No Letting Go (song) explained

No Letting Go
Cover:No Letting Go.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Wayne Wonder
Album:No Holding Back
Genre:
Length:3:22
Label:
Producer:Steven "Lenky" Marsden
Chronology:Wayne Wonder
Prev Title:Something Different
Prev Title2:The Train Is Coming
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Bounce Along
Next Year:2003

"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.

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."

Remix

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

Track listings

US CD single

  1. "No Letting Go" (Album version) - 3:22
  2. "No Letting Go" (Alternate mix) - 3:43

European enhanced CD single

  1. "No Letting Go" (Album version) - 3:25
  2. "No Letting Go" (Alternate mix) - 3:44
  3. "No Letting Go" (Instrumental) - 3:40
  4. "No Letting Go" (Video)

US 12-inch vinyl

A1. "No Letting Go" (Album version) - 3:22

B1. "No Letting Go" (Alternate mix) - 3:43

B2. "No Letting Go" (Instrumental) - 3:43German 12-inch vinyl

A1. "No Letting Go" (Album version) - 3:22

A2. "No Letting Go" (Alternate mix) - 3:41

B1. "No Letting Go" (Instrumental) - 3:22

B2. "No Letting Go" (Alternate mix instrumental) - 3:41

US 12-inch vinyl (Remix)[7]

A1. "No Letting Go (Remix)" (Club Mix featuring LL Cool J & Queen Duchess) - 3:29

A2. "No Letting Go (Remix)" (Radio Mix featuring LL Cool J & Queen Duchess) - 3:16

A3. "No Letting Go (Remix)" (Remix Instrumental) - 3:45

B1. "No Letting Go" (Album version) - 3:22

B2. "No Letting Go" (Instrumental) - 3:32

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2003)Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)26
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 7
US Top 40 Tracks (Billboard)10

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 100
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 34
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 40
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 49
UK Urban (Music Week)[13] 24
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 33
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[15] 40
US Hot Rap Tracks (Billboard)[16] 21
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[17] 48
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[18] 39

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
United States21 January 2003[19]
United Kingdom16 June 2003[20]
Australia18 August 2003CD[21]

Dirty Werk version

No Letting Go
Cover:Dirty Werk - No Letting Go.png
Type:single
Artist:Dirty Werk
Label:Fly House
Producer:
Chronology:Dirty Werk
Prev Title:Stand Up
Prev Year:2018

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 Billboards Dance Club Songs chart in the issue dated 2 November 2019.[22]

Track listing

Remixes EP[23]

  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

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p30005/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} allmusic (((Wayne Wonder > Chart & Awards > Billboard Singles))) ]. . 6 September 2009.
  2. Web site: Mallick . Dani . 4 August 2022 . Wayne Wonder Overjoyed After 'No Letting Go' Certified Gold In The US: Interview . 7 August 2022 . DancehallMag . en-US.
  3. Web site: 25 R&B Dancehall & Reggae Fusion Songs to Turn You on | Page 3 of 25. August 2016.
  4. Web site: Shaheem . Reid . Wayne Wonder Turns A Sad Day Into Success; Now There's No Letting Go . . 6 September 2009.
  5. Web site: Joseph . Patel . No Holding Back . . 6 September 2009.
  6. Web site: Wayne Wonder: Rolling Stone . https://web.archive.org/web/20070712165431/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/waynewonder . dead . 12 July 2007 . . 3 April 2003 . 6 September 2009.
  7. Web site: Wayne Wonder Featuring LL Cool J and Dutchess – No Letting Go (Remix) (2003, Vinyl). Discogs.
  8. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 22. 32. 7. 2 August 2003. 15 March 2020.
  9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2003. Ultratop. nl. 4 December 2019.
  10. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2003. Dutch Top 40. nl. 2 April 2020.
  11. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 2003. MegaCharts. nl. 4 December 2019.
  12. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2003. UKChartsPlus. 4 December 2019.
  13. 2003 Urban Top 30. Music Week. 18. 17 January 2004. 4 August 2023.
  14. Web site: Billboard Top 100 – 2003. Billboardtop100of.com. 4 December 2019.
  15. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2003. Billboard. subscription. 1 April 2020.
  16. Year in Music: Hot Rap Tracks. Billboard. 115. 52. YE-65. 27 December 2003.
  17. The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs. Airplay Monitor. 11. 51. 14. 19 December 2003.
  18. The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs. Airplay Monitor. 11. 51. 26. 19 December 2003.
  19. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1487. 24. 17 January 2003. 9 June 2021.
  20. New Releases – For Week Starting 16 June 2003: Singles. Music Week. 27. 14 June 2003. 6 September 2021.
  21. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th August 2003. ARIA. 25. 18 August 2003. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20031006140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20031007-0000/Issue704.pdf. 6 October 2003. 9 June 2021.
  22. Web site: No Letting Go by Dirty Werk. Spotify. 5 August 2019. 13 November 2019.
  23. Web site: No Letting Go (Remixes) – EP by Dirty Werk, DJ Bam Bam & Steve Smooth. Apple Music. 13 November 2019.
  24. Dance Club Songs: November 2, 2019. Billboard. 2 January 2013. 13 November 2019.

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