Don't Leave Me (Blackstreet song)
{{Short description|1997 single by Blackstreet}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Don't Leave Me
| cover = Blackstreet-Don't_Leave_Me.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Blackstreet
| album = Another Level
| released = {{start date|1997|2|18}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = 5:20
| label = Interscope
| writer = {{hlist|Teddy Riley|Chauncey Black|Roosevelt "Bink" Harrell|Karen Anderson|Bunny DeBarge}}
| producer = {{hlist|Teddy Riley|Bink!}}
| prev_title = Get Me Home
| prev_year = 1996
| next_title = Fix
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|DBUz2nkOKsc|"Don't Leave Me"}}}}
}}
"Don't Leave Me" is a song by American R&B group Blackstreet, produced by Teddy Riley and released in February 1997 as the third single from their second album, Another Level (1996). It contains a sample of the DeBarge song "A Dream", also used in "I Ain't Mad at Cha" by Tupac Shakur.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} "Don't Leave Me" features Eric Williams, Mark Middleton, and Chauncey Hannibal on lead vocals. It topped the New Zealand Singles Chart for two weeks in May 1997 and reached {{abbr|No.|Number}} 6 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the song peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.
Critical reception
Pan-European magazine Music & Media noted that after the success of "No Diggity", "Riley & Co. switch to ballad mode with this well constructed song, which has already met with approval across Europe." Stephan Hampe, head of music at RSH, a CHR network covering northern Germany commented, "I think this is going to break Blackstreet in a big way in Germany, because it is the kind of great song that really stands out". He added, "while No Diggity received a warm welcome too, it remained largely confined to the quarters traditionally inhabited by the R&B fraternity over here. This record however, has the potential to appeal to a much broader audience, so we put in powerplay rotation (32 plays a week) because we want to familiarize our audience quickly with this song."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-03.pdf|title=Airborne|magazine=Music & Media|date=May 3, 1997|page=25|access-date=December 22, 2019}}
David Finlan from Experience said that the song "is slightly depressing, because it is about a man trying to keep his girlfriend from breaking up with him. This song hits home because everybody has been through a breakup and as we all know, they are not fun."{{cite magazine|first= David |last= Finlan |title= Blackstreef sings rhythm and blues |magazine= Experience |date= October 18, 1996 |page= 3 |access-date= April 25, 2020 |url= https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=Experience19961018.1.3}} Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times noted "the fantastic four-part harmony interplay" on "Don't Leave Me".{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DecVAAAAIBAJ|title=Riley's masterpieces|magazine=New Straits Times|date=May 20, 1999|access-date=March 15, 2020}} A reviewer from People Magazine stated that Blackstreet "pours on the heartache and late-night yearning".{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-another-level-vol-46-no-20/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Another Level|magazine=People|date=November 11, 1996|access-date=March 9, 2020}} David Fricke from Rolling Stone felt "the turn-ons" in songs like "Don't Leave Me", "are as banal as the titles suggest."Fricke, David (December 26, 1996-January 9, 1997). "The year in recordings". Rolling Stone. Issue 750/751. James L. Brown from USC Today described it as "a slow bump and grind ballad".{{cite magazine|first= James L. |last= Brown |title= Blackstreet brings soul back to the R&B sound |magazine= USC Today |date= April 23, 1997 |page= 10 |access-date= April 25, 2020 |url= https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/cgi-bin/colorado?a=d&d=USC19970423-01.2.24}}
Chart performance
The song did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 or the Hot R&B Singles chart due to Billboard rules at the time preventing songs not released as physical singles from charting. However, the song peaked on the Hot 100 Airplay and Hot R&B Airplay charts at No. 12 and No. 1, respectively. Internationally, it went to No. 1 in New Zealand and No. 6 in the United Kingdom. In the former country, it stayed at No. 1 for two weeks in May 1997 and earned a Gold sales certification from Recorded Music NZ, finishing the year as the 12th-most-successful single.
Music video
{{expand section|date=September 2015}}
The official music video for the song was directed by Michael Martin.{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/video/blackstreet/737875/dont-leave-me.jhtml|title="Don't Leave Me" by Blackstreet {{!}} Music Video {{!}} VH1.com|work=VH1|publisher=Viacom International|date=August 15, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052644/http://www.vh1.com/video/blackstreet/737875/dont-leave-me.jhtml|archive-date=March 4, 2016|access-date=September 5, 2015}}
Track listings
{{Track listing
| headline = UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Leave Me|others=Blackstreet|year=1997|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Interscope Records|id=IND 95534}}
| title1 = Don't Leave Me
| note1 = radio edit
| length1 = 4:24
| title2 = Don't Leave Me
| note2 = album version
| length2 = 5:10
| title3 = No Diggity
| note3 = Das Diggity radio
| length3 = 4:25
| title4 = No Diggity
| note4 = Teddy Riley Jungle Remix
| length4 = 8:03
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Leave Me|others=Blackstreet|year=1997|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=Interscope Records|id=INT 95534}}
| title1 = Don't Leave Me
| note1 = album version
| length1 = 5:10
| title2 = No Diggity
| note2 = Das Diggity radio
| length2 = 4:25
| title3 = No Diggity
| note3 = Teddy Riley jungle mix
| length3 = 8:03
| title4 = No Diggity
| note4 = BJ Das radio
| length4 = 4:20
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = UK cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Leave Me|others=Blackstreet|year=1997|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Interscope Records|id=INC 95534}}
| title1 = Don't Leave Me
| note1 = radio edit
| length1 = 4:24
| title2 = No Diggity
| note2 = Das Diggity radio
| length2 = 4:25
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Leave Me|others=Blackstreet|year=1997|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Interscope Records|id=IND 97515}}
| title1 = Don't Leave Me
| note1 = radio edit
| length1 = 4:22
| title2 = No Diggity
| note2 = Teddy Riley jungle mix
| length2 = 8:02
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1997) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|23|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Canadadance|15|chartid=3297|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-17.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=20|page=11|date=May 17, 1997|access-date=June 21, 2018}}
|33 |
|---|
| {{single chart|France|19|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|23|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|songid=3490|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2953571#page/n1/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 217 Vikuna 17.4. '97 – 23.4. '97)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=16|date=April 18, 1997|access-date=July 12, 2018}}
|21 |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|25|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|16|year=1997|week=18|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|20|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019|refname="nz"}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|28|date=19970426|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|33|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|27|artist=Blackstreet|song=Don't Leave Me|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UK|6|date=19970426|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019|refname="uk"}} |
| {{single chart|UKdance|5|date=19970426|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UKrandb|2|date=19970426|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|12|artist=Blackstreet|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019|refname="hot100r"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|19|artist=Blackstreet|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphopairplay|1|artist=Blackstreet|rowheader=true|access-date=December 30, 2018|refname="usrandbr"}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardrhythmic|1|artist=Blackstreet|rowheader=true|access-date=November 19, 2019}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Blackstreet|title=Don't Leave Me|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=1997|id=1997-05-02|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|refname="nzcert"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Blackstreet|title=Don't Leave Me|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=17478-374-1|access-date=September 3, 2021|refname="ukcert"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|United States
|{{start date|1997|2|18}} |Rhythmic contemporary radio |rowspan="2"|Interscope |{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-02-14.pdf|title=New Releases|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1184|page=71|date=February 14, 1997|access-date=September 4, 2021}} |
|---|
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
|{{start date|1997|4|14}} |{{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} |{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-04-12.pdf|title=New Releases|magazine=Music Week|page=41|date=April 12, 1997|access-date=September 4, 2021}} |