Don't Ever Leave Me (Connie Francis song)

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"Don't Ever Leave Me"
Don't Ever Leave Me, Connie Francis.png
Single by Connie Francis
from the album Rocksides (1957-1964)
B-side "We Have Something More (Than a Summer Love)"
ReleasedOctober 1964 (1964-10)
Genre Pop [1]
Length2:46
Label MGM
K 13287
Songwriters
Producers
  • Jeff Barry
  • Ellie Greenwich
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Looking for Love"
(1964)		"Don't Ever Leave Me"
(1964)		"Whose Heart Are You Breaking Tonight?"
(1965)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Record World Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Billboard Positive (Hot Pop) [1]
Cashbox Positive (Pick of the Week) [3]

"Don't Ever Leave Me" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and most notably performed by Connie Francis, who released it as a single under MGM Records in late 1964, with a positive reception and a moderate chart presence. [4] The song was included in Francis' 1987 Rocksides and 2005 Gold albums, whilst also making an appearance on Da Doo Ron Ron: More from the Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry Songbook, a compilation album featuring the most popular compositions by the songwriting duo. [5]

Contents

Connie Francis version

MGM advertisement for the single, the advert notes the credits of the songs and the picture used is from her picture session for A New Kind of Connie.... Don't Ever Leave Me trade ad.png
MGM advertisement for the single, the advert notes the credits of the songs and the picture used is from her picture session for A New Kind of Connie... .

Release and reception

Following the success of "Looking for Love" Francis would release "Don't Ever Leave Me" as a seven inch single in October 1964 under MGM Records. [6] It was backed by another pop song, [3] "We Have Something More (Than a Summer Love)" on the B-side, [6] which didn't see any album inclusions. It was produced by Mickey Gentile and arranged by Bert Keyes. "Don't Ever Leave Me" was arranged by Artie Butler and produced by the song's songwriters. [4]

The single was met with a positive critical reception upon its release. Billboard magazine said that the "First side has powerful beat coupled with dual-tracked vocal." Also noting "Flip also has big arrangement but less emphasis on beat. Tender reading." [1] Cashbox reviewed the single in mid October and said that it "should send Connie zooming back up to the top of the charts." Stating "It's by far her most powerful entry in some time. It's a sensational thump-a-rhythmic rocker that the lark socks out in fabulous multi-track manner. Smash-makers Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich produced this deck that sports a sparkling Artie Butler ork-choral arrangement." Also noting "However, don't overlook the Bert Keyes arranged 'We Have Something More (Than a Summer Love).' It's a charming cha cha-shuffler, produced by Mickey Gentile, that also has a top-ten outlook." [3] Record World gave the single four stars and believed that "Connie has a pretty song she ought to take far up the charts. It's a grand tune with solid production ideas, too." [2]

Chart performance

"Don't Ever Leave Me" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 24, 1964, reaching No. 42 during a seven-week run. [7] The single was ranked higher on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles, where it peaked at No. 37. [8] It was ranked lower on the Record World 100 Top Pop singles chart, where it reached No. 46. [9] Unlike the previous "Looking for Love", the single wouldn't chart in other countries. [10] "Don't Ever Leave Me" was among seventeen Jeff Barry–Ellie Greenwich compositions that charted on the pop charts in 1964. [5]

The single's B-side, "We Have Something More (Than a Summer Love)", bubbled under the Billboard Hot 100 on October 31, 1964, reaching No. 128. [11] The song was ranked higher on Record World, where it peaked at No. 86 during its one-week appearance on the chart. [12]

Track listing

7" vinyl single [6] [3]

Charts

Chart performance for "Don't Ever Leave Me"
Chart (1964)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 42
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles [8] 37
US Record World 100 Top Pops [9] 46
Chart performance for "We Have Something More"
Chart (1964)Peak
position
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 [11] 128
US Record World 100 Top Pops [12] 86

References

  1. 1 2 3 Billboard magazine, October 17, 1964: Hot Pop. Predicted to reach the top 50 page 18. Retrieved January 17, 2026 via worldradiohistory.com
  2. 1 2 "Record World "Singles Reviews, Four Stars"" (PDF). Record World . Vol. 18, no. 906. October 17, 1964. p. 8. Retrieved December 31, 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Cashbox magazine, October 17, 1964: Record Reviews. The Cashbox Pick of the Week page 10. Retrieved January 17, 2026 via worldradiohistory.com
  4. 1 2 Connie Francis, "Don't Ever Leave Me" Single Release Retrieved December 31, 2025
  5. 1 2 Marchese, Joe (May 24, 2012). "Leaders of the Pack: Ace Celebrates Legendary Songwriters Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry". The Second Disc. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Francis, Connie (October 1964). ""Don't Ever Leave Me"/"We Have Something More (Than a Summer Love)" (7" vinyl single)". MGM Records . K 13287.
  7. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. p. 262. ISBN   0898201551.
  8. 1 2 Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950–1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. pp. 129–130. ISBN   1563083167.
  9. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hit Records 1954–1982. Record Research. ISBN   978-0-89820-200-7.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-44439-5.
  11. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1982). Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981. Menomonee Falls, Wis: Record Research. p. 63. ISBN   978-0-8982-0047-8.
  12. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hit Records 101–150 1959–1982. Record Research. ISBN   978-0-89820-201-4.
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