Leaving Las Vegas (song)

The song's title was based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by the late John O'Brien, who was a good friend of one of the song's writers, David Baerwald. After a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman, the host asked Crow if the song was autobiographical. She answered "sort of" because she had left Los Angeles.{{cite web |title=Sheryl Crow's new Showtime documentary 'Sheryl' lets fans get to know the artist behind the hits |date=May 9, 2022 |url=https://www.wuga.org/2022-05-09/sheryl-crows-new-showtime-documentary-sheryl-lets-fans-get-to-know-the-artist-behind-the-hits |publisher=WBUR |access-date=March 21, 2023}} This infuriated Baerwald and the rest of the original Tuesday Night Music Club who helped write most of the album. Though O'Brien's suicide occurred soon after this incident, his family came forward to state there was no connection.{{cite magazine |last1=Schruers |first1=Fred |title=Sheryl Crow: She Only Wants to Be With You |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sheryl-crow-she-only-wants-to-be-with-you-177839/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=May 6, 2022 |date=November 14, 1996}}{{cite web |last1=Hussey |first1=Allison |title=Showtime's New Sheryl Crow Documentary Sells Its Star Short |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/showtimes-new-sheryl-crow-documentary-sells-its-star-short/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=May 6, 2022 |date=May 6, 2022}}

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "It's time for the critically revered Crow to finally get a moment of radio fame. Bright spot on her "Tuesday Night Music Club" album is a kicky blend of acoustic strumming and percussion. Crow's voice is raw and incredibly expressive, which helps the song's cinematic lyrics pack the powerful punch they do."{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Single Reviews |magazine= Billboard |date= March 26, 1994 |page= N55 |accessdate= March 17, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-03-26-N.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box stated, "This slow-rolling number sports nifty acoustic guitar, dramatic lyrics and loads of Crow’s character-filled, rough-and-tumble vocal stylings. Plus she’s cute as a button and is a natural on stage. What more could you want?"{{cite magazine|first=Troy J.|last=Augusto|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1994/CB-1994-04-02.pdf|title=Pop Singles — Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|date=April 2, 1994|page=|accessdate=February 27, 2022}} Linda Ryan from the Gavin Report noted that the track "has a slow, hypnotic groove that entranced almost as thoroughly as her dusty, whiskey-soaked vocals."{{cite magazine|first=Linda|last=Ryan|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/94/Gavin-1994-01-07.pdf|title=Alternative — New Releases|magazine=Gavin Report|date=January 7, 1994|page=|accessdate=March 10, 2022}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Miss Crow doesn't believe in Elvis' tribute to the capital of showbizz, and gets out of town on an adventurous funky synth bassline a lot of singer/songwriters would not dare to think of."{{cite magazine|first= |last= |title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= January 22, 1994 |page= 9 |accessdate= March 9, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-01-22.pdf}} A reviewer from People Magazine described it as "a disillusioned, neon-dazzled desert tune".{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-tuesday-night-music-club-vol-40-no-22/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Tuesday Night Music Club|magazine=People|date=November 29, 1993|accessdate=October 18, 2021}}

The song was accompanied by Crow's first ever promotional video. It was directed by David Hogan, who also shot her video for "All I Wanna Do". The 1993 video shows Crow performing the song with her guitar in the dark, with only some parts of her face lit up. Other scenes include famous Vegas images such as dancers and Elvis Presley lookalikes walking on a highway, "leaving Las Vegas", and Peter Berg driving with Crow in the passenger seat of his convertible. The video uses an edited version of the song.

All live tracks except "What I Can Do for You" were recorded on April 15, 1994, at the 328 Club in Nashville, Tennessee. "What I Can Do for You" was recorded live at the Borderline on February 9, 1994.

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• US cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1993|type=US cassette single cassette notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=31458 0582 4}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas" (radio fade) – 4:21
2. "The Na-Na Song" (LP version) – 3:12

• Canadian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1993|type=Canadian CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=314580616-2}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas" – 4:21
2. "Run Baby Run" – 4:53

• Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1993|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=580497-2}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas" (radio edit)
2. "The Na-Na Song"
3. "Reach Around Jerk"

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• UK 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1994|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=580 644-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1994|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=A&M Records|id=580 644-4}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas"
2. "Leaving Las Vegas" (live in Nashville)

• UK CD1{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1994|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=580 645-2}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas"
2. "I Shall Believe" (live in Nashville)
3. "What I Can Do for You" (live)

• UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Leaving Las Vegas|others=Sheryl Crow|year=1994|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=A&M Records|id=580 647-2}}

1. "Leaving Las Vegas" (live in Nashville)
2. "No One Said It Would Be Easy" (live in Nashville)
3. "The Na-Na Song" (live in Nashville)

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Category:1993 songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:A&M Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by David Hogan

Category:Sheryl Crow songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Bill Bottrell

Category:Songs about California

Category:Songs about Las Vegas

Category:Songs written by Brian MacLeod (U.S. musician)

Category:Songs written by David Baerwald

Category:Songs written by David Ricketts

Category:Songs written by Kevin Gilbert (musician)

Category:Songs written by Sheryl Crow