Don't Leave Home

"Don't Leave Home"
"Don't Leave Home"
Single by Dido
from the album Life for Rent
B-side	"Stoned" (Deep Dish remix)
Released	10 April 2004
Studio	The Ark; The Church, Wessex (London, UK); Cubejam (Miami, Florida);
Length	3:47
Label	Cheeky; Arista;
Songwriters	Dido Armstrong; Rollo Armstrong;
Producers	Dido; Rollo; Mike Hedges;
Dido singles chronology
Music video
	"Don't Leave Home" on YouTube

"Don't Leave Home" is the third single released from English singer Dido's second album, Life for Rent (2003). The song was first released as a digital download in various territories on 10 April 2004 before its physical UK release two days later. "Don't Leave Home" peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart and charted for nine weeks. A remix of the song's B-side, "Stoned", by American electronic music duo Deep Dish topped the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart.

Background

"Don't Leave Home" deals with drug addiction. It is written and sung from the point of view of the drug singing to the person who is addicted to it.^[1] It was originally a demo recorded for her 1999 album No Angel, but it was included instead on the 2003 album, Life for Rent. It was written and produced by Dido Armstrong and her brother Rollo Armstrong.^[2] The song is set in common time composed in a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute,^[3] written in F♯ major with a vocal range from the tone of F♯₄ to the note of C♯₆.^[3]

Music video

The Jake Nava-directed music video for "Don't Leave Home" starts with the singer driving on a desert road as it gets dark. Suddenly, she finds herself in front of a forest. Dido leaves the car, drops her suitcase on the ground, and enters the forest. Some of the themes and scenery imply drug addiction, like the hazy affects, the forest filled with mushrooms and hallucinations of spiders and snakes. She leaves the forest and comes across a huge rock-like cliff by the ocean. She sings calmly by the cliff before jumping into the ocean and finds herself on a wide strand with white sand singing out to the ocean. The video ends with the car driving on with broken white lines. The video was shot in Cape Town, South Africa.

"Stoned"

The B-side of the "Don't Leave Home" single, "Stoned", was released as a promotional single from Life for Rent. The song tells the story of an unwinding relationship, clouded through drugs. "Stoned" was remixed by Deep Dish; this version peaked at number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart on the week dated 24 January 2004.^[4] At the end of 2004, Billboard ranked the remix as the second-most-successful dance club track of year.^[5]

Track listings

UK CD single^[6]

"Don't Leave Home"
"Stoned" (Deep Dish Stoner remix edit)

European CD single^[7]

"Don't Leave Home" – 3:48
"Stoned" (Deep Dish remix edit) – 4:00
"Don't Leave Home" (video with lyrics)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the "Don't Leave Home" UK CD single liner notes and the Life for Rent booklet.^[6]^[8]

Studios

Recorded at The Ark, The Church, Wessex Studios (London, England), and Cubejam (Miami, Florida)
Mixed at The Church (London, England)
"Don't Leave Home" strings recorded at AIR Studios (London, England)
Mastered at Metropolis Studios (London, England)

Artwork

Simon Corkin – artwork design
Bev Jones – photography

"Don't Leave Home" personnel

Dido – writing (as Dido Armstrong), production
Rollo – writing (as Rollo Armstrong), production
Richard Parfitt – guitar
Sister Bliss – additional keyboards, drum programming
Makoto Sakamoto – drums
Mike Hedges – production
Matthieu Clouard – production assistance
Ash Howes – mixing
Phill Brown – recording
Ger McDonnell – recording
James Sanger – programming
Mark Bates – programming assistance
Pete Davies – programming assistance
Nick Ingman – string arrangement
Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
Miles Showell – mastering

"Stoned" (Deep Dish remix) personnel

Dido – writing (as Dido Armstrong), production
Rollo – writing (as Rollo Armstrong), production
Lester Mendez – writing, original recordings
Adam Zimmon – acoustic guitar
Carlos Paucer – percussion
Sister Bliss – piano
Mark Bates – additional keyboards, programming
Ash Howes – mixing
Phill Brown – recording
Steve Sidelnyk – additional drum programming
Deep Dish – remix and additional production (as Dubfire and Sharam), remix mixing
Matt Nordstrom – remix mixing

Charts

"Don't Leave Home"

Weekly charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[9]	54
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[10]	50
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)^[11]	2
Canada AC Top 30 (Radio & Records)^[12]	15
Canada Hot AC Top 30 (Radio & Records)^[13]	12
CIS Airplay (TopHit)^[14]	101
Germany (GfK)^[15]	67
Greece (IFPI)^[16]	24
Hungary (Editors' Choice Top 40)^[17]	21
Ireland (IRMA)^[18]	35
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[19]	36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[20]	38
Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[21]	29
Scotland (OCC)^[22]	26
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[23]	45
UK Singles (OCC)^[24]	25
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)^[25]	22

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)	Position
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[26]	64

"Stoned" (Deep Dish remix)

Weekly charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
CIS Airplay (TopHit)^[27]	28
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[4]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)	Position
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[5]	2

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
Various	10 April 2004	Digital download	Cheeky Arista	^[28]^[29]^[30]
United Kingdom	12 April 2004	CD		^[31]
United States	19 April 2004	Hot adult contemporary radio		^[32]
Sweden	3 May 2004	CD		^[33]

References

^ "Dido – "It's actually a song about drug addiction". Dido chats about Don't Leave Home in our latest audio commentary of a track from her new Greatest Hits album. didohq". Dido's Official Facebook Account. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Life for Rent – Dido". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Don't Leave Home – Dido Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc.
^ ^a ^b "Dido Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Dance Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. 25 December 2004. p. YE-60.
^ ^a ^b Don't Leave Home (UK CD single liner notes). Dido. Cheeky Records, Arista Records. 2004. 82876611722.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Don't Leave Home (European CD single liner notes). Dido. Cheeky Records, Arista Records. 2004. 82876609532.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Life for Rent (European CD album booklet). Dido. Arista Records, BMG, Cheeky Records. 2003. 82876545982.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "R&R Canada AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1561. 25 June 2004. p. 49.
^ "RR Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1560. 18 June 2004. p. 55. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ Dido — Don't Leave Home. TopHit. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 13–19/6" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 19 June 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2020. See Best Position column.
^ "2004/28. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Dido". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 24, saptamina 14.06 – 20.06, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Dido – Don't Leave Home". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^ "Dido Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. 17 December 2004. p. 26.
^ Dido — Stoned (Deep Dish remix). TopHit. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
^ "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
^ "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
^ "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
^ "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. 3 April 2004. p. 25.
^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1551. 16 April 2004. p. 26. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
^ "Dido: Don't Leave Home". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 13 February 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2023.

[1] "Dido – "It's actually a song about drug addiction". Dido chats about Don't Leave Home in our latest audio commentary of a track from her new Greatest Hits album. didohq". Dido's Official Facebook Account. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2020.

[2] Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Life for Rent – Dido". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 September 2020.

[sheet-3] "Don't Leave Home – Dido Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc.

[usd-4] "Dido Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2020.

[usdye-5] "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Dance Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. 25 December 2004. p. YE-60.

[ukcd-6] Don't Leave Home (UK CD single liner notes). Dido. Cheeky Records, Arista Records. 2004. 82876611722.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[7] Don't Leave Home (European CD single liner notes). Dido. Cheeky Records, Arista Records. 2004. 82876609532.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[8] Life for Rent (European CD album booklet). Dido. Arista Records, BMG, Cheeky Records. 2003. 82876545982.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[sc_Austria_Dido-9] "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[sc_Flanders_Dido-10] "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[sc_Wallonia_Tip_Dido-11] "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[12] "R&R Canada AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1561. 25 June 2004. p. 49.

[canhac-13] "RR Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1560. 18 June 2004. p. 55. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[sc_CIS_Dido-14] Dido — Don't Leave Home. TopHit. Retrieved 24 February 2025.

[sc_Germany_Dido-15] "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[16] "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 13–19/6" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 19 June 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2020. See Best Position column.

[17] "2004/28. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 April 2025.

[sc_Ireland3_Dido-18] "Irish-charts.com – Discography Dido". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 January 2020.

[sc_Dutch40_-19] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 10 July 2018.

[sc_Dutch100_Dido-20] "Dido – Don't Leave Home" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[romania-21] "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 24, saptamina 14.06 – 20.06, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2019.

[sc_Scotland_-22] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[sc_Switzerland_Dido-23] "Dido – Don't Leave Home". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[sc_UK_-24] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2018.

[sc_Billboardadultpopsongs_Dido-25] "Dido Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 February 2020.

[26] "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. 17 December 2004. p. 26.

[cis2-27] Dido — Stoned (Deep Dish remix). TopHit. Retrieved 24 February 2025.

[28] "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.

[29] "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.

[30] "Don't Leave Home – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 October 2021.

[31] "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. 3 April 2004. p. 25.

[32] "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1551. 16 April 2004. p. 26. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

[33] "Dido: Don't Leave Home". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 13 February 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

v t e Dido
Discography Songs
Studio albums	No Angel Life for Rent Safe Trip Home Girl Who Got Away Still on My Mind
Live albums	Live at Brixton Academy (Dido Live (EP))
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits
Other albums	Odds & Ends
Singles	"Here with Me" "Don't Think of Me" "Thank You" "Hunter" "All You Want" "White Flag" "Life for Rent" "Don't Leave Home" "Sand in My Shoes" "Don't Believe in Love" "Quiet Times" "Everything to Lose" "No Freedom" "End of Night" "Give You Up" "Thank You (Not So Bad)"
Featured singles	"Stan" "One Step Too Far" "Feels Like Fire" "Do They Know It's Christmas?" "Sing" "Feelin' Good" "If I Rise"
Promotional singles	"Let Us Move On"
Other songs	"Take My Hand"
Related articles	Awards Dido flip Rollo Armstrong Faithless Dusted Sister Bliss

Don't Leave Home

Hub talks

Don't Leave Home

Don't Leave Home

Hub rules

Don't Leave Home

Hub overview

Add your contribution

Inside this hub

Media Collections

Timelines

Articles

Notes collections

Notes

Days in Chronicle

Root Wikipedia Article

Don't Leave Home

Background

Music video

"Stoned"

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Charts

"Don't Leave Home"

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

"Stoned" (Deep Dish remix)

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

See also

References

Add your contribution

Related Hubs