Before I Let Go

"Before I Let Go"
"Before I Let Go"
Song by Beyoncé
from the album Homecoming: The Live Album
Released	April 17, 2019
Recorded	2018–2019
Genre	R&B
Label	Parkwood
Songwriter(s)	Frankie Beverly, Larry Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins, Beyoncé & Jerome Temple
Producer(s)	Frankie Beverly, Tay Keith, & Beyoncé

"Before I Let Go"
"Before I Let Go"
Single by Maze
from the album Live in New Orleans
B-side	"Golden Time of the Day"
Released	1981
Genre	R&B; soul; funk;
Length	3:42 (7" edit); 5:07 (album version)
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Frankie Beverly
Producer(s)	Frankie Beverly
Maze singles chronology

"Before I Let Go" is a song performed by American R&B band Maze, issued as the second single from the band's fifth album and first live album Live in New Orleans. Although Live in New Orleans is a live album, "Before I Let Go" appears on the album as a studio recording.^[4] Written and produced by lead singer Frankie Beverly,^[2]^[3] the song peaked at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981.^[5]

Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming, and it's the focus of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris's New York Times podcast, Still Processing.^[6]

Chart positions[]

Chart (1981–2016)^[5]	Peak position
US R&B Singles (Billboard)	13

Beyoncé version[]

Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming, and included the cover on the accompanying live album. It also includes a sample of New Orleans bounce artist, DJ Jubilee, one of the pioneers of bounce music, recorded on Take Fo' Records. An interpolation of "Candy" by Cameo also runs throughout the song.

Beverly told Billboard that the cover was "one of the high points of (his) life... in a class of its own" and made him "feel bigger than ever! I feel like I have a huge smash out there."^[7]

Chart positions[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)^[8]	9
Ireland (IRMA)^[9]	71
Lithuania (AGATA)^[10]	47
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)^[11]	90
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[12]	73
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	77
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	65
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)^[15]	5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[16]	24

Year-end charts[]

Chart (2019)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[17]	69

References[]

^ "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Before I Let Go – Frankie Beverly,Maze | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ Easlea, Daryl (2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Live In New Orleans". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Maze | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ "Before I Let Go". The New York Times. May 20, 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
^ "Frankie Beverly Responds to Beyonce Covering His Maze Hit 'Before I Let Go'".
^ "Ultratop.be – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Beyoncé". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 26, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201917 into search. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
^ "Beyonce Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.

External links[]

"Before I Let Go" at AllMusic
"Before I Let Go" at Discogs (list of releases)
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

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[discogs-1] "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.

[allmusic-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Before I Let Go – Frankie Beverly,Maze | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.

[discogs2-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.

[bbc-4] Easlea, Daryl (2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Live In New Orleans". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 April 2015.

[allmusic2-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Maze | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.

[6] "Before I Let Go". The New York Times. May 20, 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

[7] "Frankie Beverly Responds to Beyonce Covering His Maze Hit 'Before I Let Go'".

[sc_Flanders_Tip_Beyoncé-8] "Ultratop.be – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 17, 2019.

[sc_Ireland3_Beyoncé-9] "Irish-charts.com – Discography Beyoncé". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 4, 2019.

[10] "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 26, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.

[sc_Slovakdigital_-11] "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201917 into search. Retrieved April 30, 2019.

[sc_Sweden_Beyoncé-12] "Swedishcharts.com – Beyoncé – Before I Let Go". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2019.

[sc_UK_-13] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 27, 2019.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Beyonce-14] "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.

[sc_Billboardadultrandbsongs_Beyonce-15] "Beyonce Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Beyonce-16] "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2019.

[17] "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.

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