"I Can't Let Go" is a song co-written by Al Gorgoni and

Chip Taylor Chip Taylor (born James Wesley Voight; March 21, 1940) is an American songwriter and singer noted for writing " Angel of the Morning" and " Wild Thing". He is the paternal uncle of actress Angelina Jolie and former actor James Haven. He is the ...

, who also wrote " Wild Thing". "I Can't Let Go" was originally recorded by the blue-eyed soul singer Evie Sands on George Goldner's Blue Cat label, which was popular in New York City in 1965. The song became popular in 1966 for the group

the Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...

, who charted at number two in the UK Singles Chart with their version.

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...

covered the song in 1980 and had a number 31 hit on the US ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

chart.

The Hollies version

Background

"I Can't Let Go" is

' first 1966 single, and their last with original bassist

Eric Haydock Eric Haydock (born Eric John Haddock; 3 February 1943 – 5 January 2019) was a British musician, best known as the original bass guitarist of the Hollies from December 1962 until July 1966. Career Haydock's first group, The Deltas, would b ...

. 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. The Hollies' version was praised by

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

, who thought

Graham Nash Graham William Nash (born 2 February 1942) is a British and American musician, singer and songwriter. He is known for his light tenor voice and for his contributions as a member of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills ...

's soaring tenor in the chorus was a trumpet. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' described the song as a "pulsating number with driving dance beat." After "I Can't Let Go" was recorded Haydock was replaced by Bernie Calvert, who played on the band's next single ("Bus Stop").

Chart performance

Linda Ronstadt version

Background

released the most successful American version in 1980 from her platinum-certified album, ''

Mad Love __NOTOC__ Mad Love may refer to: Books *''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton *'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm * Mad Love (publisher), ...

''. 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 ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

Top 100 and number 31 on the ''

chart in the summer of 1980.

Chart performance

Other versions

*A group from the

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, area, Nobody's Children, released this song on a single in 1967. * 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

{{authority control 1965 songs 1966 singles 1980 singles The Hollies songs Linda Ronstadt songs Parlophone singles Songs written by Chip Taylor Songs written by Al Gorgoni Imperial Records singles Asylum Records singles