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Before I Let Go

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"Before I Let Go"
Single by Maze
from the album Live in New Orleans
B-side"Golden Time of the Day"[1]
Released1981 (1981)
Genre
Length3:42 (7" edit)
5:07 (album version)
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Frankie Beverly[2]
Producer(s)Frankie Beverly[3]
Maze singles chronology
"Running Away"
(1981) 		"Before I Let Go"
(1981) 		"We Need Love to Live"
(1982)

"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]

Rapper K-Solo also sampled the song for his single “Your Mom's In My Business”.

Production

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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 positions

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Chart (1981–2016)[5] Peak
position
US R&B Singles (Billboard) 13

Beyoncé version

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"Before I Let Go"
Song by Beyoncé
from the album Homecoming
ReleasedApril 17, 2019 (2019-04-17)
Recorded2018–2019
Genre
Length4:00
LabelParkwood
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]

Live performances

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In 2023, Beyoncé performed the song during her "Renaissance World Tour".

Chart positions

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Weekly charts

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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

Year-end charts

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Chart (2019) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 69

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
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.

References

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  1. ^ "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Before I Let Go – Frankie Beverly, Maze | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Easlea, Daryl (2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Live In New Orleans". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Maze | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  6. ^ Blistein, Jon (11 September 2024). "Frankie Beverly, Soul Legend With Maze Who Delivered Indelible Hit 'Before I Let Go,' Dead at 77". Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. ^ Garcia, Sandra E. (September 11, 2024). "'Before I Let Go' and 5 More Essential Frankie Beverly and Maze Songs". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Before I Let Go". The New York Times. May 20, 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Black Music Month: The Oral History Of Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly's 'Before I Let Go'". Essence. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  10. ^ "Frankie Beverly Responds to Beyonce Covering His Maze Hit 'Before I Let Go'". Billboard. 24 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  12. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Beyoncé". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 26, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  14. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 17. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
  15. ^ "Beyoncé – Before I Let Go". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  16. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  18. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  19. ^ "Beyoncé Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  20. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  21. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  22. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Beyonce – Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live)". Radioscope. Retrieved 2024-12-15. Type Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live) in the "Search:" field.
  23. ^ "American single certifications – Beyonce – Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
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