I Can't Let Go

"I Can't Let Go" is a song co-written by Al Gorgoni and Chip Taylor, who also wrote "Wild Thing". "I Can't Let Go" was originally recorded by blue-eyed soul singer Evie Sands' on George Goldner's Blue Cat label, which was popular in New York City in 1965.[2] The song became popular in 1966 for the group the Hollies, who charted at number two in the UK Singles Chart with their version. Linda Ronstadt covered the song in 1980 and had a number 31 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

For songs with similar names, see Can't Let Go.
"I Can't Let Go"
Danish picture sleeve
Single by the Hollies
B-side
  • "Running Through the Night" (UK)
  • "I've Got A Way Of My Own" (US)
Released18 February 1966
Recorded13 and 18 January 1966[1]
StudioEMI, London
GenrePower pop, beat
Length2:26
Label
Songwriter(s)Chip Taylor, Al Gorgoni
Producer(s)Ron Richards
The Hollies singles chronology
"If I Needed Someone"
(1965)		 "I Can't Let Go"
(1966)		 "Bus Stop"
(1966)

The Hollies version

Background

"I Can't Let Go" is the Hollies' first 1966 single, and their last with original bassist Eric Haydock. It peaked at number two in the UK and number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It is ranked as the 37th biggest British hit of 1966.[3] The Hollies' version was praised by Paul McCartney, who thought Graham Nash's soaring tenor in the chorus was a trumpet. Billboard described the song as a "pulsating number with driving dance beat."[4] After "I Can't Let Go" was recorded Haydock was replaced by Bernie Calvert, who played on the band's next single ("Bus Stop").[5]

Chart performance
Chart (1966) Peak
position
Finland (Soumen Virallinen)[6] 34
West Germany (Official German Charts)[7] 30
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 20
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 3
New Zealand (Listener)[10] 9
Norway (VG-lista)[11] 2
South Africa (Springbok)[12] 14
Sweden 10
United Kingdom (Record Retailer)[13] 2
United Kingdom (NME)[14] 1
United States (Billboard Hot 100) 42
Canada (RPM)[15] 44

Linda Ronstadt version
"I Can't Let Go"
Single by Linda Ronstadt
from the album Mad Love
B-side"Look Out For My Love"
ReleasedJune 10, 1980
GenreRock, new wave
Length2:41
LabelAsylum
Songwriter(s)Chip Taylor; Al Gorgoni
Producer(s)Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"Hurt So Bad"
(1980)		 "I Can't Let Go"
(1980)		 "Get Closer"
(1982)

Background

Linda Ronstadt released the most successful American version in 1980 from her platinum-certified album, Mad Love. Released as the disc's third single, it was produced by Peter Asher and was issued on Asylum Records. Ronstadt's cover of "I Can't Let Go" reached number 27 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1980. [16]

Chart performance
Chart (1980) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[17] 31
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[18] 48
U.S. Cashbox Top 100 27
Canada RPM Top Singles 30

Other versions
  • A group from the Washington, D.C., area, Nobody's Children, released this song on a single in 1967.[19]
  • The Dickies included this song (under the name "Can't Let Go") on their 1998 all-covers album, Dogs from the Hare That Bit Us.
  • Les Fradkin covered the song on his 2006 album, Goin' Back.
  • Canadian rock band Sloan covered this song on their ersatz-live album, Recorded Live at a Sloan Party.

References
  1. "Session Listing". Archived from the original on 2018-09-25. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  2. Muscarella, Tom (11 November 2017). "Song of the Week – I Can't Let Go, Evie Sands; The Hollies; Linda Ronstadt". Rock 'n' Roll Remnants. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  3. "Top 100 1966 – UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  4. "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. February 26, 1966. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  5. The 30th Anniversary Collection (CD). The Hollies. EMI Records. 1993. D 202205.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. p. 132. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  7. "Offiziellecharts.de – Hollies, The – I Can't Let Go" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  8. "The Hollies – I Can't Let Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Can't Let Go". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  10. Flavour of New Zealand, 20 May 1966
  11. "The Hollies – I Can't Let Go". VG-lista.
  12. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  13. "Artist Chart History Details: Hollies". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  14. Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. p. 165. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.
  15. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  16. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Can't Let Go (Cover) - Linda Rondstadt by Foxes and Fossils". YouTube.
  17. "Hot 100: Linda Ronstadt". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  18. "Adult Contemporary: Linda Ronstadt". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  19. https://www.discogs.com/release/2991726-Nobodys-Children-I-Cant-Let-Go-Dontcha-Feel-Like-Cryin
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