If I Let You Go

Summary

"If I Let You Go" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released in the United Kingdom on 9 August 1999 as the second single from their self-titled debut album (1999). It became the band's second number-one hit, spending 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. The song has received a gold sales certification in the UK for selling over 400,000 in combined sales of purchased and streaming-equivalent sales. It is the band's 10th-best-selling single in paid-for sales and combined sales in the UK as of January 2019.[1]

"If I Let You Go"
One of European artworks
Single by Westlife
from the album Westlife
B-side"Try Again"
Released9 August 1999 (1999-08-09)
StudioCheiron (Stockholm, Sweden)
Length3:40
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Per Magnusson
  • David Kreuger
Westlife singles chronology
"Swear It Again"
(1999)
"If I Let You Go"
(1999)
"Flying Without Wings"
(1999)
Music video
"If I Let You Go" on YouTube

Composition edit

"If I Let You Go" composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in B major, with Brian McFadden, Shane Filan, and Mark Feehily's vocals ranging from the chords of D4 to A5.[2]

Music video edit

The music video was directed by Sven Harding and was filmed in Tenerife, Spain.[3] It depicts the band walking along a beach and singing by a hillside surrounded by red and yellow flags.[4]

Track listings edit

Credits and personnel edit

Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 and Westlife liner notes.[5][10]

Studios

  • Recorded at Cheiron Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Strings recorded at Soundtrade Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Mixed at Mono Music Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)

Personnel

  • Jörgen Elofsson – writing
  • Per Magnusson – writing, keyboards, production, arrangement, programming
  • David Kreuger – writing, arrangement, programming
  • Andreas Carlsson – additional backing vocals
  • Mats Berntoft – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Tomas Lindberg – bass
  • Ulf & Henrik Janson – string arrangement
  • David Kreuger – production
  • Bernard Lohr – recording (strings), mixing

Charts edit

Certifications and sales edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[34] Gold 35,000^
Sweden (GLF)[35] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 400,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history edit

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Sweden 9 August 1999 CD [37]
United Kingdom
  • CD
  • cassette
[38]

References edit

  1. ^ Copsey, Rob (12 January 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. ^ "If I Let You Go by Westlife – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Westlife: Our Story". HarperCollins Publishers. p. 98. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  4. ^ westlifeVEVO (3 October 2009), Westlife - "If I Let You Go" (Official Music Video), retrieved 15 June 2017
  5. ^ a b If I Let You Go (UK CD1 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 692322.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ If I Let You Go (UK CD2 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 692352.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ If I Let You Go (UK cassette single sleeve). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 692324.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ If I Let You Go (European CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 694592.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ If I Let You Go (Australian CD single liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG. 1999. 74321 694582.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Westlife (US CD album liner notes). Westlife. Arista Records, BMG. 2000. 07822-14642-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 35. 28 August 1999. p. 8. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Westlife: If I Let You Go" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Los Discos Más Vendicos En Iberoamérica y Estados Unidos". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). 2000. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (23.9 – 30.9 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 24 September 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  18. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Westlife". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  20. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go". VG-lista. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  25. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Westlife – If I Let You Go". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  28. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  30. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  31. ^ "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  33. ^ "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
  34. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  35. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  36. ^ "British single certifications – Westlife – If I Let You Go". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  37. ^ "Westlife: If I Let You Go". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 23 February 2005. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  38. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 9 August, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 August 1999. p. 25. Retrieved 22 July 2021.

External links edit

  • "If I Let You Go" Official Music video
  • Official Westlife Website