"Can't Let Go"
US retail cassette variant of the standard worldwide artwork
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Emotions
B-side
  • "To Be Around You"
  • "So Blessed"
ReleasedOctober 23, 1991 (1991-10-23)
StudioThe Plant Recording Studios (Sausalito, California)
Genre
Length4:27
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Mariah Carey
  • Walter Afanasieff
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Emotions"
(1991)		 "Can't Let Go"
(1991)		 "Make It Happen"
(1992)
Music video
"Can't Let Go" on YouTube

"Can't Let Go" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her second studio album, Emotions (1991). It was released as the album's second single on October 23, 1991, by Columbia Records in the United States and the first quarter of 1992 elsewhere. It was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. The protagonist of this synthesizer-heavy ballad laments an ex-lover who has moved on, and though she tries she "can't let go."

Carey had fallen out with her songwriting partner Ben Margulies following a financial dispute, and her record label suggested that she work with the other producers of her debut album such as Rhett Lawrence, Ric Wake and Narada Michael Walden. She chose Afanasieff, who had produced her second single "Love Takes Time" (1990), and "Can't Let Go" was one of the songs they created. After the release of the single "Emotions," "Can't Let Go" was promoted on both The Arsenio Hall Show in September 1991 and Saturday Night Live in November 1991 when she was the musical guest in the episode which featured Linda Hamilton as the host. "Can't Let Go" was later included on Carey's compilation album The Ballads (2008).

Music and lyrics

"Can't Let Go" has a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute. Carey's vocal range spans three octaves and seven semitones from the low note of F3 to the high note of C7.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Entertainment WeeklyB+[2]
Stereogum6/10[3]

AllMusic editor Ashley S. Battel wrote that "yearning cries for a lost love in "Can't Let Go" serves to send the listener on a musical journey through time filled with varying emotions.[4] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "rhythmic R&B/pop ballad", adding, "Her now-trademark vocal acrobatics are showcased amid gospel-spiced harmonizing and dramatically executed instrumentation."[5] Clark and DeVaney from Cash Box commented, "This time Carey is slowing down the pace from the first single "Emotions". In our opinion, this should have been the first single taken off the album. Her voice still has that crystal-clear sound that has hypnotized listeners of all sorts."[6] Los Angeles Times editor Dennis Hunt felt that in this song, Mariah is playing a wounded lover.[7] Rob Tannenbaum of Rolling Stone wrote that "moody grandeur" of this song will sound great on radio.[8] On the song, Sian Pattenden from Smash Hits described Carey as "the Nanette Newman of pop".[9]

Chart performance

U.S. CD promotional single

Carey's first five American singles had reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "Can't Let Go" ended the streak when it reached number two and spent 17 weeks in the top 40 on January 25, 1992.[10] The song topped the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, where it became Carey's fourth number one single.

"Can't Let Go" reached number three in Canada and the top 20 in the UK.

Music video

The single's accompanying music video, directed by Jim Sonzero, features Carey wearing an evening gown and her hair in a bun. Filmed in black and white, the video starts and closes with shots of a rose open and closed respectively.[11]

Usage in other media

A radio edit of the song was promoted to radio and used for the video instead of the original song, and the edit eliminates the seraphic pre-intro and removes all of Carey's high notes at the song's beginning and end. Like Carey's previous U.S. singles, "Can't Let Go" won a BMI Pop Award in 1993. In 2015, Carey appeared on rapper Rick Ross's song "Can't Say No" on his album Black Market, which samples "Can't Let Go".[12]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Recording

  • Recorded at Skywalker Sound, Marin Country; The Plant Recording Studios, Sausalito; Right Track Recording, NYC.
  • Mixed at Right Track Recording, NYC.

Personnel

  • Lyrics – Mariah Carey
  • Music – Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff
  • Production – Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff
  • Keyboards, Synthesizers, Synthesizer Bass, Synclavier Acoustic Guitar, Drums and Percussion Arrangement and Programming – Walter Afanasieff
  • Guitars – Michael Landau
  • Synclavier/Akai Programming – Ren Klyce
  • Synclavier/Macintosh Programming – Gary Cirmelli
  • Arrangement – Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff
  • Recording Engineer – Dana Jon Chappelle
  • Assistant engineers; Bruce Calder, Craig Silvey
  • Mixing – Dana Jon Chappelle
  • Vocal arrangement – Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff
  • Background vocals – Mariah Carey

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Emotions.[13]

Charts and certifications

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hal Leonard (2007). Mariah Carey: Original Keys for Singers. Hal Leonard. pp. 23–31. ISBN 978-1-4234-1996-9.
  2. ↑ Pastorek, Whitney (February 7, 2007). "This Week in '92: Rating the Top Ten Hits". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ Breihan, Tom (December 17, 2021). "The Number Ones: Mariah Carey's "Emotions"". Stereogum. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Ashley S. Battel. "Emotions". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  5. ↑ Flick, Larry (November 9, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 71. ProQuest 1506000407. Retrieved October 23, 2020.}
  6. ↑ Clark, Randy; DeVaney, Bryan (November 9, 1991). "Singles". Cash Box. p. 5 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ Hunt, Dennis (September 15, 1991). "Fall Album Special : Sappy Songs Underwhelm Carey's 'Emotions' : ** Mariah Carey". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  8. ↑ Rob Tannenbaum (November 14, 1991). "Mariah Carey Emotions Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  9. ↑ Pattenden, Sian (January 8, 1992). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. p. 45. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  10. ↑ "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Mariah Carey – Can't Let Go (Official HD Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Rick Ross Is a Lyrical Enigma on Black Market". The Denver Post. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on January 4, 2024.
  13. ↑ Emotions (liner notes). Mariah Carey. Columbia Records. 1991. B000026HS0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2042." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2031." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  17. 1 2 Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 59. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. February 15, 1992. p. 25. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  19. ↑ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. February 1, 1992. p. 21. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  20. ↑ "EHR Top 40". Music & Media. February 15, 1992. p. 31.
  21. ↑ "Mariah Carey – Can't Let Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Mariah Carey – Can't Let Go". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  23. 1 2 "National Airplay" (PDF). Music & Media. January 18, 1992. p. 32.
  24. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  28. ↑ Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. p. 50. ISBN 1-56308-316-7. OL 1105653M.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 R&B Singles". Cash Box. February 8, 1992. p. 9 – via Internet Archive.
  30. ↑ "Adult Contemporary". Gavin Report. January 24, 1992. p. 24.
  31. ↑ "Top 40". Gavin Report. January 24, 1992. p. 8.
  32. ↑ "Crossover Chart". Gavin Report. January 24, 1992. p. 20.
  33. ↑ "Urban Contemporary". Gavin Report. February 14, 1992. p. 52.
  34. 1 2 3 "National Airplay Overview". Radio & Records. January 31, 1992. p. 100. ProQuest 1017251414.
  35. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. December 19, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  36. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 19, 1992. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  37. ↑ Lwin, Nanda (1997). Canada's Top Hits of the Year 1975–1996. Music Data Canada. p. 112. ISBN 1-896594-10-7.
  38. ↑ "The Year in Music". Billboard. December 26, 1992. p. YE-20. ProQuest 1505964724.
  39. ↑ "The Year in Music". Billboard. December 26, 1992. p. YE-38. ProQuest 1505979297.
  40. ↑ "The Year in Music". Billboard. December 26, 1992. p. YE-28. ProQuest 1505965600.
  41. ↑ "Top 100 Adult Contemporary". Gavin Report. December 11, 1992. p. 24.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Top 40". Gavin Report. December 11, 1992. p. 23.
  43. ↑ "Top 100 Urban Contemporary". Gavin Report. December 11, 1992. p. 25.
  44. ↑ "The Top 92 of 1992". Radio & Records. December 11, 1992. p. 68. ProQuest 1017261359.
  45. ↑ "The Top 92 of 1992". Radio & Records. December 11, 1992. p. 45. ProQuest 1017260849.
  46. ↑ "The Top 92 of 1992". Radio & Records. December 11, 1992. p. 54. ProQuest 1017261176.
  47. ↑ "American single certifications – Mariah Carey – Can't Let Go". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
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