"Love Me or Leave Me" is a popular song written in 1928 by
Walter Donaldson with lyrics by
Gus Kahn. The song was introduced in the
Broadway musical comedy Whoopee!, which opened in December 1928.[1]Ruth Etting's performance of the song was so popular that she was also given the song to sing in the play Simple Simon, which opened in February 1930.[1]
The original version of the song, the biggest-selling at the time, was recorded by
Ruth Etting on December 17, 1928. It was issued by
Columbia Records as catalog number 1680-D,[1] with the flip side "I'm Bringing a Red, Red Rose", another Donaldson/Kahn composition.[2] The song reached #2 on the charts in 1929.
Other versions which also enjoyed popularity at this time[1] were by
Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians, with a vocal by
Carmen Lombardo (recorded March 20, 1929, released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 1782D, with the flip side "I'm Still Caring"[2]) and by
Leo Reisman and his orchestra (recorded April 22, 1929, released by
Victor Records as catalog number 21966A, with the flip side "Sweet Chewaulka, Land of Sleepy Water"[3]).
As the song was considered to be one of Etting's biggest hits, its title was chosen for the 1955
biographical movie about her life, in which
Doris Day played Etting. Day's recording of the song, from the soundtrack, became a major hit for her. The same year,
Sammy Davis Jr. and
Lena Horne also experienced success with their versions of the song.
Davis's version was released by
Decca Records as catalog number 29484, with the flip side "
Something's Gotta Give".[6] It first reached the
Billboard magazine charts on May 28, 1955 and lasted 12 weeks on the chart. On the Disk Jockey chart, it peaked at #20; on the Best Seller chart, at #12.[7] (However, another source[8] gives the highest position as #9, but lists this as a position for the combined two sides of the record, "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Something's Gotta Give.")
Chick Endor with
Leonard Joy (recorded March 20, 1929, released by
Victor Records as catalog number 21922, with the flip side "Good Little, Bad Little You"[3])
Sammy Fain (recorded February 6, 1929, released by
Harmony Records as catalog number 843-H, with the flip side "Wedding Bells"[14])
Virginia Lee (recorded February 16, 1929, released by
Gennett Records as catalog number 6773, with the flip side "That's the Good Old Sunny South"[15])
Sam Lanin's Dance Orchestra (recorded June 3, 1929, released by
Banner Records as catalog number 6410, with the flip side "Sure Enough Blues",[21] and by
Domino Records (1924) as catalog number 4350[22] and
Regal Records as catalog number 8805,[23] both with the flip side "
Ol' Man River";[22][23] also released under the name Miami Society Orchestra by
Oriole Records as catalog number 1604, with the flip side "Not for a Day but Forever"[24] and by
Jewel Records as catalog number 5628, with the flip side "Sure Enough Blues";[25] also released under the name Mills Merry Makers by
Lincoln Records as catalog number 3168[26] and by
Romeo Records as catalog number 943,[27] both with the flip side "I'm Lonely Since You Went Away"[26][27])
Benny Goodman and his orchestra (recorded December 18, 1933, released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 2871-D, with the flip side "Why Couldn't It Be Poor Little Me?";[30] re-recorded August 21, 1936, released by
Victor Records as catalog number 25406, with the flip side "
Exactly Like You"[31])
Bill Staffon and his orchestra (recorded August 1, 1935, released by
Bluebird Records as catalog number 6082, with the flip side "White Star of Sigma Nu"[32])
Eddie Heywood and his orchestra (recorded February 26, 1944, released by
Commodore Records as catalog numbers 577A and 7524, both with the flip side "I Can't Believe that You're in Love with Me"[38])
Jimmie Osborne (released in 1951 by
King Records as catalog number 1012, with the flip side "It's Me Who Has To Suffer"[44])
Erroll Garner (
piano solo; recorded February 29, 1952, released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 39749, with the flip side "With Every Breath I Take"[45])
Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955[49] for use on his
radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56) issued by
Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[50]
Les Elgart and his orchestra (released by
Columbia Records as catalog number 40525, with the flip side "When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba"[51])
Jens Jacob Tychsen - plays/sings Love Me or Leave Me as character Edward Weyse in an episode of the Danish drama comedy series Badehotellet (English: Seaside Hotel)
References
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Gardner, Edward Foote (2000). Popular Songs of the 20th Century: Chart Detail & Encyclopedia, 1900-1949. St. Paul, Minnesota: Paragon House.
ISBN1-55778-789-1.