Don't Let Go (Love)

"Don't Let Go (Love)" is a song by American R&B group En Vogue. It was produced by Organized Noize for the ''Set It Off'' soundtrack (1996), also appearing on the group's third album, '' EV3'' (1997). It was released to radio on September 23, 1996, and issued as a single on October 22. The song was the group's last single and music video (directed by Matthew Rolston) to feature member Dawn Robinson and was En Vogue's biggest international single, making it to the top 10 in several countries. According to ''Billboard'', the single ranked as the 83rd most successful single of the 1990s.

Background

"Don't Let Go (Love)" was written by Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Marqueze Ethridge along with Organized Noize members Sleepy Brown, Rico Wade, and Ray Murray, while production was by Organized Noize. According to Ivan, the song was originally written for American rock band Aerosmith. Martin and him were rather surprised when Elektra Records president Sylvia Rhone hired them to record it with the quartet after she had heard their demo. In 2012, he disclosed: "Sylvia heard something we couldn't. Andrea ordered me to get into that studio and cut those vocals anyway — while she went to get her nails done. It was then that we employed the 'you like it, we love it' outlook."

Vocal production was supervised by Matias. Dawn Robinson sings the entire lead while Maxine Jones performs the bridge. Cindy Herron performs a verse to the bridge. Terry Ellis sings outro lyrics in the music video version and "Fulton Yard Mix". Martin Terry and Tommy Martin played the guitars on the song, while drums were played by Lil' John. Marvin "Chanz" Parkman played the grand piano. The song compelled Elektra mogul Sylvia Rhone to place En Vogue back in the studio to record their '' EV3'' project for release in 1997. While the other group members plus the record producers and label executives were focused on the new En Vogue album, Dawn Robinson wanted to pursue a solo career. Forced to choose between the group or her solo project, Robinson decided to leave En Vogue for a recording deal with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. The turn of events following the success of the song was the beginning of a long and tumultuous era for En Vogue as member changes became quite frequent.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song as "yearning". Larry Flick from ''Billboard'' called it a "bluesy interlude", and commented further that the harmonies are "instantly recognizable, flexing sweetly over the track's live funk beat and snaky guitar licks. If you're looking for a duplication of past hits, forget it. This is a far more musically mature effort that will appeal to both street and sophisticated tastes." J.D. Considine from ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote in his review of '' EV3'', "No surprise, then, that although the women get top billing, the arrangements are the real stars. 'Don't Let Go (Love)' is the most obvious example, since the interplay between lead and background vocals is as disciplined as it is dramatic." Another ''EW'' editor, David Grad, noted its "combination of sensual harmonies and sultry attitude", and deemed it as a "provocative little offering". Dave Ferman from ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' said the song is "hauntingly lush", and that it "finds the singers' voices ebbing and flowing like the ocean on a threatening day." A reviewer from ''Music Week'' gave it four out of five, stating that "the girls let rip with a swoonsome, powerful single" and a "positive taster" for a spring album, that "should please fans and ensure they attract a few more."

Gerald Martinez from ''New Straits Times'' called it "dramatic", noting that "this song has all the punch, power and stunning voices in harmony that one has come to expect from En Vogue." Rebecca Schiller from ''NME'' said the group's performance "was gutsy and full of knowing gravitas." Another ''NME'' editor, John Mulvey, stated that the single "retains a frankly terrifying power". A reviewer for ''People Magazine'' wrote that it is "still smoldering", noting the song's "tough sound", and naming it the highlight of ''EV3''. Elysa Gardner from ''Rolling Stone'' described it as an "even more aggressive tune", and added that the "slow-burning" track "promotes romantic and carnal abandon, advising lovers to proceed without caution." Laura Jamison from ''Salon Magazine'' noted it as a "tempestuous" and "sexy" single. Ann Powers from ''Spin'' called it a "cry for a lover's loyalty that En Vogue convert into a nonnegotiable demand". She complimented the song as their "highest achievement" on ''EV3''. Ian Hyland from ''Sunday Mirror'' commented, "The hit singles ' Whatever' and 'Don't Let Go' may well be brilliant but they only add more spice to a mighty fine collection."

Commercial performance

"Don't Let Go (Love)" became the third En Vogue track to peak at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it was the group's sixth and final Top 10 hit. It also peaked at number two on the U.S. Mainstream Top 40 and ranks at number 43 on its all-time chart. The song was a number-one R&B song for one week, becoming En Vogue's sixth and final number-one R&B hit. It reached number five in the UK in early 1997 and spent 13 weeks in the UK top 40, eight of them in the top 10. The single re-entered the UK chart at number 23 in 2011 after girl group Little Mix performed the song in "Movies" week on the eighth series of the British television singing competition, ''The X Factor'', on November 19, 2011. ''NME'' ranked the song number 127 in their list of the "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years" in 2011. The En Vogue hit reached number 23 on the UK chart and in Ireland, it also returned to the charts at number 50. In 1997, the song went to number one on the Norwegian top 20 singles chart (VG-Lista Topp 20) and stayed there for six consecutive weeks. In total, it was in the top 20 for 16 weeks.
The single sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

Music video

The music video for "Don't Let Go (Love)" was directed by Matthew Rolston under the Alan Smithee pseudonym. It was En Vogue's third collaboration with Rolston following "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and " Whatta Man".

The video shows En Vogue singing in front of an audience are dressed in black outfits while some clips of ''Set It Off'' are inserted. A second music video was released using the same footage of all four band members singing in front of an audience, but the scenes from ''Set It Off'' are replaced with images that followed a new storyline. In this version, Mekhi Phifer plays a man who has been secretly cheating all four band members. The four women find out about each other and confront Phifer's character through their performance at the party.

Legacy

In October 2011, ''NME'' ranked the song number 127 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". In 2017, ''Billboard'' ranked "Don't Let Go (Love)" number 62 in their "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997". In 2018, ''Stacker'' ranked it number 43 in their list of "Best pop songs of the last 25 years". In 2019, ''Elle'' ranked it number 32 in their list of "52 Best 1990s Pop Songs"

Awards and nominations

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Other versions

* On November 19, 2011, girl-group contestant Little Mix performed the song for "Movies" week on the eighth series of the British television talent contest ''The X Factor'', leading to En Vogue's version re-entering the UK chart at number 23. In the finals, Little Mix performed the song for a second time and they won the show on December 11. The song is a bonus track on the group's winner's single, "Cannonball". Following the group's win and their single, the song re-entered the charts again a few weeks later at number 27.
* US girl group Good Girl covered the song on ''America's Got Talent'' in the year of 2016.
* British house music producer James Hype released a cover of the song titled " More Than Friends", with vocals by South London-based artist Kelli-Leigh. "More Than Friends" peaked number eight on the UK Singles Chart in August 2017.
* Australian singer Greg Gould teamed up with En Vogue founding member Maxine Jones with a duet ballad version in 2017.
* In 2018, singers Kelsea Johnson and Jordyn Simone performed the song during the Battle rounds on the 14th season of '' The Voice''.
* Rock group Deepfield covered the song for their debut album Archetypes and Repetition.

See also

* List of number-one R&B singles of 1997 (U.S.)
* List of number-one hits in Norway

References

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1996 singles
En Vogue songs
Number-one singles in Denmark
Number-one singles in Norway
Songs written by Andrea Martin (musician)
Songs written by Ivan Matias
1996 songs
Song recordings produced by Organized Noize
Contemporary R&B ballads
1990s ballads
Music videos directed by Matthew Rolston
American pop rock songs
Songs written by Sleepy Brown
East West Records singles