Kayla Bryant
Professor Tyler
Eng 1201.505
3 October 2020
Before I Let Go
There are numerous songs that are classics in the African American culture. However,
“Before I Let Go” by Frankie Beverly and Maze is a song that can be sung now, then, and
forever. The song was published in 1981. The band traveled and sang their songs to their fans in
stadiums all around America. It is so popular that it is sung at every celebration imaginable; it
can be heard at family reunions, graduations, parties and even weddings. Like any other brilliant
song, it deserves to be remade into something modern and relevant to the current times.
Beyonce’s version of “Before I Let Go” travels through time with the lyrics from the original
song, it also has an instrumental of another popular song in the African American culture, this
version ends with a second verse that she added and an original last verse. Beyonce's cover of
"Before I Let Go" gives new life to Frankie Beverly and Maze's original song, which speaks to a
relationship that is not going well but has too much history to end it. The newer version has a
similar message, as well as similar lyrics, however, it places a new perspective upon it that
makes it more light hearted for a more broad audience.
The original song by Frankie Beverly and Maze occurred because the lead singer Frankie
had a girlfriend that he was considering breaking up with. It begins as a near breakup song. He
reminisces on the good times they have shared together. The couple was fighting, yet there was
no love lost. They have hurt each other but he wants to make sure that he is certain he wants to
end things or stay with his girlfriend and work out the relationship with her. At the end of the
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song, he decides that the relationship with her is too precious and he takes her back. This song
demonstrates that hardships in relationships will happen, yet the good times should be considered
before someone ends the relationship. The claim made is that love is very difficult to come by
and once it is found, hold it near and dear.
The original “Before I let go” by Frankie Beverly and Maze can be interpreted as a
celebration song; it ends happily. Frankie states, “I would never, never, never, never, never,
never, never, never let you go before I know” (Frank). This song could be said to be sung right
after a celebration and people are sad for it to end (letting their loved ones go). The instruments
used were tambourine, cymbal, drum kit and guitar to name a few. It was performed live. The
props were mostly instruments. The main characters are the singers in the band, which are
Frankie and Maze. The setting is a stadium. The song is for people that are going through a
rough patch in a relationship, anyone enjoying a celebration and any gender. The song is usually
listened to by the African American community. It could be said that families sing “Before I go
” passionately together at the end of a family reunion. After the song ends, they do not leave,
they sing that song again and many others that match its greatest.
The remake of “Before I go” by Beyonce shares similar lyrics to the original song.
Although the lyrics resemble each other, the remake is more of a love song than a breakup song
because she sings in the present tense. She says, " You make me happy" (Beyonce). The original
song sings, "You made me happy" (Frank). This can be interpreted into the fact that if her and
her husband ever do fight, she will never leave him unless she knows that the relationship can
not be fixed. At the end of the song, she adds her own second verse. The last verse is the same as
the original. Beyonce also added the instrumental to another well known song in the African
American community called “Candy” by Cameo. There was a sample from “Get ready, ready”
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from DJ Jubilee and she also uses lyrics from Aaliyah’s “Rock the Boat” song. She sings about
her and her friends going out to dance. The music video is of people of all different ages, genders
and backgrounds dancing to her song. That is who her audience would be or anyone that wants to
celebrate and dance. Beyonce dances at the end also. The characters could be the people dancing
and Beyonce. The props used were stilts, there is a shirt that Beyonce is wearing that she points
out and the flash mob dances in front of a black arts studio. The settings are outside, a wedding
recital and inside of the dancer's homes.
This song was a tribute to the original song but it was also a celebration of black culture.
Beyounce added so many of African American artists to the song. I believe that the claim of this
song is to make sure you are happy in a relationship and have fun with loved ones. The meaning
of her version would be to hold onto loved ones, celebrate with them now because they will not
always be alive. The shirt on Beyonce demonstrates that it is a picture of an African American
man that life ended too soon from gun violence.
Lyrically, both versions are the same excluding the verse that Beyonce added. Almost
anyone can enjoy listening to both of the songs, but Beyonce’s song is more of a dance song, that
may bring a different crowd. Anyone of any age, gender, or background can dance to it as shown
in the video. Frankie Beverly’s version of the song explains that love is difficult to obtain so,
when someone has it, they should never let it go. Beyounce’s version of “Before I go” has the
same meaning but it adds another that the love that someone feels for another should be
expressed before it is too late.
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Works Cited
Beverly, Frank. “Before I Let Go”,1981,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuV5uG2NzSY.
Accessed 27 September 2020.
Knowles, Beyonce. “Before I Let Go”, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtqbTffx0bg.
Accessed 27 September 2020.
