Don't Be Gone Too Long

“	I did a really cool song with Chris Brown called ‘Don’t Be Gone Too Long,’ and that’s his single, so technically I’m featured on his, but it became like a duet. We both sing the whole thing together.	”
–Ariana Grande on "Don't Be Gone Too Long"

General information
Released	September 15, 2014
Recorded	2014
Genre	Pop, R&B
Length	3:21
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Clarence Coffee Jr., Cathy Dennis, Scott Hoffman, Jean Baptiste, Michael McHenry, Kyle Edwards
Producer(s)	Free School & Babydaddy
Music Video

"Don't Be Gone Too Long" is a song by Chris Brown that previously featured Ariana Grande for Chris' album X. The song is on Brown's album, but is not featured on Grande's sophmore album, My Everything. 

Background

Ariana began teasing her fans on Twitter in early 2014 about this song. She stated that her new favorite song, "Don't Be Gone Too Long", is coming out in March 2014, and she's pushing herself to do ballet in the music video. Ariana and Chris even tweeted lyrics from a part of the song (see below). The single was originally set for release on March 25, 2014, however was postponed due to Brown being sent to jail awaiting trial on assault charges.

Grande had announced the songs delay on March 17, 2014 via twitter stating "My loves… so obviously some things have changed recently... So we have to delay the dbgtl countdown, some things are out of our control". That same night she held a live chat to make up for the singles delay, where she previewed four new songs from her second album. Two days later following the announcement Grande revealed due the songs delay, she would be releasing the first single from her, at that time, upcoming sophomore studio album instead.

On April 14, Chris tweeted a link to a one take dance video, which shows him dancing in a dimly light room dancing to "Don't Be Gone Too Long". Although the song was actually "Don't Be Gone Too Long", it was the TV track so you can only hear the instrumental part, the chorus, and the bridge, not the verses. However, Brown removed Grande's vocals from the song, replacing them with uncredited vocals of Cathy Dennis, before the original version with Grande was leaked.

Music Video

On April 14, 2014, Brown released a teaser of new track "Don't Be Gone Too Long" featuring Ariana Grande, Finally on August 3, 2014, Chris confirmed via instagram that the albums release date would be September 16, 2014.

Synopsis

With a medieval setting, Grande is a princess while Brown portrays a would-be knight from the wrong wide the tracks and the king is far from happy about their union. The video opens with the pair getting very close on a moonlight moor. But just as they are about to seal their love with a kiss, the evil king swoops in to arrest the knave and grab the wayward princess.

Grande remains locked away in a tower and wait for her true love. Determined, Brown does anything it takes to be back with his love, even if that means escaping from jail. Between the storyline, clips are shown of the two dancing.

The evil king tries to cast a spell on Brown, but the spell backfires, causing the evil king to lose his sanity, while Brown, unscathed, rushes back to his love, who has now changed into a dramatic ball gown. Atop the vine-covered tower, Brown approaches Grande from nearby and they embrace. But the video ends on a cliffhanger, just as the evil king and his guards return swords drawn, discovering the two together.

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
I dug a single seed into the ground
I hope it grows, grows
In a year or two if you're around
You'll see a rose, rose

[Pre-Chorus 1: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Pack me up and keep me hidden somewhere
That you can find me
On this train to Paris going nowhere
Draw the bridge behind me

[Chorus: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Don't be gone too long (Too long)
Cause you won't be there to love me when you're gone
Don't be gone too long (Too long)
Tell me who's gonna love me when you're gone

[Post-Chorus 1: Ariana Grande & Chris Brown]
Hey, yeah
When you're, when you're gone
Hey, yeah, yeah
When you're gone

[Verse 2: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Golden leaves are dancing on the ground
It's getting cold, cold (Cold, ah)
Safe from time, we'll be forever young
Never old, old

[Pre-Chorus 2: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
See upon a fire out in space
Zooming up behind me (Zooming up behind me)
All the wonder written on your face
Was there inside me (Was there inside me) (Was there inside me)

[Chorus: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Don't be gone too long (Too long)
Cause you won't be there to love me when you're gone (Be there to love me when you're gone)
Don't be gone too long (Too long)
Tell me who's gonna love me when you're gone (Who's gonna love me when you're gone)

[Post-Chorus 2: Chris Brown & Ariana Grande]
Oh, oh
When you're, when you're gone
Woah, oh
When you're gone

[Bridge: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Bring it back to me, bring it back to me
Is it really over? (Aaah)
Bring it back to me, bring it back to me
(Is it over?) (Bring it to me)
Bring it back to me, bring it back to me
Is it really over? (Is it really over?) (Yeah)
Bring it back to me, bring it back to me (Ooh) (Ooh)

[Chorus: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Don't be gone too long (Too long) (Is it really over?)
Cause you won't be there to love me when you're gone (Be there to love me when you're gone) (Oh)
Don't be gone too long (Too long) (Oooh, oooh) (Is it really over?) (Don't be gone)
Tell me who's gonna love me when you're gone

[Outro: Chris Brown with Ariana Grande]
Don't be gone too long (Too long) (Yeah) (Don't be gone too long) (Is it really over?)
Cause you won't be there to love me when you're gone (Oh, oh) (When it's over)
Don't be gone too long (Too long) (When you're gone) (Is it really over?)
Tell me who's gonna love me when you're gone (When you're gone) (When you're gone)

Gallery

Tweets posted by Chris and Ariana which seem to be lyrics from their upcoming song.

A picture of Ariana's backup dancers in the music video

Promotional poster for the music video

Ariana's backup dancers in the video

Ariana, Chris, and the crew on the music video set