Ne me quitte pas


"Ne me quitte pas" is a 1959 song by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. It has been covered in the original French by many artists and has also been translated into and performed in many other languages. A well-known adaptation, with English lyrics by Rod McKuen, is "If You Go Away".

Background

"Ne me quitte pas" is considered by some as "Brel's ultimate classic". It was written after Brel's mistress "Zizou" threw him out of her life. Zizou was pregnant with Brel's child, but Brel refused to acknowledge the child as his own. Zizou later had an abortion due to Brel's actions. Brel first recorded the song on 11 September 1959, and it was released on his fourth album La Valse à mille temps. It was published by Warner-Chappell Publishing. In 1961 a Dutch-language version sung by Brel was released on the Philips label; entitled "Laat me niet alleen", with lyrics by Ernst van Altena, it was a B-side to Marieke. Brel recorded "Ne me quitte pas" again as the title track of his 1972 album.
In a 1966 interview, Brel said that "Ne me quitte pas" was not a love song, but rather "a hymn to the cowardice of men", and the degree to which they were willing to humiliate themselves. He knew, he said, that it would give pleasure to women who assumed it was a love song, and he understood that.
The lyrics "Moi, je t'offrirai des perles de pluie venues de pays où il ne pleut pas" are sung to a theme borrowed from the second part, Lassan, of the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 by the composer Franz Liszt.

Johnny Hallyday version

French singer Johnny Hallyday released a live version of this song as a single in November 1984. It was recorded during his performances at Le Zénith. The song was part of his 1984 album Johnny Hallyday au Zénith.

Critical reception

Alain Wodrascka in his 2008 book Johnny Hallyday: les adieux du rock'cœur notes how Hallyday put in his 1984 cover of Jacques Brel's "Ne me quitte pas" his special vocal qualities, i.e. his vocals that are "full of sensuality and expression of physical strength of an indestructible man, who sings as if making love".

Track listing

'''7" single Philips 880 504-7'''

Other versions

French
  • 1959:
  • *Simone Langlois - possibly the very first recording: Brel would have passed it to her prior to recording his own version
  • 1961:
  • *Maysa Matarazzo in Maysa Sings Songs Before Dawn and Maysa Matarazzo 1961. released again in 1966 álbum Maysa. This version was used by Pedro Almodóvar in the movie Law of Desire. Also used in 2001 for the Brazilian mini-series Presença de Anita and in 2009 miniseries Maysa: Quando Fala o Coração.
  • 1961:
  • *Barbara chante Brel
  • 1965:
  • *Nina Simone in her June 1965 I Put a Spell on You album
  • *Frida Boccara : 1. Duet with Luis Recatero ; 2. Frida Boccara Sings – 1967, LP Melodia, made in USSR ; 3. Place des Arts – Montreal '71 Live ; 4. An Evening With Frida Boccara ; 5. Un jour, un enfant – posthumous CD
  • 1967:
  • *Sandie Shaw included the song on her third album Love Me, Please Love Me.
  • 1970:
  • *Vicky Leandros – Brel asked Leandros to sing this song after they met in a French TV studio. The song was released on the album Ich Bin released January 1971 and on the French album Vicky released in Canada September 1970.
  • 1974:
  • *Gigliola Cinquetti in Bonjour Paris
  • *Mari Trini in ¿Quien?
  • 1979:
  • *Irena Jarocka in Koncert, Irena Jarocka, Orchestr Karla Vagnera, Supraphon 1979
  • 1985:
  • *Mireille Mathieu in Les grandes chansons francaises
  • 1987:
  • *Alison Moyet Appears as the B-side to "Love Letters"
  • 1988:
  • *Juliette Gréco in Gréco 88: Hommage à Brel
  • *Sting live on his...Nothing Like the Sun tour
  • 1994:
  • *Alison Moyet Appears as the B-side to "Getting into Something"
  • 1995:
  • *Isabelle Aubret in her Chante Brel album
  • 1997:
  • *Timna Brauer & Elias Meiri in their album Chansons et violons
  • 1998:
  • *Hugues Aufray in Hommage – Ils chantent Jacques Brel CD
  • *Yuri Buenaventura in Herencia Africana
  • *Miguel Bosé in 11 maneras de ponerse un sombrero CD
  • *Faudel in the tribute album Aux suivants
  • 2000:
  • *Elena Kamburova in her album Дорога CD
  • 2001:
  • *Natacha Atlas in her album Ayeshteni
  • Maria Bill sings Jacques Brel
  • 2002:
  • *Paloma Berganza in the Avec le temps CD
  • *Cirque du Soleil's 2002 production Varekai features a performance of the song.
  • *Ute Lemper in But One Day
  • 2003:
  • *Candan Erçetin in her album Chante Hier Pour Aujourd'hui
  • *Bic Runga in Live in Concert with the Christchurch Symphony
  • 2004:
  • *In-Grid in her album La vie en rose
  • *Angélique Beauvence in the Still...love you CD
  • *Wende Snijders on the Quand tu Dors CD
  • *Alcione Nazareth in the Um Barzinho, um Violão Vol. 4 CD
  • 2005:
  • *Mikel Laboa in the Xoriek - 17 CD.
  • *Pierre Bachelet in the Tu ne nous quittes pas CD.
  • *Olivier Laurent in Ces gens-là
  • 2006:
  • *Estrella Morente, a flamenco singer, on her album Mujeres, whose arrangement and performance is based on Nina Simone's.
  • 2007:
  • *Belinda Carlisle on the Voila CD.
  • *Florent Pagny on the album Pagny Chante Brel
  • 2009:
  • *Maria Gadú in the Maria Gadú CD & live at Vivo Altas Horas 19 September 2009. Used in 2010 for the Brazilian mini-series Cinquentinha.
  • *Barbra Streisand sings a mixed French/English lyric on her album Love Is the Answer.
  • 2010:
  • *Brian Molko performed the song in the "I love EU" concert in Brussels.
  • *Kellylee Evans in her album Nina
  • 2011
  • *Celine Dion performs the song during her Las Vegas residency show, Celine
  • 2012
  • *The song is featured in the Deluxe Edition of Celine Dion's album Sans attendre
  • *Sophie Hunger on The Danger of Light CD
  • 2013
  • *Concha Buika in her album La Noche Más Larga
  • 2014
  • *Caro Emerald as a digital download performed in both French and English.
  • 2017
  • *Wyclef Jean on J'ouvert.
  • *Gela Guralia 23 June in Saint-Petersburg in both French and English
Arabic
  • 2012: Mashrou' Leila's version "ما تتركني هيك - ne me quitte pas". Indie band from Lebanon performed the cover-version at Paleo Festival Nyon – in 2012.
  • 2017: Mike Massy adapted the song in Arabic, Lebanese slang "ما تفل Ma Tfell / Ne Me Quitte Pas" and released it in his EP "Le Délire". Lyrics by Nami Moukheiber, Arranged by Mike Massy.
Armenian
  • 1976: Onnik Dinkjian's version "Yete Heranas." Recorded by Onnik Dinkjian with John Berberian and others on the album Inner Feelings of Onnik
  • 2015: Lilit Bleyan's version "Չթողնես երբեք": Recorded at Ardini studio
  • 2018: Berge Turabian's version "Դու ինծ մի լքիր": Arrangements by Tigran Nanian on the album Brel, Brassens, Ferré in Armenian
Afrikaans
  • 1980: Laurika Rauch's version "Moenie weggaan nie". Dutch artist Herman van Veen performed a cover-version in the 2000s.
  • 2011: Herman van den Berg's version "Laat my by jou bly".
Belarusian
  • 2008: Źmicier Vajciuškievič's version "Nie hublaj mianie" was recorded on the album Toje što treba.
Catalan
  • 1965: Emili Vendrell – "No em deixis tan sol"
  • 1967: Mercè Madolell – "No te'n vagis pas"
  • 1968: Salomé – "No em deixis mai"
  • 2005: Albert Fibla – "No em deixis, no"
Croatian
Czech
Danish
  • 2020: Silas Bjerregaard – "Du må ikke gå".
Dutch
  • 1961: Jacques Brel's version "Laat me niet alleen".
  • 1968: Liesbeth List's version "Laat me niet alleen".
  • 2004: Bart Peeters's version of "Laat me niet alleen" appears as a bonus track on the Het Plaatje van Bart Peeters CD after a live performance during a benefit concert in Lier, Belgium.
  • 2013: Brigitte Kaandorp's version "Lieve koningin", an homage to Queen Beatrix.
  • 2014: Sjors van der Panne's version "Laat me niet alleen".
English
The pop standard "If You Go Away", with lyrics by Rod McKuen, has been covered by many artists including Ray Charles. Different lyrics by Momus, closer to those of the original, render the song as "Don't Leave", added to all reissues of his 1986 album Circus Maximus. American duo the Black Veils translate the song as "Don't Leave Me" on their 2009 album Troubadours, which includes translations of six other French chansons. Sung by Holcombe Waller in Ryan Trecartin's "Sibling Topics " at 23:10.
Finnish
West Frisian
  • 2007: Douwe Heeringa "Leafste bliuw by my"
German
  • 1963: Marlene Dietrich "Bitte geh nicht fort"
  • 1976: Klaus Hoffmann "Geh nicht fort von mir"; "Bitte geh nicht fort"
  • 1977: Markus Pol Lass mich nicht allein
Greek
  • 1971: Vicky Leandros in the album Pes mou pos mporeis.
  • 1979: Yiannis Parios in the LP Tha Me Thymithis, with the title "Mi me afinis mi".
  • 1996: Haris Alexiou in her live album: Gyrizontas ton kosmo.
  • 2007: Yiannnis Parios' live rendition of the aforementioned song.
  • 2009: Vassilikos in the album Vintage
Hebrew
  • 1974: Dani Granot sang "Ana Al Telchi" - Please don't go, a translation by Dafna Eilat, in his album Shkiot Nashim Vechol Hashar.
  • 1992: The late Yossi Banai sings Al telchi mikan - Don't go from here, a translation by Naomi Shemer, in the Im neda' le'ehov – Songs of Jacques Brel record
  • 2001: Rita and Rami Kleinstein sang the same Hebrew version live in their tour, that was later released on a CD, Rita Rami on Stage
  • 2008: Itay Pearl Israeli composer , wrote a song as a response to the original Jacques Brel version.
  • 2009: Shlomi Shaban: Translated by Dory Manor, Al Telchi Achshav - Don't go now.
  • 2011: Miri Mesika sings the translation by Naomi Shemer, in her
Italian
Japanese
  • 1979: Hiromi Iwasaki's version "Ikanaide" from her album Koibito-tachi
Macedonian
  • 1960: Nina Spirova, "Ако отидеш"
Persian
  • 2021: Alireza Tehrani, "Age To Beri / اگه تو بری / If You Go Away"
Polish
  • 1976: Irena Jarocka & Jacques Hustin, "Nie zostawiaj mnie/Ne me quitte pas"
  • 1986: Irena Jarocka, "Nie zostawiaj mnie"
  • 1995: Michał Bajor, "Nie opuszczaj mnie"
  • 1995: Edyta Górniak, "Nie opuszczaj mnie"
  • 1998: Edyta Jungowska, "Nie opuszczaj mnie"
  • 2007: Joanna Jabłczyńska, "Nie opuszczaj mnie"
Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
  • 1979: Altemar Dutra "Se Você Partir" – Se Você Partir
  • 1989: Raimundo Fagner "Não Me Deixes" – Não Me Deixes
Russian
  • 1973: Radmila Karaklajić's version "Если ты уйдёшь"
  • 1995: Igor Ivanov's version "Если ты уйдёшь"
  • 2001: Mumiy Troll's version "Когда ты уйдёшь"
Serbian
  • 1968: Anica Zubović's version "Ako odeš ti"
Silesian
  • 2012: Julian Brudzewski "Nie ostowiej mie"
Slovene
  • 2009: Branko Završan "Saj ne boš kar šla"
  • 2011: Jure Ivanušič "Ne zapusti me"
Spanish
  • 1969: Matt Monro "No me dejes no", Album: "Todo Pasará"
  • ?: Alma Ritano "No me dejes no"
  • 1977: Angélica María "No me dejes no"
  • 1997: Sandy Aruba's salsa music version "No Me Dejes Mas"
  • 2011: Fito Páez: "Ne me quitté pás", Album: "Canciones para Aliens"
Swedish
  • 1968: Lill Lindfors: "Om du går din väg" in Kom i min värld
  • 1982: Tommy Körberg & Stefan Nilsson: "Du får inte gå" in Tommy Körberg & Stefan Nilsson tolkar Jacques Brel
  • 2000: Maria Stoltz: "Du Får Inte Gå" in Franska chansoner
Turkish
  • 1972: Zeki Müren "Beni Terketme"
  • 1975: Ertan Anapa "Beni Terketme"
  • 1977: Lale Belkıs "Beni Bırakma"
Yiddish
  • 2008: Mendy Cahan's version "לאָז מיך נישט אַלײן"
Multilingual
  • 2005: Lam Nhat Tien's version of "Ne Me Quitte Pas": Người Yêu Nếu Ra Đi in French and Vietnamese, from the album Giờ Đã Không Còn Nữa.
  • 2007: Das Blaue Einhorn's version of "Ne Me Quitte Pas" in French and German, from their album Verkauf dein Pferd – Lieder vom Halten und Lassen
  • 2014: Caro Emerald as a digital download performed in both French and English.
Instrumental