Walter Donaldson's "Love Me or Leave Me" is given a driving swing treatment on Anita O'Day's 1957 Verve album Anita Sings the Most, with Oscar Peterson contributing a single-chorus piano solo that exemplifies his unmatched technical command. At 235 beats per minute over the 32-bar AABA form in E-flat major, Peterson's solo is a cascade of perfectly articulated runs and blues-inflected phrases that demonstrate why he was considered the finest pianist of his generation. The track showcases the natural chemistry between O'Day's rhythmically adventurous vocal style and the Peterson Quartet's swinging prowess. O'Day had a special affinity for up-tempo material, her clear diction and rhythmic precision allowing her to navigate fast tempos with an ease that few vocalists could match. The song itself has a long jazz history, recorded by artists from Ruth Etting to Billie Holiday, but O'Day's version emphasizes its swing potential rather than its dramatic lyric content. With Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and John Poole on drums completing the rhythm section, the performance is a model of small-group jazz with vocals, each element perfectly balanced and contributing to the overall swing.
