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"[1]
Released1981 (1981)
Genre
Length3:42 (7" edit)
5:07 (album version)
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Frankie Beverly[2]
Producer(s)Frankie Beverly[3]
Maze singles chronology
"Running Away"
(1981)
"Before I Let Go"
(1981)
"We Need Love to Live"
(1982)

"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]

Rapper K-Solo also sampled the song for his single “Your Mom's In My Business”.

  1. ^ "Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly – Before I Let Go / Golden Time Of The Day at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Before I Let Go – Frankie Beverly,Maze | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Easlea, Daryl (2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly – Live In New Orleans". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  5. ^ "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.