The song was written by Linda Laurie. In the summer of 1973 Laurie recorded "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" for MCA Records; the song was shopped to Helen Reddy who recorded it for her Long Hard Climb album which was released August 1973 and the track was issued as a single that October.

Capitol Records issued "Leave Me Alone" as the follow-up single to Reddy's No. 1 hit "Delta Dawn" despite the misgivings of Reddy herself who felt "Leave Me Alone" was a thematic retread of "Delta Dawn" as both songs concern a Southern woman - alliteratively named - whose reason has been undermined by an ill-fated tryst. Also Reddy found the song's chorus with its repetition of the phrase "leave me alone" monotonous.

Capitol Records was correct in believing the resemblance to Reddy's precedent hit would work in "Leave Me Alone"'s favor as the song reached the American Top Ten chart six weeks after its single release. It hit #1 in Cash Box and rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the only time a Helen Reddy album featured two Top Ten songs. The Cash Box Hot 100 Singles chart ranked "Leave Me Alone" at No. 1 for the week of 4 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone" became Reddy's third US single release to be certified Gold for sales of over one million units and was also the second of Reddy's six consecutive No. 1 songs on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart (she would eventually score eight #1 Billboard Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary songs overall).

In Australia, "Leave Me Alone" followed "Delta Dawn" as Reddy's second consecutive - and final - No. 1 ranked song, topping the charts dated 7 & 14 January 1974. "Leave Me Alone" was the first Helen Reddy single to build momentum in the UK with six weeks in February and March 1974 spent approaching the UK Top 50; however the single ultimately failed to reach the chart.

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