Love Me or Leave Me

Love Me or Leave Me appears on my album Come Explore With Me. You can stream Love Me or Leave Me on Spotify or listen on YouTube.

Press play to hear a performance inspired by Sammy Davis Jr.’s animated phrasing and Bryan Ferry’s subtle vocal nuance, recorded with a classic Sennheiser microphone for warmth and detail.

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About the Song “Love Me or Leave Me”

Love Me or Leave Me was composed in 1928 by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It debuted in the Broadway musical Whoopee! and became one of Ruth Etting’s signature songs when she recorded it that same year. The tune has been covered in countless styles — Billie Holiday’s heartfelt swing, Doris Day’s version in the 1955 film of the same name, Nina Simone’s inventive and classically tinged performance, and Sammy Davis Jr.’s soaring, animated take. That Sammy Davis Jr. performance is the one that first made the song stick for me.

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My Interpretation of Love Me or Leave Me

While Sammy Davis Jr.’s energy was my entry point to Love Me or Leave Me, I’ve long been influenced by Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music in their subtle, understated approaches to standards. Ferry’s interpretations motivated me to focus on small vocal nuances — the kind of detail a microphone captures better than any other medium.

For this track — and for all my vocals and guitar on Come Explore With Me — I borrowed my old bandmate Dave Rozner’s Sennheiser MD 441-U Dynamic Supercardioid Microphone. We had used it extensively on Japan Soul recordings, and I’ve always loved its warmth. It let me deliver a restrained, conversational vocal while still holding the song’s emotional weight.

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Arranging and Recording Love Me or Leave Me

The guitar solo for Love Me or Leave Me took time to settle. I wanted it melodic and singable, something that felt like an extension of the lyric rather than a departure. Craig Levy’s production tied everything together. One highlight is the “broken piano” effect he applied to the piano I played in the B section — it has the charm of a slightly out-of-tune saloon upright but still fits neatly into the mix, adding character without distraction.

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Legacy of Love Me or Leave Me

Love Me or Leave Me endures because of its direct, uncompromising lyric and adaptable melody. It works as a hot jazz number, a torch song, or a modern reimagining. That flexibility has kept it fresh for nearly a century and continues to invite new interpretations from artists across genres.

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Notable Recordings

Over the decades, Love Me or Leave Me has been a favorite for artists looking to showcase both vocal strength and emotional range. Billie Holiday gave it a relaxed swing feel, Doris Day brought cinematic polish in her film performance, and Nina Simone transformed it into an intricate blend of jazz and classical influence. Each interpretation reveals something new about the song’s adaptability and enduring appeal.

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Listen

Love Me or Leave Me on Spotify
Love Me or Leave Me on YouTube

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Chords and Lyrics (ChordPro)

Here is the ChordPro format for my studio version of “Love Me or Leave Me.”

pgsqlCopyEdit{title:Love Me or Leave Me}
{subtitle:Music by Walter Donaldson, Words by Gus Kahn}

[Am]Love me or leave me and [B7]let me be [E7]lonely. 
[Am]You won't believe me and [B7]I love you [E7]only. 
I'd [C]rather be lonely than [D7]happy with [G7]somebody [C]else[Dm]. [E7]You
[Am]might find the nighttime the [B7]right time for [E7]kissing, 
but [Am]nighttime is my time for [B7]just remi-[E7]niscing re-[C]gretting instead of for- [D7]getting with [G7]somebody [C]else.[Fm][C]
[A7]There'll be no one unless that someone is [Dm]you;[A7][Dm] 
[G7]I intend to be independently [C]blue[Ebdim][Dm][E7].
[Am]I want your love but I [B7]don't want to [E7]borrow, 
to [Am]have it today and to [B7]give back to- [E7]morrow. 
For [C]my love is your love; there's [D7]no love for [G7]nobody [C]else.[Fm][C]

{tag: 1928}
{tag: Gus Kahn}
{tag: Walter Donaldson}

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