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

"I Won't Let You Go"
Single by James Morrison
from the album The Awakening
Released August 25, 2011 (Belgium)
Format download
Genre Pop
Length 3:49
Label Island Records
James Morrison singles chronology
"Slave to the Music"
(2011)		 "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 is the first single from his third studio album, The Awakening. The song was released on 25 August 2011 as a Digital download in Belgium.

Contents

Background

According to "Songfacts", he wrote the mid-tempo ballad about Gill, his long term girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.[1]

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 perfomance

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]

Track listing

Digital download
No. Title Length
1. "I Won't Let You Go"   3:49
2. "Broken Strings" (Live At iTunes Festival - London 2011) 5:29
3. "Undiscovered" (Live At iTunes Festival - London 2011) 4:04

Charts and certifications

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[11] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 36
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)[13] 49
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 20
Germany (Media Control AG)[15] 18
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 11
Italy (FIMI)[17] 4
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[18] 25
Norway (VG-lista)[19] 8
Scotland (The Official Charts Company)[20] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 3
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[22] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
Austrian Singles Chart[23] 41
Swiss Singles Chart[24] 44

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Italy (FIMI)[25] Gold 15,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Release date Format Label
Belgium August 25, 2011[26] Digital download Island Records
Ireland September 16, 2011
United Kingdom September 18, 2011

References

  1. ^ "I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison - Songfacts". Songfacts. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=23594. Retrieved 21 September 2011. 
  2. ^ Robert Copsey. "James Morrison: 'I Won't Let You Go' - Single Review". Digital Spy. www.digitalspy.co.uk/. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a341354/james-morrison-i-wont-let-you-go-single-review.html. 
  3. ^ O'Brien, Jon (16 September 2011). "James Morrison - The Awakening". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-awakening-r2256314. Retrieved 21 September 2011. 
  4. ^ Elwood, Pip (26 September 2011). "James Morrison - The Awakening - Entertainment Focus". Entertainment Focus. http://www.entertainment-focus.com/music/articles/james-morrison-the-awakening. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  5. ^ James Morrison - I Won't Let You Go YouTube
  6. ^ "I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison - Songfacts". Songfacts. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=23594. Retrieved 9 September 2011. 
  7. ^ Griffiths, David (04 August 2011). "The wait is over James Morrison fans - his new video has arrived!". 4Music. http://www.4music.com/news/news/1027/James-Morrison-I-Wont-Let-You-Go. Retrieved 21 September 2011. 
  8. ^ Sperling, Daniel (25 September 2011). "N-Dubz Dappy snatches first solo No.1 with 'No Regrets'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a342208/n-dubz-dappy-snatches-first-solo-no1-with-no-regrets.html. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  9. ^ Sperling, Daniel (2 October 2011). "Sak Noel tops UK singles chart with 'Loca People'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a343424/sak-noel-tops-uk-singles-chart-with-loca-people.html. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  10. ^ "JAMES MORRISON - I WON'T LET YOU GO (SONG) - austriancharts.at". Hung Medien. http://www.austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=James+Morrison&titel=I+Won%27t+Let+You+Go&cat=s. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  11. ^ "James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in French). Ultratop 40. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  14. ^ "Finnishcharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". Suomen virallinen lista. Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  16. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association.
  17. ^ "Italiancharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". Top Digital Download. Hung Medien.
  18. ^ Billboard Japan
  19. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go". VG-lista. Hung Medien.
  20. ^ "Archive Chart". Scottish Singles Top 40. The Official Charts Company.
  21. ^ "James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien.
  22. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company.
  23. ^ http://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/singleyear/
  24. ^ http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2011
  25. ^ "Italian single certifications – James Morrison – I Won't Let You Go" (in Italian) (PDF). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. http://www.fimi.it/temp/cert_GFK_download_492011.pdf. Retrieved 2 January 2012. 
  26. ^ I Won't Let You Go - Single by James Morrison iTunes
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