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"If You Leave Me Now"
Single by Chicago
from the album Chicago X
B-side(s)	"Together Again"
Released	July 1976
Format	7"
Recorded	1976
Genre	Rock
Length	3:58
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Peter Cetera
Producer(s)	James William Guercio
Certification	Platinum
Chart positions
#1 (USA Hot 100) #1 (UK)
Chicago singles chronology
Another Rainy Day In New York City (1976)	If You Leave Me Now (1976)	You Are On My Mind (1977)

"If You Leave Me Now" is the title of a popular hit ballad by the American rock group Chicago, from their album Chicago X. It was written and sung by bass guitar player Peter Cetera and released as a single in July 1976.

The single topped the US charts on October 23, 1976 and stayed there for two weeks, making it the first number one hit for the group. It was popular in multiple radio formats, and at one point during its peak listeners could hear it being played simultaneously on four different New York City radio stations.

"If You Leave Me Now" was also Chicago's biggest hit worldwide after topping the charts in other countries such as Britain and Australia. It went on to win Grammy Awards for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus.

In a 2006 poll for a Channel 5 program Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs, "If You Leave Me Now" was voted eighth.

There have been over 100 versions of "If You Leave Me Now" recorded by artists throughout the world, among them:

• Elkie Brooks, one of the UK's biggest selling artists, recorded a version of the song on her 1.5 million selling album Pearls in 1981.

• Peter Cetera re-recorded the song as a solo artist for his 1997 album You're the Inspiration: A Collection.

• Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire sang the song during their joint concerts with Chicago in 2004-2006. This version was included in the Love Songs album by Chicago.

• Danish popstar Christine Milton recorded an uptempo version for her debut album Friday in 2003.

• Joshua Payne recorded the song on his debut album, Your Love, My Home.

• South Park character Butters Stotch has sung portions of this song in several episodes of the series.

• In the animated film, Happy Feet, the hero penguin, Mumble, feels obliged to drive away his love for her to have a normal life. The adèle amigos observing this sing a cappella version of the song to try to convince Mumble to call her back.

• In the film Three Kings, as two characters argue over what music to play on their car's CD player, a brief (one second or less) but highly recognizable clip of this song's chorus can be heard.

• Incidentally, when "If You Leave Me Now" became Chicago's first number one hit in 1976, the same year former mayor of Chicago, Richard J. Daley, who objected to the group's using the name "Chicago Transit Authority," died.

• The song was played briefly in the 2004 film Shaun of the Dead.

• The single was originally not scheduled for release as early as it was. "Another Rainy Day in New York City", the first single from Chicago X, was almost immediately ignored by radio in favor of this song as an album cut. Columbia Records, therefore, decided to bring forward the song as a single to meet demand.

Preceded by "Disco Duck (Part 1)" by Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots	Billboard Hot 100 number one single October 23, 1976	Succeeded by "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band
Preceded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat	UK number one single November 13, 1976	Succeeded by "Under the Moon of Love" by Showaddywaddy

Chicago
Robert Lamm | James Pankow | Lee Loughnane | Walter Parazaider | Bill Champlin Jason Scheff | Tris Imboden | Keith Howland Terry Kath | Peter Cetera | Danny Seraphine | Laudir DeOliveira | Donnie Dacus | Chris Pinnick | Dawayne Bailey
Discography
Studio albums: The Chicago Transit Authority | Chicago | Chicago III | Chicago V | Chicago VI |Chicago VII | Chicago VIII | Chicago X | Chicago XI | Hot Streets | Chicago 13 | Chicago XIV | Chicago 16 | Chicago 17 | Chicago 18 | Chicago 19 | Twenty 1 | Night & Day Big Band | Chicago XXX
Live albums: Chicago at Carnegie Hall | Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert
Compilations: Chicago IX - Chicago's Greatest Hits | Greatest Hits, Volume II | Greatest Hits 1982-1989 The Heart of Chicago 1967-1997 | The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II | The Very Best of: Only the Beginning | Love Songs
Christmas albums: Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album | What's It Gonna Be, Santa?
Unreleased album: Stone of Sisyphus
Box sets: The Box