Earth, Wind & Fire – Can't Let Go (Dave Lee fka Joey Negro Elevated Mix)

“I Am” was my first Earth Wind & Fire LP and it’s one which I think represents the band at the height of their musical powers. Though it was a late single from the album in the UK “Can’t Let Go” wasn’t one of EW&F’s big hits, but that means I’ve never tired of it from hearing it endlessly on mainstream radio. Built around a very distinctive gospel style piano riff it was near the top of my most wanted multi-track list. I eventually managed to get hold of it about 5 years ago but its was a bugger to remix, for a start the piano is very busy and has lots of “room” spill, which scuppered some of the arrangement ideas I had. I tried replaying it but it just didn’t fit in sonically with the rest of the stuff. I got it to a “finished to an unsatisfactory standard” stage. I regularly returned to it every couple of months to see if anything jumped out as wrong sonically or arrangement wise, normally I’d make a few tweaks but I was starting to think maybe it was a remix that wouldn’t make the final cut. Then over the course of a few days (3 years after I had started it) I had some break throughs in the arrangement, starting with removing the middle 8 (which I liked but was making my version feel a little disjointed), then using the verse music later in the song as an instrumental break made the remix go somewhere interesting, I ended up using it in the intro too. Somehow changing one element led to another idea and another until it finally all fell into place, like a particularly difficult puzzle. Now it’s probably my favourite remix on the album. Some people might recognise I borrowed the chord progression for a remix I put out in the late 90s.

[raphaelle]

I had the privilege of hearing them sing this live. Still the greatest disco funk soul band ever!

[andrewhutchins]

Hello Dave, just a quick message to thank you for making a classic even more so. Not a musical man here, but we get the situation. Massive thing to do this, as this deserves to be celebrated. Quiet men want to dance with pretty girls, and we will when this comment is done. Your music is special and transcends a lot of noise from many people. This is our playlist for hockey and rugby on a cold West London Sunday to come. Take care. Love is the answer.

[gioswazyhaiti]

If Heaven has a club, this would probably be playing. How could Jesus not groove to this.

[thematrixredpill]

What I love about Joey Negro is he does a brilliant mix but is still respectful to the orginal artist giving the tracks a different flavour but holds the soul and passion of the track.

[Fanster-lrjf]

I’m hearing this for the first time. Loving this masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️

[DobbeltD]

holy shit, what a masterpiece I just discovered today. I'm feeling blessed, this sounds so good - I get totally the right vibes <3 Love it :D

[shamleemasulah]

Found this song in 2024.So beautiful ❤. 1st time listen to this song.

[charlespearson]

Again, ,
D A V E L E E Is
Every fn Thing
Hamptons va-ca from SC
Distance Sanatized Masked
Dec. 27 2020
Agree??!!!

[LuisGarcia-knrk]

A fukkkin masterpiece by a master DJ and one of the best Bands!E.W.F.

[chopchung]

As a teenager in late 70's UK i had VERY little money and had to be very choosy about what singles and especially what albums i could spend money on.I would wait a year maybe, to hear the album tracks that had been released as singles.Using the logic that "if the group had written such fantastic tracks as the singles already heard-Boogie Wonderland, After The Love Has Gone & Star, then SURELY the rest of the album would also have sprung from the same inspiration, the same creative explosion". When, in very early 1980 i think, i heard the glorious Can't let Go was the fourth single i KNEW i HAD to have this album.Please, let it be as good as the singles are i thaught as i handed over my very hard to come by money.Got it home!. Before playing i read the inner sleeve noteswith the lyrics, the publishers, the musician credits...it was an experience to be savoured!. My first surprise was NOT the record...it was the inner bag!. The bag itself is green, the text black.After reading the details for ten minutes i was amazed at what it had done to my eyesight. Every white surface in the room was now vivid pink!!!. Has anyone else experienced this?. Needless to say when the record itself opened with the mighty "In The Stone" i had to lift the needle THREE times and play that track over and over. Easily one of my best ever purchases and worth each and every PENNY!.

[splapoo]

This is good for the soul, just amazing.

[andybrown]

It doesn't get old after listening to it 30 times.😀😎

[darryl]

My favorite all time cut. This is like my personal anthem since 1979. Thank God for EWF and Big Joey Negro!

[petbax]

This is just sublime, a masterpiece! A wonderful re-mix - well done Dave Lee!

[differentdrummer]

Next time I drive to work (Lord knows when that will be) this is coming and it's not getting played quietly. No sir.

[stefanopeverini]

One of the best remix ever. Joey puts the EWF song to another level, .the highest. Incredible dancefloor feeling, he really remixed that with love.

[rubiksfaq]

I'm sad that there isn't too many remixes of this unrated EWF song but my goodness, you do it justice. Thank you so much for making this and releasing to the world!

[papyrusone]

SO GOOD originaly, that track was very short but here, Joey Negro made a tremendous work at the intro !

[erichc]

Please how do I buy this song?! This is amazing!

[markysparky]

This beat is so damn smooth, who in earth couldn’t groove to this has no taste in Music 🎼