Songfacts®:

• This song was written by the French cabaret artist Jacques Brel, who recorded it as "Ne Me Quitte Pas." The American songwriter Rod McKuen put English words to it, and it has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Julio Iglesias, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Scott Walker, Marc Almond, Cyndi Lauper and Dusty Springfield.
• The British Library, the national library of Britain, holds two editions of the sheet music in particular: an edition recorded by Ray Barrett on Fontana, which was published by Flamingo Music Limited, Sole Selling Agent Chappell & Co. Ltd of New Bond Street, London. The copyright is dated 1959 by Editions Musicales Tutti, Paris. This sold for 20p. An earlier edition was recorded by Shirley Bassey on United Artists. This too was published by Flamingo Music, but this time the sole selling agent was Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., Charing Cross Road, London. It retailed for 3 shillings and was deposited in the British Library in 1967. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
• The Canadian singer Terry Jacks covered this as his follow-up to his Jacques Brel penned hit tune "Seasons in the Sun." He recorded the single after meeting Brel, who suggested Jacks record another song of his. Terry's version peaked at #8 in the UK and #68 in the US.
• Aside from Jacks' rendition, the only other version to chart in the US was Damita Jo's 1967 cover, which also peaked at #68.