No Letting Go (song)


"No Letting Go" is a song by Jamaican reggae fusion artist Wayne Wonder. The song was written by Wonder and Steven "Lenky" Marsden, and produced by Marsden. It was included on Wonder's 2003 studio album No Holding Back and was released as the lead single from the album. The single was released worldwide on January 28, 2003 and charted at a peak position of number three in the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 11 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It remains Wonder's most successful single to date.
The song was one of the many hits from the jumpy handclap riddim known as the Diwali Riddim, that was also produced by Marsden.

Content

According to Wayne Wonder, the song is about a girl that he once knew but he doesn't mention her name. He said in an interview with MTV in 2003 "I just wrote this song without calling her name in the song because she always said to me, 'You are always these other girls' names.' I said, 'I don’t have to call your name, I'll just write a song and you can appreciate it.'" He was also amazed by the success that the song had achieved, saying "Everybody loves it, which is surprising to me. When I'm writing, I don’t think will be a big hit."

Remix

The official remix features rappers LL Cool J & Queen Duchess. The remix also uses more of the Diwali Riddim beat.

Music video

The music video was directed by Director X, and filmed in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in December 2002. Wonder said that "It took us 24 hours ... It was raining in the morning and the shoot was supposed to start at like 6:30 a.m. and it never really got started until about maybe 8 o'clock... The video, to me, was a success; the dances, everyone enjoying themselves on the stage, there was no bad vibe."

Formats and track listings

;US CD single
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:22
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:43
;EU enhanced CD single
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:25
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:44
  3. "No Letting Go" - 3:40
  4. "No Letting Go"
;US 12" vinyl
Side A
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:22
Side B
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:43
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:43
;German 12" vinyl
Sides A
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:22
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:41
Side B
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:22
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:41
;US 12" vinyl
Side A
  1. "No Letting Go " - 3:29
  2. "No Letting Go " - 3:16
  3. "No Letting Go " - 3:45
Side B
  1. "No Letting Go" - 3:22
  2. "No Letting Go" - 3:32

    Reception

Blender magazine's called the song "a fetching love song that paired his accented tenor with rough, digital funk". Rolling Stone were critical of the album but called this song "mesmerizing".

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Dirty Werk version

In 2019, the American house/remix duo Dirty Werk released an electro dance version of "No Letting Go", which is more of a cover that is mixed with portions taken from the original. The updated version gave Dirty Werk its second number one on Billboards Dance Club Songs chart in the issue dated November 2, 2019.

Track listing

Remixes EP
  1. "No Letting Go" – 3:12
  2. "No Letting Go" – 3:44
  3. "No Letting Go" – 3:21
  4. "No Letting Go" – 3:34
  5. "No Letting Go" – 3:03
  6. "No Letting Go" – 3:23

    Charts