Written by Kenneth Gamble, Cary Gilbert, and Leon Huff
Key Recordings
One of the most enduring classic Dance songs of all time has humble beginnings. Co-written by the Gamble and Huff team with Cary Gilbert, songwriter of other classics such as Living For the Weekend and Me and Mrs. Jones, Don't Leave Me This Way was first transferred to vinyl in 1975 as an album track on Wake Up Everybody Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. The group were one of the top Disco groups, but Don't Leave Me This Way received little exposure in clubs.
Thelma Houston, the artist who next recorded Don't Leave Me This Way, first reached the charts as a solo singer in 1970. After scoring a Grammy nomination with her 1971 minor chart hit You've Been Doing Wrong For So Long, Houston failed to make the charts with a string of singles. Finally, in 1976, Thelma Houston was assigned to work with producer Hal Davis on her album Any Way You Like It. One song Hal Davis included on the album was a remake of a track by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes that he had heard at a party. The track was the song Don't Leave Me This Way.
One of Hal Davis' most recent successes was Love Hangover, a massive hit for Diana Ross on Pop, R&B and Disco charts. Davis chose to use the same session musicians on Don't Leave Me This Way that he had used for Love Hangover. The combination of Thelma Houston's throaty soulful vocal with the impeccable production and musicianship added up to another massive hit. The opening wordless hum by Houston, rubbery bassline by Henry Davis, powerfully pleading lyrics, and tambourine in the break are all crucial elements of this Disco classic. The record topped the Disco chart for 6 weeks in early 1977.
Nine years later in 1985, Jeanie Tracy, backup vocalist and duet partner with Sylvester, recorded a version of Don't Leave Me This Way on the San Francisco label Megatone Records. She took the song to the Top 30 of the Dance chart. A year later in 1986 Don't Leave Me This Way was back on club playlists. Jimmy Somerville, lead vocalist for Bronski Beat, left that group and formed the Communards with keyboard player Richard Coles. Their first single was a version of Don't Leave Me This Way featuring the vocals of Sarah Jane Morris. The record featured Somerville's stunning high-register vocals and a dense production that climaxes with a stunning vocal buildup and release. This version brought the song to the top of Dance charts for a second time.
In 1994 Thelma Houston found her vocals on Don't Leave Me This Way once again receiving wide play in clubs courtesy of a new mix by Joe T. Vannelli. Don't Leave Me This Way has also appeared again on Dance charts in the current decade via a recording by E-N, aka producer Ian Appell. Don't Leave Me This Way is one of the most enduring of all Dance songs.
