Don't Leave Me Now (Pink Floyd song)

Last updated
"Don't Leave Me Now"
Don't Leave Me Now Pink Floyd.jpg
B-side of "Run Like Hell"
Single by Pink Floyd
from the album The Wall
A-side "Run Like Hell"
PublishedPink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd
Released30 November 1979 (UK)
8 December 1979 (US)
RecordedApril–November 1979
Genre Progressive rock
Length4:08
Label Harvest (UK)
Columbia (US)
Songwriter(s) Roger Waters
Producer(s)

"Don't Leave Me Now" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. [1] It appears on The Wall album (1979) and was released as a B-side on the single of "Run Like Hell". [2] A 12" single of "Run Like Hell," "Don't Leave Me Now" and "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" peaked at #57 on the Disco Top 100 chart in the U.S. [3]

Contents

Composition

The main section of "Don't Leave Me Now", recorded with synthesizer bass, organ, piano, and a delay-treated guitar, does not adhere to one single key, but rather cycles slowly through four dissonant and seemingly-unrelated chords, for two measures of each: An E augmented chord, followed by a D flat major seventh chord, a B flat dominant seventh chord with a suspended second, followed by a G Major chord, which, after one bar, augments its fifth, before returning to the beginning of the progression. The first three chords all sustain the notes G♯/A♭ and C, and this interval is then lowered chromatically by one semitone for the conclusion on G Major. Furthermore, the roots of this chord progression (E, D♭, B♭, and G) outline the intervals of a diminished seventh chord. The roots relate to each other as a pair of tritones - the E and B♭ form one tritone, and the D♭ and G form the other. Musicologist and author Phil Rose described this section of the song as "entirely non-functional harmonically" and stated that "[M]ost of the time when a phrase ends, Waters is either singing one of the most dissonant notes in the accompanying chord, or a non-chord tone." [4] [5] There is no percussion, and the tempo is very slow.

In the second section, drums, bass, and guitar enter, and the music becomes more consonant, resolving to the key of A minor through the use of D and A suspended second chords, as David Gilmour sings a refrain of "Ooh, babe".

Plot

The Wall tells the story of Pink, an alienated and embittered rock star. At this point in the album's narrative, Pink has discovered his wife's infidelity. He invites a groupie to his hotel room in L.A., during his American tour and destroys the hotel room in a fit of rage, scaring the groupie away. Pink falls into a depression. Despite the dysfunctionality of the marriage, he listlessly pleads with his wife not to leave him, stating "I need you, babe / To put through the shredder in front of my friends".

Waters, in a 1980 interview with Jim Ladd, described this song as being about "two people who have treated each other very badly", yet are devastated at the prospect of their relationship ending. He also stated during the 1992 US radio special Pink Floyd: The 25th Anniversary Special that the lyrics had nothing to do with his personal life, as he had a more cordial relationship with his wife in real life than Pink did.

Film version

The song begins with a close-up of the debris in Pink's hotel room, then switches over to the hotel's pool, where Pink is seen floating in a crucifix position. Having cut open his right hand during his violent outburst, his blood stains the pool water. What follows is a fantasy sequence in which Pink watches The Dam Busters on TV in a much larger, and entirely empty, hotel room. The shadow of Pink's wife emerges on the back wall before materialising into a praying mantis-like monster, which then transforms into the vulva-shaped flower from "What Shall We Do Now?". The song ends with Pink cowering in the corner of the room, tortured by both the imaginary mantis in front of him, and thoughts of his wife's adultery.

Personnel

Personnel per Fitch and Mahon. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shine On You Crazy Diamond</span> 1975 composition by Pink Floyd

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is a nine-part Pink Floyd composition written by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, which appeared in Pink Floyd's 1975 concept album Wish You Were Here. The song is written about and dedicated to founder member Syd Barrett, who departed from the band in 1968 after dealing with mental problems and substance abuse.

"The Trial" is a track from Pink Floyd's 1979 rock opera/concept album The Wall. Written by Roger Waters and Bob Ezrin, it marks the climax of the album and film.

"In the Flesh?" and "In the Flesh" are two songs by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their 1979 album, The Wall. "In the Flesh?" is the opening track, and introduces the story concept of the album. "In the Flesh" is the twenty-first song of the album, and is a reprise of the first with a choir, different verses and more extended instrumentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welcome to the Machine</span> Song by Pink Floyd

"Welcome to the Machine" is the second song on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It features heavily processed synthesizers and acoustic guitars as well as a wide range of tape effects. Both the music and lyrics were written by bassist Roger Waters.

"The Thin Ice" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. it is the second track on their 1979 album The Wall.

"The Happiest Days of Our Lives" is a song by Pink Floyd. It appeared on The Wall album in 1979.

"Mother" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. It appeared on Their 1979 album The Wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Lust (song)</span> 1979 song by Pink Floyd

"Young Lust" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1979. It is the ninth track on the band's eleventh studio album The Wall (1979). The lyrics to the song are about the band throwing themselves into the headlong of hedonism, sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of My Turns</span> 1979 single by Pink Floyd

"One of My Turns" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, appearing on their 1979 album The Wall. The song was also released as a B-side on the single of "Another Brick in the Wall ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey You (Pink Floyd song)</span> 1979 single by Pink Floyd

"Hey You" is a power ballad by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their 1979 double album The Wall. It also appeared as the B-side to the "Comfortably Numb" single in 1980. The song, along with "The Show Must Go On", was edited out of Pink Floyd – The Wall to prevent the film from running too long; however, a rough version is available as an extra on the 25th Anniversary Edition DVD of The Wall.

"Is There Anybody Out There?" is a song from the eleventh Pink Floyd album, The Wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring the Boys Back Home</span> Original song written and composed by Roger Waters

"Bring the Boys Back Home" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd released on their 1979 album, The Wall. The song was released as a B-side on the single, "When the Tigers Broke Free".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run Like Hell</span> 1980 single by Pink Floyd

"Run Like Hell" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters. It appears on the album The Wall. It was released as a single in 1980, reaching #15 in the Canadian singles chart and #18 in Sweden, but it only reached #53 in the U.S. A 12" single of "Run Like Hell," "Don't Leave Me Now" and "Another Brick in the Wall " peaked at #57 on the Disco Top 100 chart in the U.S. To date, it is the last original composition written by both Gilmour and Waters, the last of such under the Pink Floyd banner, and is the last composition ever recorded by all four members of the classic 70s-era Floyd lineup together, within their traditional instrumental roles of Waters on bass, Gilmour on guitars, Nick Mason on drums, and Richard Wright on keyboards, on the same song.

"Outside the Wall" is a song written by Roger Waters. It is the final track on the 1979 Pink Floyd album, The Wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dogs (Pink Floyd song)</span> 1977 song by Pink Floyd

"Dogs" is a song by English Rock Band Pink Floyd, released on the album Animals in 1977. This song was one of several to be considered for the band's 2001 compilation album Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Any Colour You Like</span> 1973 single by Pink Floyd

"Any Colour You Like" is the eighth track on the English band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It is an instrumental written by David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason.

"Eclipse" is the tenth and final track from the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It was written and sung by Roger Waters, with harmonies by David Gilmour and Rick Wright. After Waters left the band, Gilmour sang the lead vocal when performing live.

"The Show Must Go On" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, from their 1979 album The Wall. It was written by Roger Waters and sung by David Gilmour.

"Astronomy Domine" is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. The song, written and composed by the original vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett, is the opening track on their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). The lead vocal was sung by Barrett and the keyboard player Richard Wright. Its working title was "Astronomy Dominé ". "Domine" is a word frequently used in Gregorian chants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dogs of War (song)</span> 1987 promotional single by Pink Floyd

"The Dogs of War" is a song by Pink Floyd from their 1987 album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was released as a promotional single from the album. Live versions have an extended intro, an extended middle solo for the saxophone, a guitar and sax duel and a longer outro as compared to the album version. The track was a minor rock radio hit in the US and reached #16 on MTV's Video Countdown in May 1988.

References

  1. ↑ Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-4301-X.
  2. ↑ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN   1-84195-551-5.
  3. ↑ "Disco Top 100". Billboard . Vol. 92, no. 27. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1980-07-05. p. 60. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  4. ↑ Pink Floyd: The Wall (1980 Pink Floyd Music Publishers Ltd., London, England, ISBN   0-7119-1031-6 [USA ISBN   0-8256-1076-1])
  5. ↑ Rose, Phil. Which One's Pink? An Analysis of the Concept Albums of Roger Waters and Pink Floyd. Collector's Guide Publishing Inc. ISBN   1-896522-47-5 [US ISBN   1-896522-17-3]
  6. ↑ Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard, Comfortably Numb — A History of The Wall 1978–1981, 2006, p. 87.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.