"Before I Let Go" | ||||
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Single by Maze | ||||
from the album Live in New Orleans | ||||
B-side | "Golden Time of the Day" [1] | |||
Released | 1981 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:42 (7" edit) 5:07 (album version) | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | Frankie Beverly [2] | |||
Producer(s) | Frankie Beverly [3] | |||
Maze singles chronology | ||||
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"Before I Let Go" is a song performed by American R&B band Maze, issued as the second single from the band's fifth album and first live album Live in New Orleans . Although Live in New Orleans is a live album, "Before I Let Go" appears on the album as a studio recording. [4] Written and produced by lead singer Frankie Beverly, [2] [3] the song peaked at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981. [5] The song has been noted for its enduring popularity in Black American culture as a staple of gatherings and parties. [6] [7]
Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming , and it's the focus of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris's New York Times podcast, Still Processing . [8]
According to Frankie Beverly, he had originally written the song as a ballad about his conflicted feelings when Delores Marie "D'Marie" Warren of Alton McClain and Destiny died in a car crash while he was in love with her but in a relationship with another woman. After the rest of the band was introduced to it by Beverly, they changed the sound to be more uptempo as they rehearsed. [9]
Chart (1981–2016) [5] | Peak position |
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US R&B Singles ( Billboard ) | 13 |
"Before I Let Go" | |
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Song by Beyoncé | |
from the album Homecoming | |
Released | April 17, 2019 |
Recorded | 2018–2019 |
Genre | |
Length | 4:00 |
Label | Parkwood |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
|
Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming , and included the cover on the accompanying live album. It also includes a sample of New Orleans bounce artist, DJ Jubilee, one of the pioneers of bounce music, recorded on Take Fo' Records. An interpolation of "Candy" by Cameo also runs throughout the song.
Beverly told Billboard that the cover was "one of the high points of (his) life... in a class of its own" and made him "feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there." [10]
In 2023, Beyoncé performed the song during her "Renaissance World Tour".
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [11] | 9 |
Ireland (IRMA) [12] | 71 |
Lithuania (AGATA) [13] | 47 |
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) [14] | 90 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [15] | 73 |
UK Singles (OCC) [16] | 77 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [17] | 65 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [18] | 24 |
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay ( Billboard ) [19] | 5 |
Chart (2019) | Position |
---|---|
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [20] | 69 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [21] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [22] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [23] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Frankie Ford was an American rock and roll and rhythm and blues singer, best known for his 1959 hit "Sea Cruise".
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Howard Stanley Beverly, known as Frankie Beverly, was an American singer, songwriter, and producer known primarily for his recordings with the soul and funk band Maze. He formed Maze, originally called Raw Soul, in his hometown of Philadelphia in 1970. After moving to San Francisco and an introduction to Marvin Gaye, Maze later released nine Gold albums and created a large and devoted following.
Maze, also known as Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly and Frankie Beverly & Maze, is an American soul band founded by Frankie Beverly in Philadelphia in 1970. Under its original name Raw Soul, the band moved to San Francisco and was introduced to Marvin Gaye. Gaye took the group on the road with him as one of his opening acts, and in 1976, he suggested that they change their name from Raw Soul.
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