"Gotta Let You Go" is a song by American freestyle and house music singer Dominica. Written by Mohamed Moretta and produced by him with Mickey Garcia, it was released in 1994 by Ouland Music and became a hit in clubs. The song was also a top 40 hit in the Netherlands (34) and a top 90 hit in Germany (81). Several music videos has been produced for "Gotta Let You Go". In 2015, Northern Irish electronic music duo Bicep released a remix of the track.

"Gotta Let You Go"
Single by Dominica
Released1994
Genre
Length5:29
LabelOutland Music
Songwriter(s)Mohamed Moretta
Producer(s)
Dominica singles chronology
"Love String"
(1993)
"Gotta Let You Go"
(1994)
Music video
"Gotta Let You Go" on YouTube

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "It was bound to happen. The success of "Show Me Love" by Robin S. has triggered a flurry of similar-sounding tracks. This is the best of the bunch, thanks mostly to Dominica's easygoing performance and producer/songwriter Mohammed Moretta's chantable hooks. Go for the dance/club version for a lighter, more NRGetic vibe."[1] Maria Jimenez from Music & Media noted that it is "burning up dancefloors on both sides of the ocean. This is delicious house with a catchy hookline".[2] A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, adding, "It's got punch, panache and the potential to become a big UK favourite, too."[3] Wendi Cermak from The Network Forty praised it as "an excellent dance number".[4]

James Hyman from the Record Mirror Dance Update wrote, "The garage-flavoured track in radio edit form is very commercial, like a cross between Deee-Lite and N-Joi's "Anthem". Having already dented the Dutch national charts, with the right push this could do the same in the UK."[5] Another editor, Brad Beatnik, gave it five out of five, commenting, "That infectious 'I gotta let you go, no more sleepless nights' vocal hook (someone please put me out of my frustration and tell me where it's from!) is put to devastating effect on this soon-to-be classic house cut licensed from Holland's Outland label. The piano stabs and thumping beats are currently pounding floors up and down the UK and the corking mixes by DJ Theor & Jaimy, Hyper Go-Go, Electroset and Lolly will only widen its appeal. It's got anthem written all over it."[6] The magazine's James Hamilton deemed it a "nasally plaintive Florida girl's maddeningly infectious jiggler with a naggingly familiar lilt".[7]

Impact and legacy

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British electronic dance and clubbing magazine Mixmag included the song in their list of 'The 30 best vocal house anthems ever' in 2018, writing, "Way before Bicep turned Dominica’s "Gotta Let You Go" into 2015’s most rinsed track of the year, 20 years earlier the original cut was a certified club smash. Its appeal is easy to see as well. It manages to blend slightly cheesy pop sensibility with a weighty kick and a dancefloor attitude. All this fire packed into one track is one thing but that’s before we’ve even go to the reason for the song’s inclusion in this list, the vocal. Dominica croons about having to break things off with her man. She doesn’t want anymore sleepless nights and she needs someone to treat her right. She just wants someone to show her love and to be there for her, she’s not going to have heart broken anymore. This is the ultimate empowerment anthem and it’s an absolute blinder. Dominica, we hope you found your man because this track has found its way into the hearts of millions."[8]

Track listing

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  • 12", Europe
  1. "Gotta Let You Go" (Club Mix) — 6:23
  2. "Gotta Let You Go" (Rub-A-Dub) — 7:50
  • 12", US
  1. "Gotta Let You Go" (Freestyle Radio Mix) — 3:41
  2. "Gotta Let You Go" (Dance Version) — 5:42
  3. "Gotta Let You Go" (Instant "Add" Radio Mix) — 4:20
  4. "Gotta Let You Go" (Backstage Underground Mix) — 8:44
  5. "Gotta Let You Go" (Mixmaster & Jazzvoice Mix) — 4:54
  • CD single, UK
  1. "Gotta Let You Go" (Original Radio Edit) — 3:36
  2. "Gotta Let You Go" (Hyper Go-Go Remix) — 7:29
  3. "Gotta Let You Go" (Lolly Remix) — 8:38
  4. "Gotta Let You Go" (Electroset Remix) — 7:37
  5. "Gotta Let You Go" (Original Club Mix) — 6:22
  • CD maxi, Netherlands
  1. "Gotta Let You Go" (Radio Edit) — 5:29
  2. "Gotta Let You Go" (Club Mix) — 6:22
  3. "Gotta Let You Go" (Rub-A-Dub) — 7:49
  4. "Gotta Let You Go" (After Midnight Dub) — 7:29

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ Flick, Larry (11 December 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 117. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  2. ^ Jimenez, Maria (11 February 1995). "Dance Grooves" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 September 1995. p. 46. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  4. ^ Cermak, Wendi (21 January 1994). "Crossover: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 38. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  5. ^ Hyman, James (1 April 1995). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 10. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. ^ Beatnik, Brad (30 September 1995). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 9. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. ^ Hamilton, James (28 October 1995). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 15. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  8. ^ "The 30 best vocal house anthems ever". Mixmag. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Dominica – Gotta Let You Go (song)". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Dominica – Gotta Let You Go". Top40.nl. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1995" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
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