Love me or leave me: Kevin & Carla or Max & Tommy?

One of my favorite versions of Love Me Or Leave Me was played at Swingkatten's lindy hop practise tonight. This particular version is sung by Sammy Davis Jr. I like the song because it is very dynamic, smooth at some times, other times it's loud, I love those horns.

I, like many lindy hoppers, picked it up when I saw the hilarious video clip of Tommy Blacharz & Max Pitruzella dancing to Love Me Or Leave Me imitating (or making a parody of) the dance style and the dance moves of the dance couple Kevin St. Lauren and Carla LaRue Heiney.

This video clip I think can be considered a modern classic. Almost every lindy hopper has seen it but if you joined the dance scene in the last 2 years you might not have seen it, so, you should see it right away below.

I don't know what's best, to first see the "original" with Kevin and Carla dancing to Love Me Or Leave Me or see the "copy cats" Max and Tommy? You have to decide what works best for you.

First out is Tommy Blacharz & Max Pitruzella :



Now have a look at Kevin St. Lauren and Carla LaRue Heiney



I think both couples does a great dance. I would love to dance like that. I'd love to dance with Carla.

If you have any information about Max and Tommy's version, where it was performed, etc, I'd like hear from you.

What do you think of the different versions of people dancing to Love Me Or Leave Me? Please comment.

Nina Simone: Love me or leave me

I think Nina Simone is kind of unique in the jazz world because as a piano player she added textures in the swing music from classical music. Here is a good example in this video clip from The Ed Sullivan Show where Nina Simone performs "Love me or leave me" followed by the jazz ballad "I love you, Porgy".


Nina Simone on The Ed Sullivan Show
Uploaded by redhotjazz

The music is written by Walter Donaldson and the lyrics by Gus Kahn.

What do you think of Nina Simone and her version of "Love me or leave me"? Tell me.