No Letting Go (song)

"No Letting Go" is a song by Jamaican reggae fusion artist Wayne Wonder. The song was written by Wonder and Steven "Lenky" Marsden, and produced by Marsden. It was included on Wonder's 2003 studio album No Holding Back and was released as the lead single from the album. The single was released worldwide on 21 January 2003 and charted at a peak position of number three in the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 11 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Not to be confused with Not Letting Go.
For the 2016 film, see No Letting Go (film).

"No Letting Go"
Single by Wayne Wonder
from the album No Holding Back
Released21 January 2003 (2003-01-21)
Genre
Length3:22
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Steven "Lenky" Marsden
Wayne Wonder singles chronology
"Something Different" / "The Train Is Coming"
(1996)		 "No Letting Go"
(2003)		 "Bounce Along"
(2003)

It remains Wonder's most successful single to date. “I had been working with him [Marsden] for years when he was playing live music so when he switched over to music production, I transitioned with him. I actually gave him my first two door Civic. I signed over the title to him and everything, and he gave me my most successful hit.[1][2]

The song was one of the many hits from the jumpy handclap riddim known as the Diwali Riddim, that was also produced by Marsden.[3]

Content

According to Wayne Wonder, the song is about a girl that he once knew but he doesn't mention her name. He said in an interview with MTV in 2003 "I just wrote this song [about a girl] without calling her name in the song because she always said to me, 'You are always [calling] these other girls' names.' I said, 'I don’t have to call your name, I'll just write a song and you can appreciate it.'" He was also amazed by the success that the song had achieved, saying "Everybody loves it, which is surprising to me. When I'm writing, I don’t think [about whether the song] will be a big hit."[4]

Reception

Blender magazine's called the song "a fetching love song that paired his [Wonder's] accented tenor with rough, digital funk".[5] Rolling Stone were critical of the album but called this song "mesmerizing".[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Director X, and filmed in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in December 2002. Wonder said that "It took us 24 hours [to shoot]... It was raining in the morning and the shoot was supposed to start at like 6:30 a.m. and it never really got started until about maybe 8 o'clock... The video, to me, was a success; the dances, everyone enjoying themselves on the stage, there was no bad vibe."[4]

Remix

The official remix features rappers LL Cool J & Queen Duchess. The remix also uses more of the Diwali Riddim beat.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[36] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 21 January 2003
[37]
United Kingdom 16 June 2003
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [38]
Australia 18 August 2003 CD [39]

Dirty Werk version
"No Letting Go"
Single by Dirty Werk
Released5 August 2019 (2019-08-05)
Length3:05
LabelFly House
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Dirty Werk singles chronology
"Stand Up"
(2018)		 "No Letting Go"
(2019)

In 2019, the American house/remix duo Dirty Werk released an electro dance version of "No Letting Go", which is more of a cover that is mixed with portions taken from the original. The updated version gave Dirty Werk its second number one on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart in the issue dated 2 November 2019.[40]

Track listing

Remixes EP[41]

  1. "No Letting Go" (Dirty Werk House Remix) – 3:12
  2. "No Letting Go" (Kue Radio Mix) – 3:44
  3. "No Letting Go" (Alex Acosta Peak Hour Remix) – 3:21
  4. "No Letting Go" (Lemi Vice Remix) – 3:34
  5. "No Letting Go" (Dave Matthias Remix) – 3:03
  6. "No Letting Go" (Perry Twins Remix) – 3:23

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[42] 1

References
  1. "allmusic (((Wayne Wonder > Chart & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". allmusic. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  2. Mallick, Dani (4 August 2022). "Wayne Wonder Overjoyed After 'No Letting Go' Certified Gold In The US: Interview". DancehallMag. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  3. "25 R&B Dancehall & Reggae Fusion Songs to Turn You on | Page 3 of 25". August 2016.
  4. Reid, Shaheem. "Wayne Wonder Turns A Sad Day Into Success; Now There's No Letting Go". MTV. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  5. Patel, Joseph. "No Holding Back". Blender. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  6. "Wayne Wonder: Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 3 April 2003. Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  7. "Wayne Wonder Featuring LL Cool J and Dutchess – No Letting Go (Remix) (2003, Vinyl)". Discogs.
  8. "Issue 710" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  9. "Issue 712" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  10. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go" (in French). Ultratip.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 22, no. 32. 2 August 2003. p. 7. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  13. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go" (in French). Les classement single.
  14. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Letting Go". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 29, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  17. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  19. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go". Singles Top 100.
  20. "Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  22. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  23. "Wayne Wonder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  24. "Wayne Wonder Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  25. "Wayne Wonder Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  26. "Wayne Wonder Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  27. "Wayne Wonder Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  28. "Jaaroverzichten 2003" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  29. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2003". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2003" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  31. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  32. "2003 Urban Top 30" (PDF). Music Week. 17 January 2004. p. 18. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  33. "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  34. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  35. "British single certifications – Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  36. "American single certifications – Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  37. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1487. 17 January 2003. p. 24. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  38. "New Releases – For Week Starting 16 June 2003: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 14 June 2003. p. 27. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  39. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th August 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 18 August 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  40. "No Letting Go by Dirty Werk". Spotify. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  41. "No Letting Go (Remixes) – EP by Dirty Werk, DJ Bam Bam & Steve Smooth". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  42. "Dance Club Songs: November 2, 2019". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
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