There weren’t many entertainment outings our family enjoyed in my youth where If You Leave Me Now wasn’t played. Actually, I didn’t like it for years and I don’t know why, but now when I hear it, I really enjoy it. Call it nostalgia, but I understand why the adults were revelling. It’s a really mature song by a band so young. It is so craftily developed and has magnificent band arrangements.
There’s a nice story communicated on You Tube by Courtney Gibson Jr about this song: ‘I remember I played this after this woman broke up with me. This old guy (my neighbor) saw me crying. He came to me and we had a long talk. I remember one thing he said, “Don’t worry about it, you’re a strong young man and you have a whole life ahead.” He was such a nice old man. He’s gone now. But I will never forget that long talk with him.‘
A love like ours is love that’s hard to find
How could we let it slip away
We’ve come too far to leave it all behind
How could we end it all this way
When tomorrow comes and we’ll both regret
The things we said today
The song was at the top of the charts in so many countries. The song was so pervasive on radio upon its release that, reportedly, those tuning in within New York could hear the song playing on four different stations. The album Chicago X sold sold 1.4 million copies in the United States alone. It was written and sung by bass player Peter Cetera and released July 30, 1976.
References:
1. If You Leave Me Now – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Nice groove, Matt!
I’m glad you think so Sharon!
I’m in the same boat with you on this song. Enjoy it when I hear but I don’t search for it either. Cetera is one talented guy I have to say.
I really like the song now. I agree with you about Cetera. Cheers
I did like this song when it came out… I tend to like their earlier experimental stuff more but I like this one.
I don’t think I’m across much of their discography, although I did have a Greatest Hits from them (or one of their best albums) and I wasn’t that impressed with most of the output, apart from the songs already featured here. And I believe one more to come ‘You’re the Inspiration’. I don’t think I’m familiar with their earlier experimental stuff. This song has definitely grown on me and love hearing it.
Saturday In The Park and “25 or 6 to 4″…
Sorry…I hit send to quickly! They had an everchanging career… good songwriting.
No problem. Good song-writing it is, particularly this track.
Though it was softer rock than their typical fare back then, I really loved this song.
Same here, it’s really grown on me, and I don’t tire of listening to it.