Don't Leave (Faithless song)

"Don't Leave" is a song by English band Faithless, co-written by Jamie Catto, Rollo, and Sister Bliss and produced by the latter two. Catto provides the lead vocals on the song while Pauline Taylor and Rollo's sister Dido perform several backing vocals. A downtempo soul ballad,^[1] the track was included on Faithless's debut album, Reverence (1996), and was released as its third single in March 1996, reaching number 34 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Don't Leave"
Original 1996 UK cover artwork
Single by Faithless
from the album Reverence and A Life Less Ordinary soundtrack
B-side	"Salva Mea" (remix)
Released	11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)
Genre	Soul^[1]
Length	4:02
Label	Cheeky
Songwriter(s)	Jamie Catto Rollo Sister Bliss
Producer(s)	Rollo Sister Bliss
Faithless singles chronology
"Insomnia" (1995) "Don't Leave" (1996) "Insomnia" (1996)
"Reverence" (1997) "Don't Leave" (1997) "God Is a DJ" (1998)
Music video
"Don't Leave" on YouTube

In 1997, "Don't Leave" was included on the soundtrack of the 1997 romantic black comedy film A Life Less Ordinary.^[2] The song was re-released in a slightly remixed form to coincide with this appearance and reached a new peak of number 21 in the UK while also charting in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. In Australia, it was ranked number 95 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 1997.^[3]

Critical reception

Reviewing the 1997 re-release of the single, British publication Music Week named "Don't Leave" their "Single of the Week" on 25 October 1997, calling it a "sumptuous love theme" and praising its new dance remixes.^[4] The same year, British columnist James Masterton called "Don't Leave" one of the most "outstanding" tracks on Reverence, referring to it as "beautiful" and the "most proper" song on the album.^[5] Writing about the song in Music & Media magazine, Gary Smith noted that it would resound well with the then-upcoming Christmas season, calling it a "substantial" song with "slamming grooves".^[6] Retrospectively, Paul Clarke of the BBC wrote that the song is a "beautiful acoustic lament" in 2008 while Justin Chadwick of music website Albumism called the track "plaintive" in 2021.^[7][8]

Chart performance

On the week starting 17 March 1996, "Don't Leave" debuted at number 34, its original peak, on the UK Singles Chart, giving Faithless their third top-40 hit. It dropped out of the top 100 two weeks later.^[9] In Germany, the song first charted at number 93 on 9 December 1996, rising to its peak of number 72 three weeks later, in January 1997.^[10] The same month, it debuted at number 49 on the Swiss Singles Chart. After peaking at number 38 the following week, the song spent the next four charts hovering between numbers 43 and 44 before dropping out of the top 100.^[11] In 1997, "Don't Leave" was re-released as a single from the soundtrack to A Life Less Ordinary,^[6] reaching a new peak of number 21 on the UK Singles Chart; it stayed in the top 100 for eight weeks in total.^[9] Throughout late 1997 and early 1998, the single charted in several other countries, peaking within the top 100 in Australia and the Netherlands and within the top 50 in New Zealand.^[12][13][14]

Track listings

1996 release

UK CD single^[15] "Don't Leave" (radio edit) "Don't Leave" (Floating mix) "Don't Leave" (Big mix—mix 2) "Don't Leave" (Moody mix—mix 1) UK 12-inch single^[16] A. "Don't Leave" (mix 1) B. "Don't Leave" (mix 2) UK cassette single^[17] A. "Don't Leave" (radio edit) AA. "Don't Leave" (Big mix)

German maxi-CD single^[18] "Don't Leave" (radio edit) – 3:57 "Don't Leave" (live version) – 3:42 "Don't Leave" (Euphoric mix) – 11:24 "Don't Leave" (Deep mix) – 8:03 "Don't Leave" (Simple mix) – 8:12 German 12-inch single^[19] A1. "Don't Leave" (Euphoric mix) – 11:24 A2. "Don't Leave" (Deep mix) – 8:03 B1. "Don't Leave" (Simple mix) – 8:12 B2. "Salva Mea" (Deep Gold mix) – 9:33

1997 release

UK CD1^[20] "Don't Leave" (Goetz's String mix) "Don't Leave" (Hard mix) "Don't Leave" (Nellee Hooper mix 1) "Don't Leave" (Euphoric mix) "Don't Leave" (Simple mix) UK CD2^[21] "Don't Leave" (String mix) "Don't Leave" (Floating mix) "Salva Mea" (Danny Tenaglia mix) UK cassette single^[22] "Don't Leave" (Hard mix) "Don't Leave" (String mix) "Don't Leave" (Floating mix)

Dutch CD single^[23] "Don't Leave" (Euphoric radio) "Don't Leave" (String mix) French 12-inch single^[24] A1. "Don't Leave" (Euphoric club mix) A2. "Don't Leave" (String mix) B1. "Don't Leave" (Simple mix) B2. "Don't Leave" (Euphoric radio) Australian CD and cassette single^[25]^[26] "Don't Leave" (String version) "Don't Leave" (Scratch edit) "Don't Leave" (Ian Caple 7-inch Hard mix) "Don't Leave" (Euphoric mix)

Personnel

Personnel are lifted from the Reverence / Irreverence album booklet.^[27]

• Jamie Catto – writing, vocals
• Rollo – writing, programming, production
• Sister Bliss – writing, keyboards, production
• Pauline Taylor – additional lead and backing vocals
• Dido – backing vocals
• Dave Burnham – mixing, engineering
• Ibi Tijani – assistant engineering
• Nick Kirkland – assistant engineering

Charts

Chart (1996–1998)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[12]	73
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[28]	13
Germany (Official German Charts)^[10]	72
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)^[29]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[13]	76
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14]	43
Scotland (OCC)^[30]	36
Scotland (OCC)^[31] 1997 re-release	19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[11]	38
UK Singles (OCC)^[9]	34
UK Singles (OCC)^[9] 1997 re-release	21
UK Dance (OCC)^[32]	4

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	11 March 1996	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Cheeky	^[33]
United States	28 July 1997	Modern rock radio	Arista	^[34]
United Kingdom (re-release)	3 November 1997	CD cassette	Cheeky	^[35]

References

1. Hanson, Amy. "Reverence Review by Amy Hanson". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
2. "A Life Less Ordinary: Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
3. "The Hottest 100 of 1997: The Full List". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
4. "Reviews: Single of the Week". Music Week. 25 October 1997. p. 25.
5. Masterton, James (9 November 1997). "Week Ending November 15th 1997". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
6. Smith, Gary (29 November 1997). "Dance Grooves: A Faithless Life". Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 48. p. 10.
7. Clarke, Paul (2008). "Faithless Reverence Review". BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
8. Chapwick, Justin (4 April 2021). "Faithless' Debut Album 'Reverence' Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
9. "Faithless: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
10. "Faithless – Don't Leave" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
11. "Faithless – Don't Leave". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
12. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
13. "Faithless – Don't Leave" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
14. "Faithless – Don't Leave". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
15. Don't Leave (UK CD single liner notes). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. CHEKCD.012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. Don't Leave (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. CHEK 12.012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
17. Don't Leave (UK cassette single sleeve). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. CHEKK.012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. Don't Leave (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. INT 828.150.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
19. Don't Leave (German 12-inch single sleeve). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. INT 128.150.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
20. Don't Leave (UK CD1 liner notes). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1997. CHEKCD.024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
21. Don't Leave (UK CD2 liner notes). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1997. CHEKXCD.024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
22. Don't Leave (UK cassette single sleeve). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1997. CHEKK.024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
23. Don't Leave (Dutch CD single liner notes). Faithless. Jive Records. 1997. 0598072.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
24. Don't Leave (French 12-inch single sleeve). Faithless. Overdance!. 1998. ORA 2092-6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
25. Don't Leave (Australian CD single liner notes). Faithless. Festival Records, Cheeky Records. 1997. D1675.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
26. Don't Leave (Australian cassette single sleeve). Faithless. Festival Records, Cheeky Records. 1997. C1675.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
27. Reverence / Irreverence (UK CD album booklet). Faithless. Cheeky Records. 1996. CHEKXCD 500.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
28. "Faithless – Don't Leave" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
29. "Tipparade-lijst van week 3, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
30. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
31. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
32. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
33. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 9 March 1996. p. 31.
34. "Upcoming New Releases". Hits. Vol. 11, no. 552. 19 July 1997. p. 54.
35. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 1 November 1997. p. 41.