"I Can't Let Go" by Linda Ronstadt

Song#:  0238
Date:  06/28/1980
Debut:  74
Peak:  31
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  With two Top 10's in the can from her album "Mad Love," the label issued this third single. As with many of Ronstadt's hits, this one is also a cover of a previous chart song. In the US, The Hollies only reached #42 in 1966 with this song, but in the UK they took it to #2. The original recording of the song was by Brooklyn-born singer Evie Sands in 1965, but it failed to make the chart. As the case with her previous single "Hurt So Bad" (#8), Ronstadt's version of "I Can't Let Go" charted higher than any previous release of the song.

ReduxReview:  I'm a Hollies fan, so I knew this song through them first. It's a great song and Ronstadt does a nice job with it and I like the updated stomper-new wave feel. But it is hard to top the Hollies harmonies. I'd love to hear them sing over the Ronstadt arrangement - that would be awesome! But really, you can't go wrong with either version. I did find the Evie Sands version and it is okay. The tempo is a bit slower and it is more girl-groupy in it's sound.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This song was co-written by Chip Taylor. His writing credits also include the classics "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning." He also happens to be the brother of actor Jon Voight (Taylor's given name is James Voight), which makes him the uncle to Angelina Jolie.

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