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 | ||||
| Length | 3:42 (7" edit) 5:07 (album version) | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Frankie Beverly | |||
| Producer(s) | Frankie Beverly | |||
| Maze singles chronology | ||||
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"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. Written and produced by lead singer Frankie Beverly, the song peaked at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1981. The song has been noted for its enduring popularity in Black American culture as a staple of gatherings and parties.
Beyoncé covered the song for her 2019 film Homecoming, and it is the focus of a 2021 episode of Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris's New York Times podcast, Still Processing.