Top 10 Rock And Pop Songs About Leaving

Feature Photo: Mantas Hesthaven

Leaving is a powerful theme in rock and pop music, offering endless possibilities for storytelling. Whether it’s the bittersweet emotion of leaving home, the uncertainty of starting a new chapter, or the pain of walking away from a relationship, the concept of leaving resonates deeply with listeners. In some cases, leaving is about escaping for good, severing ties and never looking back, while in others, it’s just a temporary farewell, leaving for the night, for school, or simply for a new experience. Rock and roll has long been a genre that channels these emotional crossroads, creating songs that reflect the essence of its legacy.

# 10 – I’m Leaving You (Commit A Crime) – Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

“I’m Leaving You (Commit a Crime)” is a powerful blues-rock track performed by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, originally written by the legendary bluesman Chester Burnett, also known as Howlin’ Wolf. The song, which appears on the Live Alive album, showcases Vaughan’s mastery of the blues while bringing his unique fiery style to the forefront. Known for his searing guitar work and intense vocals, Vaughan gives new life to Burnett’s classic by injecting it with raw emotion and powerful energy. The track fits seamlessly into a list of top rock and pop songs about leaving, capturing the emotional turbulence of a relationship gone awry.

# 9 – Leaving Las Vegas – Sheryl Crow

Tuesday Night Music Club by Sheryl Crow (1993-08-03)

“Leaving Las Vegas” stands out as one of the defining tracks of Sheryl Crow’s early career and perfectly embodies the bittersweet act of leaving a place filled with promises that have soured. Released in 1993 as part of her debut album Tuesday Night Music Club, the song draws from the melancholy of a gambler’s last roll of the dice, a metaphor for disillusionment and escape. Co-written by Crow along with David Baerwald, Bill Bottrell, Kevin Gilbert, Brian MacLeod, and David Ricketts, “Leaving Las Vegas” taps into a universal theme of leaving behind a life that’s no longer fulfilling.

# 8 – If You See Me Getting Smaller, I’m Leaving – Jimmy Webb

“If You See Me Getting Smaller, I’m Leaving” by Jimmy Webb is a bittersweet anthem of self-realization and the inevitable need to escape. Featured on his 1977 album El Mirage, produced by the legendary George Martin, this track captures Webb’s signature melancholic and reflective style, blending his lush arrangements with poignant, storytelling lyrics. This track, though not one of Webb’s most commercially successful, remains an evocative piece of songwriting that taps into the theme of departure, both emotional and physical.

Read More: Top 10 Jimmy Webb Songs

# 7 – Bobby Jean – Bruce Springsteen

“Bobby Jean” by Bruce Springsteen is a standout track from his 1984 Born in the U.S.A. album, a record that catapulted Springsteen into the stratosphere of rock stardom. Released on June 4, 1984, the album was recorded at The Hit Factory and The Power Station in New York City between January 1982 and March 1984. Produced by Springsteen, Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, and Steven Van Zandt, the track embodies the nostalgic longing and sense of loss that underscores so much of Springsteen’s work.

Read More: Top 10 Bruce Springsteen Hits

# 6 – You Won’t Be Leaving – Herman’s Hermits

“You Won’t Be Leaving,” a 1966 track by Herman’s Hermits, stands as a prime example of the mid-1960s British pop sound that the group helped popularize. Written by Tony Hazzard, the song was a hit in the UK and Australia, reaching #9 in Australia and #20 in the UK charts. Produced by the renowned Mickie Most, who was behind many of the group’s hits, the song showcases the infectious energy and charm that made Herman’s Hermits one of the most successful British Invasion bands of the era. Unlike many of their contemporaries who leaned into rock and roll or R&B influences, Herman’s Hermits were known for their melodic pop tunes, and “You Won’t Be Leaving” fits squarely into that mold.

Read More: Top 10 Herman’s Hermits Songs

# 5 – Leaving You – Bad Company

“Leaving You” by Bad Company, from their Burnin’ Sky album, is a poignant rock ballad that captures the emotional complexity of breaking away from a relationship, even when deep love and history exist. Released in March 1977, Burnin’ Sky was recorded at Château d’Hérouville studios in France during the summer of 1976, under the production of Bad Company themselves. It’s an album that blends the band’s signature hard rock sound with bluesy, introspective ballads like “Leaving You.” Written by the band’s lead vocalist, Paul Rodgers, the song reflects on the difficulty of leaving someone who has played a crucial role in one’s life, despite knowing that separation is inevitable.

# 4 – She’s Leaving Home – The Beatles

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Remastered) (CD)

“She’s Leaving Home” by The Beatles is one of the most poignant and reflective songs about departure ever written, capturing the bittersweet emotions of a young woman leaving her family. Featured on the groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album, released in May 1967, the song was primarily composed by Paul McCartney with contributions from John Lennon. It was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) on March 17, 1967, and stands out in The Beatles’ catalog for its lush orchestration, arranged by Mike Leander, in the absence of usual Beatles producer George Martin, who was unavailable at the time.

# 3 – Movin’ Out – Billy Joel

“Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” by Billy Joel is a quintessential anthem about leaving behind societal pressures and the pursuit of material wealth. Released in 1977 as part of The Stranger, one of Joel’s most critically acclaimed albums, the song tells the story of a working-class man named Anthony who decides that the grind of trying to “move up” in life isn’t worth the cost. It’s a sharp critique of the American Dream and what it means to truly live a fulfilled life.

Read More: Top 10 Billy Joel Songs

# 2 – Leaving On A Jet Plane – John Denver

“Leaving on a Jet Plane” is one of John Denver’s most iconic and emotionally resonant songs, although it was famously first recorded by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. Written by Denver in 1966, the song gained widespread popularity when Peter, Paul and Mary’s version was released in 1969, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in December of that year. Denver’s own version later appeared on his 1969 album Rhymes & Reasons, solidifying his place in the folk and soft rock genres.

Read More: Top 10 John Denver Songs

# 1 – Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin

We close out this list with a song from our favorite rock band of all time. “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” is a powerful and emotionally charged track from Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album, released in 1969. While often attributed to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the song is actually a cover of a composition by American folk singer Anne Bredon, written in the 1950s and popularized by Joan Baez in the early 1960s. Led Zeppelin’s interpretation, however, transformed the track from a folk ballad into an epic, hard-hitting rock experience.