"I Can't Let Go" is The Hollies

The Hollies

The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...

' first 1966 single, and the final single to feature the band's original bassist Eric Haydock

Eric Haydock

Eric Haydock was the original bass guitarist with The Hollies from December 1962 until 1966. Although considered a great bassist, he was replaced in 1966 by Bernie Calvert, after disputes related to the conduct of the band's managers.-External links:*...

. It went to #2 in the UK but only #42 on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 in the US. The song was co-written by Chip Taylor

Chip Taylor

James Wesley Voight , better known by his stage name as Chip Taylor, is an American songwriter, who is noted for writing the songs "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing." He is the brother of actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight...

, who also wrote "Wild Thing" and is actor Jon Voight

Jon Voight

Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....

's brother. The song was a cover of blue-eyed soul

Blue-eyed soul

Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...

 songstress Evie Sands

Evie Sands

Evie Sands is a Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter and guitarist, whose career began as a young teenager in the mid-1960s...

, whose version on George Goldner's Blue Cat label was locally [NYC] popular in 1965. The Hollies version got an enthusiastic thumbs up from Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...

, who thought Graham Nash

Graham Nash

Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...

's soaring tenor during the chorus was a trumpet.

"I Can't Let Go" was the last Hollies recording to feature original bass player Eric Haydock

Eric Haydock

Eric Haydock was the original bass guitarist with The Hollies from December 1962 until 1966. Although considered a great bassist, he was replaced in 1966 by Bernie Calvert, after disputes related to the conduct of the band's managers.-External links:*...

. He was replaced by Bernie Calvert

Bernie Calvert

Bernie Calvert played bass guitar and keyboards with The Hollies from 1966 until 1981.-Career:...

 who would play on the band's next single, "Bus Stop".

Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...

 had success with a cover version in 1980, from her album Mad Love

Mad Love (Linda Ronstadt album)

Mad Love is a Platinum certified, Grammy-nominated 1980 New Wave album by singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard album chart — a record at the time and a first for any female artist — and quickly became Ronstadt's seventh consecutive million-selling...

, reaching #31.

Les Fradkin

Les Fradkin

Les Fradkin is a guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He is best known for being a member of the original cast of the hit Broadway show Beatlemania...

 has a very close cover version on his 2006 release, Goin' Back.

Chart performance

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Chart (1966)	Peak position
United Kingdom (Record Retailer Record Retailer Record Retailer was a trade newspaper for the UK record industry. It was founded in August 1959 as a monthly newspaper covering both labels and dealers. Its founding editor was Roy Parker... )	2
United Kingdom (NME)	1
United States (Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... )	42