I Won't Let You Go (James Morrison song)

"I Won't Let You Go"
Single by James Morrison
from the album The Awakening
B-side "Right by Your Side"
Released 25 August 2011 (Belgium)
16 September 2011 (Germany)
Format Digital download, CD single
Recorded 2011
Genre Pop Rock
Length 3:49
Label Island Records
Writer(s) James Morrison, Steve Robson, Martin Brammer
Producer(s) Steve Robson
James Morrison singles chronology
"Get to You"
(2009)		 "I Won't Let You Go"
(2011)		 "Up"
(2011)

"I Won't Let You Go" is a song by British singer James Morrison. The song was released as the first single from his third studio album, The Awakening. The song was first released on 25 August 2011, with the first country receiving a release being Belgium. According to Songfacts, Morrison wrote the mid-tempo ballad about Gill, his long term girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.[1] The song was used as a promo for the 2012 season of Home and Away.

Critical reception

Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the song an average review stating: "His debut release on Island Records, 'I Won't Let You Go' opens to a Coldplay-esque piano riff as he promises to stick with his lass through thick and thin. "Take a little time to hold yourself/ Take a little time to feel around," he insists in his unmistakable gruff tones, before the lilting guitars and gentle piano riff shift gear for the swaying, '60s slow-dance chorus. Truth be told there are more adventurous songs in his catalogue, but given his situation, we'd be inclined to play it safe too."[2]

Jon O'Brien wrote for AllMusic that ""I Won't Let You Go" follows the same heartfelt, acoustic, tearjerker template as his previous two lead singles;."[3] Pip Elwood wrote a positive review for "Entertainment Focus", stating that "The album’s lead single is a progression from Morrison’s usual sound. The stripped-back song is a heart-wrenching track with a passionate vocal from Morrison."[4]

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "I Won't Let You Go" was first released onto YouTube on 4 August 2011 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-nine seconds.[5] The video was shot at Wimbledon Studios, and directed by Phil Griffin.[6] In the clip, James wakes up to an empty bed, while somewhere in the city, his loved one is lying alone in the middle of the street. When he runs into her, he quickly offers his comfort and lies beside her.[7]

Chart performance

The song debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart, becoming his third top-five hit and biggest hit since "Broken Strings" (2008).[8] In the second week, the song dropped only one spot, falling to number six.[9] Elsewhere in Europe, the song attained a lot of success. On the Austrian Singles Chart, the song was Morrison's first number-one single, surpassing his previous peak of number two, with the song "Broken Strings".[10] In Australia, the song reached 13, Morrison's first appearance in the top 20 since "You Give Me Something" which reached number 7 in 2006.

Track listing

Digital download
No. Title Length
1. "I Won't Let You Go"   3:49
2. "Broken Strings" (Live at the iTunes Festival, London 2011) 5:29
3. "Undiscovered" (Live at the iTunes Festival, London 2011) 4:04
CD single[11]
No. Title Length
1. "I Won't Let You Go"   3:49
2. "Right by Your Side" (Live at Church Studios) 4:58

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 13
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 49
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 20
Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 11
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 11
Italy (FIMI)[19] 4
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[20] 25
Norway (VG-lista)[21] 8
Romania (UPFR)[22] 76
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[23] 5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 42
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 3
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
Austrian Singles Chart[27] 41
German Singles Chart[28] 91
Swiss Singles Chart[29] 44

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Italy (FIMI)[31] Platinum 30,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Gold 400,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Release date Format Label
Belgium August 25, 2011[33] Digital download Island Records
Ireland September 16, 2011
Germany[11] September 16, 2011 CD single
United Kingdom September 18, 2011 Digital download

Other versions

In 2013, Australian singer Taylor Henderson recorded a version for his album Taylor Henderson.

In April 2012, Daniel Evans, a finalist on The X Factor UK released an acoustic version on his YouTube channel. It also featured on his 2013 album Wicked Game.

References

  1. ↑ "I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison - Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  2. ↑ Robert Copsey. "James Morrison: 'I Won't Let You Go' - Single Review". Digital Spy. www.digitalspy.co.uk/.
  3. ↑ O'Brien, Jon (16 September 2011). "James Morrison - The Awakening". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  4. ↑ Elwood, Pip (26 September 2011). "James Morrison - The Awakening - Entertainment Focus". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "James Morrison - I Won't Let You Go". YouTube. 2011-08-04. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  6. ↑ "I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison - Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  7. ↑ Griffiths, David (4 August 2011). "The wait is over James Morrison fans - his new video has arrived!". 4Music. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Sperling, Daniel (25 September 2011). "N-Dubz Dappy snatches first solo No.1 with 'No Regrets'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  9. ↑ Sperling, Daniel (2 October 2011). "Sak Noel tops UK singles chart with 'Loca People'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  10. ↑ "JAMES MORRISON - I WON'T LET YOU GO (SONG) - austriancharts.at". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  11. 1 2 James Morrison (Künstler). "I Won't Let You Go (2-Track) - James Morrison: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  12. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  16. ↑ "James Morrison: I Won't Let You Go" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  17. ↑ "Musicline.de – James Morrison Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  18. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 39, 2011". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". Top Digital Download.
  20. ↑ "Google Tradutor". Translate.google.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  21. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". VG-lista.
  22. ↑ "Official Rumania chart". Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-10-01". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". Singles Top 100.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-10-01" UK Singles Chart.
  27. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2011" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  28. ↑ "Single Jahrescharts 2011" (in German). MTV Germany. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  29. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2011" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  31. ↑ "Italian single certifications – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2 January 2012. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter James Morrison in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  32. ↑ "British single certifications – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 November 2016. Enter I Won't Let You Go in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  33. ↑ "I Won't Let You Go - Single by James Morrison on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2016-01-17.

External links

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