Don't Let Go (Love)

"Don't Let Go (Love)" is a song by the American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Ivan Matias, Andrea Martin, Marqueze Etheridge and produced by Organized Noize for the Set It Off soundtrack (1996), also appearing on the group's third album, EV3 (1997). The song was the band's last single to feature former band member Dawn Robinson and was En Vogue's biggest international single, making it to number 10 on several countries. According to Billboard, the single ranked as the 83rd most successful single of the 1990s. The song compelled Elektra mogul Sylvia Rhone to place En Vogue back in the studio to record their EV3 for release in 1997. However, Dawn Robinson felt a solo career was not feasible while she was still a member of En Vogue, while the other group members plus the record producers and label executives were focused on the new En Vogue album. Forced to choose, Robinson decided to leave En Vogue for a solo career with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. The turn of events following the success of "Don't Let Go (Love)" was the beginning of a long and tumultuous era for En Vogue as member changes became quite frequent. In 2011, NME ranked the song at number 127 in their list of the "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years".[1]

"Don't Let Go (Love)"
Single by En Vogue
from the album EV3 and Set It Off soundtrack
ReleasedOctober 22, 1996
RecordedAugust 1996
Genre
Length4:52
LabelEast West
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
En Vogue singles chronology
"Whatta Man"
(1993)		 "Don't Let Go (Love)"
(1996)		 "Whatever"
(1997)
Music video
"Don't Let Go (Love)" on YouTube

Background

"Don't Let Go (Love)" was written by Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, Marqueze Ethridge, and Organized Noize members Sleepy Brown, Rico Wade, and Ray Murray, while production was by Organized Noize.[2] Vocal production was supervised by Matias.[2] Dawn Robinson sings the entire lead while Maxine Jones performs the bridge. Cindy Herron performs a verse to the bridge. Terry Ellis sings outro lyrics in the music video version and "Fulton Yard Mix". Martin Terry and Tommy Martin played the guitars on the song, while drums were played by Lil' John.[2] Marvin "Chanz" Parkman played the grand piano.[2]

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song as "yearning".[3] Larry Flick from Billboard called it a "bluesy interlude" and commented further that the harmonies are "instantly recognizable, flexing sweetly over the track's live funk beat and snaky guitar licks. If you're looking for a duplication of past hits, forget it. This is a far more musically mature effort that will appeal to both street and sophisticated tastes."[4] J.D. Considine from Entertainment Weekly wrote in his review of EV3, "No surprise, then, that although the women get top billing, the arrangements are the real stars. "Don’t Let Go (Love)" is the most obvious example, since the interplay between lead and background vocals is as disciplined as it is dramatic."[5] Another editor, David Grad noted its "combination of sensual harmonies and sultry attitude" and added it as a "provocative little offering".[6] Dave Ferman from Fort Worth Star-Telegram said the song is "hauntingly lush" and that it "finds the singers' voices ebbing and flowing like the ocean on a threatening day."[7] Gerald Martinez from New Straits Times called it "dramatic", noting that "this song has all the punch, power and stunning voices in harmony that one has come to expect from En Vogue."[8] NME said En Vogue's performance "was gutsy and full of knowing gravitas."[9] People wrote that the single is "still smoldering". They also noted the song's "tough sound" and picked it as the higlight of the EV3 album.[10] Elysa Gardner from Rolling Stone described it as a "even more aggressive tune" and added that the "slow-burning" track "promote romantic and carnal abandon, advising lovers to proceed without caution."[11] Laura Jamison from Salon Magazine noted it as a "tempestuous" and "sexy" single.[12] Ann Powers from Spin called it "a cry for a lover's loyalty that En Vogue convert into a nonnegotiable demand". She complimented the song as their "highest achievement" on EV3.[13]

Commercial performance

"Don't Let Go (Love)" became the third En Vogue track to reach at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 where it was the group's fifth and final Top 10 hit. It was blocked from the top spot by Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart". It also peaked at #2 on the U.S. Mainstream Top 40 behind No Doubt's "Don't Speak" and ranks at #43 on its all-time chart.[14] The song was a #1 R&B song for one week becoming En Vogue's sixth and final #1 R&B Hit. It reached #5 in the UK in early 1997 and spent 13 weeks in the UK top 40, eight of them in the top 10. The single re-entered the UK chart at number 23 in 2011 after the girl group Little Mix performed the song on the eighth series of the British television singing competition, The X Factor, on November 19, 2011. The En Vogue track reached #23 on the UK chart and also returned to the Irish charts at #50. In 1997, "Don't Let Go (Love)" went to #1 on the Norwegian top 20 singles chart (VG-Lista Topp 20) and stayed there for six consecutive weeks. In total, it was in the top 20 for 16 weeks.

The single sold 1.3 million copies in the United States and was certified platinum by the RIAA.[15][16][17]

Legacy

In October 2011, NME placed the song at number 127 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[18]

In 2018, Stacker ranked it at number 43 in their list of "Best pop songs of the last 25 years".[19]

In 2019, Elle listed "Don't Let Go" at number 32 in their ranking of "52 Best 1990s Pop Songs"[20]

Music video
Unlike the film Set It Off, which was set in Los Angeles, California, the music video for "Don't Let Go (Love)" was set in New York City.

The music video for "Don't Let Go (Love)" was directed by Matthew Rolston under the Alan Smithee pseudonym. It was En Vogue's third collaboration with Rolston following "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Whatta Man".[21]

The music video shows En Vogue singing in front of an audience are dressed in black outfits while some clips of Set if Off are inserted. A second music video was released using the same footage of all four band members singing in front of an audience, but the scenes from Set It Off are replaced with images that followed a new storyline. In this version, Mekhi Phifer plays a man who has been secretly cheating all four band members. The four women find out about each other and confront Phifer's character through their performance at the party.[21]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[71] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[72] Gold 25,000*
Germany (BVMI)[73] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[74] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[75] Gold 5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[76] Platinum  
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[77] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] Platinum 600,000
United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,300,000[15][16]

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

Cover versions
  • The American rock band Deepfield covered this song on their first album, Archetypes and Repetition.
  • The British girl group Sugababes performed this song during their Change Tour in 2008.
  • The song was sampled in the 2009 recording, also titled "Don't Let Go (Love)", by the British hip-hop artist Professor Green.
  • The Korean girl group Bella covered this song in the Korean language as their first single in 2011.
  • On November 19, 2011, girl group contestants Little Mix performed the song on the eighth series of the British television talent contest The X Factor, leading to En Vogue's version re-entering the UK chart at number 23. In the finals, Little Mix performed the song for a second time and they won the show on December 11. The song is a bonus track on the group's winner's single, "Cannonball". Following the group's win and their single, the song re-entered the charts again a few weeks later at number 27. On January 25, 2012, they performed the song at The National Television Awards.
  • On June 15, 2013, the contestant Cleo Higgins performed the song on the second season of British television talent contest The Voice.
  • The Australian singer Delta Goodrem performed the song on her 2016 Wings of the Wild Tour.
  • The Australian singer Greg Gould released an acoustic version of the song on his EP Don't Let Go (Love) on February 10, 2017. In June 2017, he released a duet version of the song, with newly recorded vocals from the original En Vogue member Maxine Jones.
  • The British house music producer James Hype released a cover of the song titled "More Than Friends", with vocals by the south London artist Kelli-Leigh. "More Than Friends" peaked #8 on the UK Singles Chart in August 2017.
  • On the March 20, 2018, episode of reality television singing competition show The Voice, Team Keys contestants Jordyn Simone and Kelsea Johnson performed an arrangement of the song in a Battle round.
  • Bastille did a cover version with Craig David, Kianja and Swarmz for their mixtape Other People's Heartache, Pt. 4.
  • Singer Whitney Reign performed a shortened version of the song during her challenge against Ali Caldwell during the second season comeback episode of The Four: Battle for Stardom.

Awards and nominations
YearAwardResult
1997Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or GroupNominated
1997Soul Train Lady of Soul Award for Best R&B, Rap or Soul Single by Group, Band or DuoWon
1997Billboard Music Award for Top Soundtrack SingleNominated

See also

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