-recorded the song as a solo artist for his1997 album "".*
Khalil Fong , a R&B singer based in Hong Kong, recorded a version on his second Mandarin album, "This Love".*
Philip Bailey ofEarth, 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.*Danish popstar
Christine Milton recorded an uptempo version for her debut album "Friday" in2003 .*
Philippine bossa nova singer Sitti recorded a cover of this song for her second album "My Bossa Nova ".*
John Barrowman on his 2007 album "Another Side".*
Suzy Bogguss on her 2007 album "Sweet Danger".*
Isley Brothers on their 2001 albumEternal ".Trivia
*Incidentally, "If You Leave Me Now" became Chicago's first number one hit in 1976, the same year the former mayor of Chicago,
Richard J. Daley , who objected to the group's using the name "Chicago Transit Authority ," died.
*"South Park " characterButters Stotch has sung portions of this song in several episodes of the series.
*In theanimated film , "Happy Feet ", the heropenguin , Mumble, feels obliged to drive away his love for her to have a normal life. Observing this, the adèle amigos sing an "a cappella " version of the song to try to convince Mumble to call her back.
*In the film "Three Kings", as two characters argue over what music to play on their car's CD player, a brief (less than one second, but easily recognizable) clip of this song's chorus can be heard. Later, a longer segment of the song is heard, followed moments later by a shorter segment that ends when the car is destroyed by arocket-propelled grenade .
*The song is played in the 2004 film "Shaun of the Dead ", on ajukebox at a bar shortly after Shaun is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz.
*The song was played and sang in the 2005 film "A Lot Like Love ", in the scene where Emily and Oliver drove the car
*The single was originally not scheduled for release as early as it was. "Another Rainy Day in New York City", the first single from "Chicago X", was almost immediately ignored by radio in favor of this song as an album cut. Columbia Records, therefore, decided to bring forward the song as a single to meet demand.
*The song was used as a tribute to Len Berman, sportscaster, on his last evening working for WBZ-TV (Boston) on June 16, 1978. He is now the weekday sportscaster for WNBC-TV in New York and appears on the Today Show.
*It was also featured in a season six episode of the HBO series "Sex and the City ", ending the episode of the gay prom.
*Lemon Jelly sampled the song for their track "Soft".
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.