'Before I Let Go'

Still Processing

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Arts

4.8 • 9.2K Ratings

🗓️ 20 May 2021

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When the three opening notes of the song hit, there’s only one thing to do: Find your people and dance. Today, we’re talking about “Before I Let Go,” by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and the song’s unique ability to gather and galvanize. It wasn’t a huge hit when it came out in 1981, but it has become a unifying Black anthem and an unfailing source of joy. We dissect Beyoncé’s cover, and we hear from friends, listeners and the Philadelphia DJ Patty Jackson about their memories of the classic song.

Transcript

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0:00.0	We are so close to summer.
0:03.7	My time to shine. I know. I love it.
0:05.6	And the signifiers of summer are already out.
0:11.1	Signify.
0:12.3	Oh my god. Tell me about it.
0:14.1	I smelled burgers on somebody's grill the other day.
0:17.8	You know, I see everybody's pen lines creeping up.
0:20.8	People are busing out their shorts.
0:23.0	It's crop top season already.
0:25.5	It's just upon us.
0:27.5	It is upon us.
0:28.9	Every year, Jenna Wortham, you and I,
0:32.6	we try to pick the song of the summer and I'm tired of being wrong.
0:37.9	You are always right.
0:39.9	And so you're not taking it easy on me this year.
0:42.7	And we're not going to pick a song of this summer.
0:46.2	We're going to talk about the song of every summer.
0:50.5	And it sounds like this.
0:55.7	Whoa.
0:57.2	Yeah.
1:05.2	It doesn't matter if it's still only 65 degrees in your city.
1:07.7	This song means summer is upon us.
	...

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