Guy Lombardo - LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (1929)

“Love Me or Leave Me“ Music by Walter Donaldson Words by Gus Kahn Performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians Vocal by Carmen Lombardo Recorded March 20, 1929, New York This song was introduced in the Broadway play, “Whoopee!,“ which opened in December 1928. Ruth Etting’s performance of the song was so popular that she was also given the song to sing in the play “Simple Simon,“ which opened in February 1930. “Love Me or Leave Me“ was also a 1955 biographical film roughly based on the life of Ruth Etting, a singer who rose from dancer to movie star. It stars Doris Day as Etting, James Cagney as Martin “Moe the Gimp“ Snyder. Although Canada’s premiere dance band, the Royal Canadians, are most closely associated with Guy Lombardo, it was in fact his younger brother Carmen who was the true driving force behind the music group. Born in London, Ontario in 1903, the Lombardo brothers made their first d