“Leaving Las Vegas” by Sheryl Crow
We have yet to do any type of in depth study on how Sheryl Crow gets down in real life. But based on certain tunes from early in her career, it is clear that she idealized exploring the world. Or as presented in this case, the vocalist, as assumed, is not a native of Las Vegas but went there to pursue a dream, so to speak. But the fantasy has run its course, thus the title of this song, i.e. Sheryl making the decision to ‘leave Las Vegas’.
And reportedly, the songstress has stated in the past that this piece is autobiographical in nature. But such an assertion seems to be a stretch, considering for instance that the title of this track is actually the name of a fictional book a friend of one of its co-writers had authored.
Also, it doesn’t seem that Sheryl Crow has ever dealt blackjack or danced burlesque. So if she has stated this is based on her real life, then presumably she means more in a symbolic sort of way.
But in any event, what the lyrics focus on is the vocalist being fed up with, shall we say living a seedy lifestyle in Las Vegas or Sin City, as the place is popularly known. Or phrased differently, she has been put in a position where she has to do what she has to do in order to survive. And by the looks of things, she has grown weary of such a modus operandi.
So conclusively, the narrator is “leaving Las Vegas… for good”, having been morally defeated by the locality. And it reads like she doesn’t have any clear destination in mind but is really just looking for a fresh start in life.
When was “Leaving Las Vegas” released?
“Leaving Las Vegas” came out on the 6th of August 1993 from the album, “Sheryl Crow”.
Covers
Many versions of the song have been put out over the years, however the following are worthy of notice:
- Julie Corbalis – 2013
- Rob Arthur – 2017
Credits for “Leaving Las Vegas”
A team of prolific songwriters including Crow herself came together to compose the song. The other writers include:
- Bill Bottrell
- David Baerwald
- David Ricketts
- Kevin Gilbert
The Grammy award winning songwriter and music producer, Bill Bottrell took charge of the song’s production.
The “Sheryl Crow” Album
The album, “Sheryl Crow” was released on November 24 of 1996. It was released as the singer’s second studio album through the record label, A&M Records. Crow owns production credits for the album which is regarded as her best album.
The following songs were released as singles to help in the album’s promotion:
- “If It Makes You Happy” – Released on August 26 of 1996
- “Everyday Is a Winding Road” – Released on November 8 of 1996
- “Hard to Make a Stand” – Released on March 17 of 1997
- “A Change Would Do You Good” – Released on June 23 of 1997
- “Home” – Released on October 6 of 1997
Rolling Stone featured “Sheryl Crow” in their 2020 list of top 500 albums of all time.
The album’s overall acceptance pushed it up major charts around the world. It peaked at No.6 in the US, No.5 in the UK.
