Never Let Her Slip Away
"Never Let Her Slip Away" is a song written by Andrew Gold, who recorded it for his third album, All This and Heaven Too. The single reached #5 on the UK Singles Chart, and #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.[1] Queen frontman Freddie Mercury contributed harmony vocals to the song, as an uncredited background singer.[2] A 1992 cover version by dance outfit Undercover was also an international hit.
Background
As revealed in his liner notes for All This and Heaven Too, Gold wrote "Never Let Her Slip Away" about meeting actress and Saturday Night Live alumna Laraine Newman who was his girlfriend when he composed the song.[3] Besides Freddie Mercury's, other background vocals were provided by J. D. Souther and Timothy B. Schmit, and the saxophone was played by Ernie Watts.[4][5]
In popular culture
In 1995, comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer performed a cover of the song on their show The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. "Never Let Her Slip Away" was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013), as a personal favourite of the principal character.[6]
Weekly singles charts
|
Year-end charts
Chart (1978) |
Rank |
UK [12] |
39 |
U.S. [13] |
343 |
|
Undercover version
British dance group Undercover covered the song on their album Check Out the Groove (1992). This version also reached #5 in the United Kingdom, as Gold's original did.
Track listing
- CD single
- "Never Let Her Slip Away" (Essential Edit) – 3:28
- "Never Let Her Slip Away" (Essential Mix) – 4:59
- "Sha Do" (Extended Mix) – 5:41
Charts
References
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 230. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ Freddie Mercury provided uncredited backing vocals per these sources:
- "Top 500". Smooth Radio. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- Sweeting, Adam. Andrew Gold obituary. The Guardian. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
- "Never Let Her Slip Away". Johnnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s. BBC Radio 2. 5 Feb 2012.
- O'Neal, Sean. R.I.P. Andrew Gold, songwriter of "Lonely Boy" and The Golden Girls theme. The A.V. Club. June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
- Singer/Songwriter Andrew Gold Dies. Contactmusic. June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
- Drive with Russell Woolf; Andrew Gold - Lonely Boy. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. June 16, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Liner Notes for All This and Heaven Too" (PDF). Andrewgold.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ Owston, Jim (2011-06-11). "Reading between the Grooves: Andrew Gold R.I.P". Zeegrooves.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "La Bible de la Westcoast Music - Cool Night -: Andrew Gold "Thank You For Being A Friend: The Best Of Andrew Gold" (1997)". Labibledelawestcoast.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ Sherwin, Adam (23 July 2013). "A-ha! Alan Partridge movie Alpha Papa gives airtime to forgotten pop classics". The Independent. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Andrew Gold – Never Let Her Slip Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Andrew Gold search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 104.
- ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1979). "Top 200 Singles in 1978". BPI Year Book 1979 (4th ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 186–89. ISBN 0-906154-02-2.
- ↑ "1978 Year End". Bullfrogspond.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Undercover – Never Let Her Slip Away" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Undercover – Never Let Her Slip Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ↑ "Musicline.de – Undercover Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Undercover search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Undercover – Never Let Her Slip Away". Singles Top 100.
External links