"Please Don't Leave Me" is a song by English

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

musician

John Sykes John James Sykes (29 July 1959 – December 2024) was an English guitarist and singer, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder and released several solo albums. ...

. It was released in 1982 by

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...

as his first solo single. It also features members of the Irish hard rock group

Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...

, including frontman

Phil Lynott Philip Parris Lynott (, ; 20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive ...

, who co-wrote the track with Sykes. After leaving his previous band

Tygers of Pan Tang Tygers of Pan Tang are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue ...

, Sykes was still contractually obligated to deliver a single to MCA Records. Having already written the instrumental for what was to become "Please Don't Leave Me", Sykes wanted to approach Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott about a potential collaboration. Producer

Chris Tsangarides Christopher Andrew Tsangarides (17 August 1956 – 6 January 2018) was a British record producer, sound engineer, and mixer of Greek Cypriot origin. He was best known for his work with many heavy metal artists, including Gary Moore, Thin L ...

, who had worked with both Tygers of Pan Tang and Thin Lizzy, acted as an intermediary. After listening to a demo, Lynott agreed to participate, bringing drummer Brian Downey and keyboardist

Darren Wharton Darren Leigh Wharton (born 25 December 1961) is a British keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He has fronted his own band, Dare, since 1985, but first came to attention as a member of Thin Lizzy. In 2023, Wharton launched a second band alongside ...

with him. The song was recorded at Lombard Studios in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

with Tsangarides producing. After the track was finished, Lynott asked Sykes to join Thin Lizzy, which he accepted. "Please Don't Leave Me" was later repackaged with material Sykes had recorded with Tygers of Pan Tang and released as a compilation album in Japan on 16 December 1992. It reached number 49 on the Japanese charts. That same year, Danish hard rock group

Pretty Maids Pretty Maids is a Danish Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Horsens. Formed in 1981 by Ken Hammer, and completed with Ronnie Atkins in 1982, their sound and music can be described as classic guitar-laden heavy rock with a strong emphasis ...

covered the song on their album '' Sin-Decade''. Sykes would later re-record "Please Don't Leave Me" for his 1997 album '' Loveland'', on which it was retitled "Don't Hurt Me This Way (Please Don't Leave Me '97)".

Track listing

All songs written and composed by

and

, except where noted. 7" vinyl (1982) CD (1992, Japan)

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes. Musicians *

– guitar *

– vocals, bass * Brian Downey – drums *

– keyboards Production *

– production, engineering * John Swannell – photography

Charts

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 1982 songs 1982 debut singles John Sykes songs British soft rock songs MCA Records singles Songs written by Phil Lynott Songs written by John Sykes