The original mix of the song was recorded by DJ Tedsmooth, a native of Spanish Harlem where Lumidee was raised, for DJ Tedsmooth's independent record label Straight Face. The song used the same instrumental and consent as Dirt McGirt and Nicole Wray's single "Welcome Home". The song became the number 1 requested song on many New Yorkradio stations. The success resulted in many major record label offering deals to both Lumidee and DJ Tedsmooth. After signing with Universal, the song was remixed with guest appearances by Busta Rhymes and Fabolous. The song gained popularity because of its slightly altered use of the already wildly popular Diwali riddim by then-up-and-coming dancehallproducerSteven "Lenky" Marsden. "Diwali" was one of the most internationally successful dancehall rhythms of all time, garnering hits for Wayne Wonder, T.O.K., Bounty Killer and Wayne Marshall's "Sufferer", Elephant Man, and Sean Paul. But since "Never Leave You" was an R&B song by an R&B singer over a dancehall riddim, sound system selectors, club DJs and urban market radio stations immediately took notice of this unique factor and started playing it heavily and regularly, mixing it in with the other songs on the rhythm. It remains the most successful song of Lumidee's career so far, regarding chart positions, and her only hit to date. The song was most successful in Europe, reaching number 1 in five countries. It peaked at number 1 in Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Switzerland in August–September 2003. It also charted at number 2 in the United Kingdom. It also reached number 1 on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Nevertheless, the song peaked at number 3 on the BillboardHot 100 chart in her own country. "Never Leave You" was incorporated into the 2010 re-release of the Diwali riddim album on Greensleeves/VP Records. It included other songs derived from the Diwali riddim, along with Sean Paul's "Get Busy," which was a late entry that never made the original release. The song was also used multiple times in the 2004 film Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, which starred Lindsay Lohan.
Composition
"Never Leave You " is an R&B song written by Lumidee Cedeño, Teddy "Tedsmooth" Mendez and Eddie Perez, and features a prominent dancehall reggae riddim called "Diwali" written by Steven "Lenky" Marsden, although it is slightly altered from the original riddim. Belgian artist Luc van Acker made allegations that the song resembles "Zanna," a song he wrote. However, in an interview he said Belgian anti-piracy agency SABAM advised him not to waste money on a lawsuit.
"Never Leave You " debuted at number sixty-one on the Billboard Hot 100. Due to the increase of radio plays for the song, it later ascended up the chart from number ten to number five, before peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on August 3, 2003 — for the week ending date August 9, 2003 — beaten to the summit by Blu Cantrell and Sean Paul's "Breathe". The song reached the top spot on Billboards European Hot 100, after it jumped from number three to the top of the charts in the Netherlands and number seven to number three in Germany.
