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Love Me or Leave Me Guitar Chords Lesson

Image of arrow linking to Chord Songbook Love Me or Leave Me Image for arrow to the Chord Progression and Chord Chart
Song Background
Written by Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics) in the the 1920’s, the song Love Me or Leave Me was first heard in the Broadway play, Whoopee ! which opened in December 1928. Many artists have enjoyed success with the song, originally Ruth Etting and then others such as Guy Lombardo and then Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Sammy Davis Junior and Lena Horne. It’s very much part of the Jazz repetoire and I’ve listed some of my favourite recordings below.
Suggested Listening

 

Nina Simone
Album – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

Listen out for Nina Simone’s fantastic piano solo as she drifts between jazz phrasing and classical phrasing is sometjing I cover in the guitar course

 

 

Lester Young and Teddy Wilson Quartet

Album – Pres and Teddy

Great groove at the start of this recording

 

Miles Davis All Stars

Album – Walkin’

How many ways can you play the soame tune….this version really shifts along


AlisonBurns

Album – Kissing Bug

Back to the homeland with this version by Alison Burns who hails from Dundee. Accompanied by Martin Taylor on guitar and Guy Barker on Trumpet. A totally different feel from the Miles Davis version, great groove, lovely muted trumpet solo

The Complete Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker

Album – The Original Sessions 1952-53

If you want cool then you’ve got ot here

 

Which artist’s version of Love Me or Leave Me would you recommend? Tell me about it and I can feature it here

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