If I Let You Go Explained

If I Let You Go
Cover:2IfILetYouGo2.jpg
Caption:One of European artworks
Type:single
Artist:Westlife
Album:Westlife
B-Side:Try Again
Studio:Cheiron (Stockholm, Sweden)
Length:3:40
Prev Title:Swear It Again
Prev Year:1999
Next Title:Flying Without Wings
Next Year:1999

"If I Let You Go" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 August 1999 as the second single from their self-titled debut album (1999). It became the band's second number-one hit, spending 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. The song has received a gold sales certification in the UK for selling over 400,000 in combined sales of purchased and streaming-equivalent sales. It is the band's 10th-best-selling single in paid-for sales and combined sales in the UK as of January 2019.[1]

Composition

"If I Let You Go" composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in B major, with Brian McFadden, Shane Filan, and Mark Feehily's vocals ranging from the chords of D4 to A5.[2]

Music video

The music video was directed by Sven Harding and was filmed in Tenerife, Spain.[3] It depicts the band walking along a beach and singing by a hillside surrounded by red and yellow flags.

Track listings

UK CD1[4]

  1. "If I Let You Go" (radio edit)
  2. "Try Again"
  3. Enhanced CD

UK CD2[5]

  1. "If I Let You Go" (radio edit)
  2. "If I Let You Go" (extended version)
  3. Interview with Andi Peters

UK cassette single and European CD single[6] [7]

  1. "If I Let You Go" (radio edit)
  2. "Try Again"

Australian CD single[8]

  1. "If I Let You Go" (radio edit) – 3:38
  2. "Try Again" – 3:34
  3. "If I Let You Go" (extended version) – 6:07
  4. Enhanced CD

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 and Westlife liner notes.[4] [9]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 8
Guatemala (El Siglo de Torreón)[11] 4
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)Position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 95
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 45
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 100
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 28
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 35
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 59

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
Sweden9 August 1999CD[20]
United Kingdom[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts. Copsey. Rob. 12 January 2019. Official Charts Company. 12 January 2019.
  2. Web site: If I Let You Go by Westlife – Digital Sheet Music. 12 April 2010 . Musicnotes. 22 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Westlife: Our Story. HarperCollins Publishers. 30 August 2011. 98. 7 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120307144257/http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Westlife-Our-Story-Westlife/?isbn=9780007288144. dead.
  4. If I Let You Go. Westlife. 1999. UK CD1 liner notes. RCA Records, BMG. 74321 692322.
  5. If I Let You Go. Westlife. 1999. UK CD2 liner notes. RCA Records, BMG. 74321 692352.
  6. If I Let You Go. Westlife. 1999. UK cassette single sleeve. RCA Records, BMG. 74321 692324.
  7. If I Let You Go. Westlife. 1999. European CD single liner notes. RCA Records, BMG. 74321 694592.
  8. If I Let You Go. Westlife. 1999. Australian CD single liner notes. RCA Records, BMG. 74321 694582.
  9. Westlife. Westlife (album). Westlife. 2000. US CD album liner notes. Arista Records, BMG. 07822-14642-2.
  10. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 16. 35. 8. 28 August 1999. 6 February 2021.
  11. Web site: Los Discos Más Vendicos En Iberoamérica y Estados Unidos. El Siglo de Torreón. 2000. Spanish. https://archive.today/20220317123431/http://h.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Search&Key=EDT/2000/05/29/58/Ar05800.xml&CollName=EDT_2000_2009&DOCID=79712&PageLabelPrint=58&skin=ElSiglo&sLanguage=English&Content=ALL&selLanguage=&sPublication=EDT&sQuery=%22Thalia%22%2B%22Arrasando%22&sScopeID=DR&sDateFrom=01%252F01%252F2000&sDateTo=12%252F31%252F2000&x=28&y=16&RefineQueryView=&StartFrom=25&ViewMode=HTML. March 17, 2022. February 6, 2023.
  12. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (23.9 – 30.9 2000). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 10. 24 September 1999. 6 February 2021.
  13. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999. Australian Recording Industry Association. 11 March 2020.
  14. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1999. Ultratop. nl. 11 March 2020.
  15. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999. Dutch Top 40. 11 March 2020.
  16. Web site: End of Year Charts 1999. Recorded Music NZ. 9 July 2020.
  17. Web site: Årslista Singlar, 1999. Sverigetopplistan. sv. 11 March 2020.
  18. Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100. Music Week. 27. 22 January 2000.
  19. Web site: Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2000. April 3, 2018. Crowley Broadcast Analysis. January 30, 2022.
  20. Web site: Westlife: If I Let You Go. click2music.se. sv. https://web.archive.org/web/20050223100949/http://click2music.se/product.asp?prd=38&art=32. 23 February 2005. 30 November 2023.
  21. New Releases – For Week Starting 9 August, 1999: Singles. Music Week. 25. 7 August 1999. 22 July 2021.