Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)
Encyclopedia
"Leave Me Alone" was a Top Ten hit single for Helen Reddy
in 1973-74.
The song was written by Linda Laurie
, a sometime recording artist best known for the 1959 novelty record "Ambrose Part 5" although she had cut mainstream Pop records up until 1964; Laurie subsequently moved into songwriting, working as a staff writer for Screen Gems
by 1968. Laurie returned to recording in the summer of 1973 cutting "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" for MCA Records
; the song was expediently shopped to Helen Reddy who recorded it for her Long Hard Climb album released August 1973 from which the track was issued as a single that October (Laurie was reportedly still doing promo for her own version at the start of which month).
Capitol Records
issued "Leave Me Alone..." as the follow-up single to Helen Reddy's #1 hit "Delta Dawn
" despite the misgivings of Reddy herself who felt "Leave Me Alone..." was a thematic retread of "Delta Dawn
" as both songs concern a Southern woman - alliteratively named - whose reason has been undermined by an ill-fated tryst. Also Reddy found the song's chorus with its repetition of the phrase "leave me alone" monotonous.1
Capitol were evidently right in believing the resemblance to Reddy's precedent hit would work in "Leave Me Alone..."'s favor as the latter song reached the Top Ten six weeks after its single release, rising as high as #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
, marking the only time a Helen Reddy album parented two Top Ten hits. The Cash Box Hot 100 Singles chart ranked "Leave Me Alone..." at #1 for the week of 4 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone.." became Reddy's third US single release to be certified Gold
for sales of one million units and was also the second of Reddy's six consecutive #1's on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart
(she'd have eight overall).
In Australia, "Leave Me Alone..." followed "Delta Dawn" as Reddy's second consecutive - and final - #1, topping the charts dated 7 & 14 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone..." was the first Helen Reddy single to build momentum in the UK with six weeks in February and March 1974 spent approaching the UK Top 50; however the single ultimately failed to reach the chart.
Veteran C&W
artist [ Arleen Harden] covered
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" in a Nashville
session produced by Frank Jones on 10 May 1974 with the track serving as her debut release on Capitol Records that June to fall short of hit status with a #72 peak on the Billboard
C&W chart
in August 1974.
Samantha Sang
recorded "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" for her 1975 debut album Samantha Sang and Rocked the World.
Helen Reddy sang this song as a skit on The Carol Burnett Show
, with all her regular guests Vicki Lawrence. Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway, singing the chorus of the "Leave Me Alone" portion, which gets interrupted, by Reddy, who tells the guests that they all sounded "TERRIBLE".
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
in 1973-74.
The song was written by Linda Laurie
Linda Laurie
Linda Laurie was an American singer and songwriter, best known for the novelty record "Ambrose ", which went to #52 on the Billboard chart while she was still a high school student in 1959....
, a sometime recording artist best known for the 1959 novelty record "Ambrose Part 5" although she had cut mainstream Pop records up until 1964; Laurie subsequently moved into songwriting, working as a staff writer for Screen Gems
Screen Gems
Screen Gems is an American movie production company and subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the decades since its incorporation....
by 1968. Laurie returned to recording in the summer of 1973 cutting "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" for MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
; the song was expediently shopped to Helen Reddy who recorded it for her Long Hard Climb album released August 1973 from which the track was issued as a single that October (Laurie was reportedly still doing promo for her own version at the start of which month).
Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
issued "Leave Me Alone..." as the follow-up single to Helen Reddy's #1 hit "Delta Dawn
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey , best known as a 1972 top ten C&W hit for Tanya Tucker and a number-one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973.-Lyrical story:The title character is a faded southern...
" despite the misgivings of Reddy herself who felt "Leave Me Alone..." was a thematic retread of "Delta Dawn
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by former child rockabilly star Larry Collins and songwriter Alex Harvey , best known as a 1972 top ten C&W hit for Tanya Tucker and a number-one hit for Helen Reddy in 1973.-Lyrical story:The title character is a faded southern...
" as both songs concern a Southern woman - alliteratively named - whose reason has been undermined by an ill-fated tryst. Also Reddy found the song's chorus with its repetition of the phrase "leave me alone" monotonous.1
Capitol were evidently right in believing the resemblance to Reddy's precedent hit would work in "Leave Me Alone..."'s favor as the latter song reached the Top Ten six weeks after its single release, rising as high as #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, marking the only time a Helen Reddy album parented two Top Ten hits. The Cash Box Hot 100 Singles chart ranked "Leave Me Alone..." at #1 for the week of 4 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone.." became Reddy's third US single release to be certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
for sales of one million units and was also the second of Reddy's six consecutive #1's on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
(she'd have eight overall).
In Australia, "Leave Me Alone..." followed "Delta Dawn" as Reddy's second consecutive - and final - #1, topping the charts dated 7 & 14 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone..." was the first Helen Reddy single to build momentum in the UK with six weeks in February and March 1974 spent approaching the UK Top 50; however the single ultimately failed to reach the chart.
Veteran C&W
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist [ Arleen Harden] covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" in a Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
session produced by Frank Jones on 10 May 1974 with the track serving as her debut release on Capitol Records that June to fall short of hit status with a #72 peak on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
C&W chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
in August 1974.
Samantha Sang
Samantha Sang
Samantha Sang is a stage name of Australian singer, Cheryl Lau Sang, from Melbourne, who had an earlier career as Cheryl Gray. She had a number eight hit in Australia with "You Made Me What I Am" in 1967. By 1969, she had relocated to United Kingdom and worked with Bee Gees but then returned...
recorded "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" for her 1975 debut album Samantha Sang and Rocked the World.
- 1Helen Reddy's "Leave Me Alone..." was the subject of a nationwide (US) contest in which listeners would submit to their local radio station their estimation of how many times Reddy sang the phrase "leave me alone" in the song; submissions of the correct answer - which Reddy states is 43 - were eligible for a trip for two to see Reddy in concert.
Helen Reddy sang this song as a skit on The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
, with all her regular guests Vicki Lawrence. Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway, singing the chorus of the "Leave Me Alone" portion, which gets interrupted, by Reddy, who tells the guests that they all sounded "TERRIBLE".
See also
- List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1973 (U.S.)