Leaving New York

"Leaving New York" is a song recorded by the American alternative rock band R.E.M.. It was released as the lead single from the band's 13th studio album, Around the Sun (2004). Although it was not as heavily promoted as earlier singles, it reached as high as number 5 on the UK Singles Chart. However, the song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the only lead US single from an R.E.M. studio album not to chart on the US Hot 100 besides "Cant Get There from Here" from Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985.

"Leaving New York"
Single by R.E.M.
from the album Around the Sun
B-side"(Don't Go Back To) Rockville (Live)"
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2004
Recorded2004
GenreAlternative rock
Length4:49
LabelWarner Bros.
W654CD1 / W654CD2
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
R.E.M. singles chronology
"Animal"
(2004)		 "Leaving New York"
(2004)		 "Aftermath"
(2005)

In early live performances of the song (September 2004), the band would play Michael Stipe's "It's pulling me apart. Change." album backing vocal during the chorus and bridge of live performances. As early as February 2005, however, as evidenced on the R.E.M. Live disc, the band worked up an alternative whereby the backing vocals would be shared amongst Mike Mills, Scott McCaughey and Ken Stringfellow in order to make the song flow more smoothly.

Background

As Stipe stated in interviews, the tune is a love song to the city. Stipe regards New York as his second hometown. Stipe stated that once, flying out of the city and seeing it from above, he was overwhelmed by its beauty and wrote the song right there on the plane.[1]

The music video was shot with real friends of the band members, throwing a party, and snapshots of Stipe in different places of the city, giving the video a spontaneous and private atmosphere.

Track listing

All tracks by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless otherwise stated.

CD1
  1. "Leaving New York" (single edit) – 4:43
  2. "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe) (Live, Oslo October 25, 2003) – 4:35

CD2
  1. "Leaving New York" (single edit) – 4:43
  2. "You Are the Everything" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe) (Live, Raleigh, North Carolina – Soundcheck, October 10, 2003) – 3:30
  3. "These Days" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe) (Live, Toronto, Ontario, September 30, 2003) – 3:27

Charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[2] 57
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] 32
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[4] 7
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[5] 15
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[6] 19
Denmark (Tracklisten)[7] 10
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 4
Germany (Official German Charts)[9] 16
Greece (IFPI)[10] 19
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[11] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 14
Italy (FIMI)[13] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 43
Norway (VG-lista)[15] 7
Poland (LP3)[16] 1
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[17] 60
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[18] 7
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[19] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 18
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22] 5
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] 1

References
  1. REM: Why there's life in the old dogs yet | Daily Mail, London, England | October 8, 2004 | findarticles.com
  2. "The ARIA Report: Issue 763 (Week Commencing October 11, 2004)" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 3. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  3. "Austriancharts.at – R.E.M. – Leaving New York" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  4. "Ultratop.be – R.E.M. – Leaving New York" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  5. "Ultratop.be – R.E.M. – Leaving New York" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  6. "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). p. 80. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  7. "Danishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  8. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116 no. 42. October 16, 2004. p. 41. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  10. "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 24–30/10" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  11. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Leaving New York". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  13. "Italiancharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". Top Digital Download. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  14. "Dutchcharts.nl – R.E.M. – Leaving New York" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  15. "Norwegiancharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". VG-lista. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  16. "Notowanie nr1186" (in Polish). LP3. October 22, 2004. Retrieved March 5, 2019. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  17. "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 47, saptamina 22.11 – 28.11, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  19. "Spanishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York" Canciones Top 50.
  20. "Swedishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – R.E.M. – Leaving New York". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  23. "R.E.M. Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
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