Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters, having written fourteen Number 1 singles and twenty four top 10 hits. He has had three Number 1 singles, six top 10 singles and two Number 1 albums as a solo artist, and has had seventeen top 5 hits, twelve Number 1 singles and seven Number 1 albums with Take That. He is also a six-time recipient of the Ivor Novello Award and has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He was appointed an OBE in 2012 for services to music and charity.
Barlow's solo career was predicted to be very successful, being described as 'the next George Michael'. His first two solo singles "Forever Love" (released July 1996) and "Love Won't Wait" (composed by Madonna and Shep Pettibone) both leapt to the number one spot in his home country. "Forever Love" was also used as the soundtrack to the film The Leading Man. His debut album "Open Road" reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and went on to sell 2 million copies worldwide. Barlow's first single to be released in the United States as a solo artist was "So Help Me Girl", which reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. He then achieved another top ten hit in the UK with "Open Road" peaking at number 7 and number 8 in the Netherlands with "Are You Ready Now".
After the success of his first solo album he released his second LP "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" in 1999. Barlow released "Stronger" as the lead single preceding the album. However, due to an expected backlash against Barlow, it received minimal support and airplay and only peaked at number 16. The second single "For All That You Want" again was subjected to minimal radio play and peaked at number 24, however it peaked just outside the top 5 in Finland. "Twelve Months, Eleven Days" was released soon after the first single to little promotion and peaked at a disappointing number 35, which led to Sony recalling Barlow's 'greatest' song according to critics, the scheduled third single from his second album "Lie to Me". This resulted in both Barlow and BMG parting company. To date Barlow has sold 5 million records worldwide as a solo artist.
On September 2013, Barlow announced via his Twitter account that he would be releasing his first full-length solo album in 14 years, on 25 November 2013. Barlow encouraged his followers and fans to tweet #GBSOLO to reveal the album artwork and title, with their profile pictures being used to create a collage of the album cover. On 4 October 2013, Barlow revealed his new album would be called "Since I Saw You Last", and would be preceded by his first single from the LP, titled "Let Me Go", released worldwide on 17 November 2013. He also announced that he would be touring the album in April 2014, playing some of the biggest arenas in the UK.
1. Let Me Go
Gary Barlow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A broken heart
And only me to blame
For every single part
No Science or Religion
Could make this whole
To be loved, but never loved
To have, but never hold
To be held to be loved so
This is gonna take a bit of getting used to,
But I know what’s right for you
Fly high and let me go
That sky will save your soul
When you pass by then you’ll know
That this gonna take a bit of getting used to
But I know what’s right for you
Let me go
A head full of madness
And no where safe
When tears aren’t big enough,
And love turns into hate
It’s a life alone, and a desperate need
To be held to be loved so
This gonna take a bit of getting used to
But I know what’s right for you
Fly high and let me go
That sky will save your soul
When you pass by then you’ll know
That this gonna take a bit of getting used to
But I know what’s right for you
So let me go life will get better
Find the love I never gave ya
I know you lie there waiting all night long,
So find where you belong
Fly high and let me go (Let me go)
That sky will save your soul (Let it save your soul tonight)
Fly high and let me go (Let me go let me go)
That sky will save your soul
But this gonna take a bit of getting used to
But I know what’s right for you
Let me go
The lyrics of Gary Barlow's song 1. Let Me Go convey a powerful message about the pain of a broken relationship, the need for love and the liberation that comes with letting go. The singer reflects on a love that has been lost due to his own mistakes and inability to hold on to it. The sadness in the room reflects the depth of his feelings of regret and longing for what has been lost. He acknowledges that no science or religion can fix the situation, as it is a matter of the heart and emotions that cannot be quantified or explained.
The song is about letting someone go because he believes it is what is best for them, even though it is painful for him. The singer sees that the person he loves needs to fly high and find their own way in life, away from the negativity and dysfunctions of their past relationship. He recognizes the desperation that comes with the need to be loved and held, but he knows that he cannot give what is needed. He encourages this person to find where they belong and to trust that life will get better. The soaring chorus suggests that letting go is the only way to salvation, and that the vast sky holds the key to spiritual liberation and renewal.
Overall, the lyrics of Let Me Go are about the bittersweet pain and hard decisions that come with love and relationships. They encourage the idea that sometimes letting go is the best way to set someone free and to find themselves. The song is an emotional lament for what has been lost, but it is also a hopeful message about the capacity for growth and healing that comes with letting go.
Line by Line Meaning
A room full of sadness
The singer is in a space overwhelmed with sorrow
A broken heart
The singer is experiencing the pain and heartbreak associated with lost love
And only me to blame
The singer takes full responsibility for the current situation
For every single part
The artist acknowledges that their actions played a role in the relationship's dissolution
No Science or Religion
The artist has exhausted all means of explanation or salvation
Could make this whole
The situation cannot be fixed or restored
To be loved, but never loved
The singer was not reciprocated in the same way they loved
To have, but never hold
The artist held onto an unattainable love
It’s a life alone, and a desperate need
The artist is experiencing intense loneliness and yearning
To be held to be loved so
The artist craves physical and emotional affection
This is gonna take a bit of getting used to,
The situation will require time and adjustment to process and accept
But I know what’s right for you
The artist believes letting go is ultimately what is best for both parties
Fly high and let me go
The singer is encouraging their ex-lover to move on and find happiness
That sky will save your soul
Freedom and independence will bring healing and rejuvenation
When you pass by then you’ll know
Time will provide clarity and perspective
A head full of madness
The artist's thoughts and emotions are chaotic and irrational
And no where safe
The artist feels vulnerable and exposed
When tears aren’t big enough,
The singer's pain goes beyond what can be expressed through tears
And love turns into hate
The singer's feelings have shifted from love to anger and resentment
So let me go life will get better
The artist is expressing that letting go will lead to better things
Find the love I never gave ya
The artist acknowledges they were not able to provide the love their partner deserved
I know you lie there waiting all night long,
The artist recognizes their partner's longing for them
So find where you belong
The singer is encouraging their ex-partner to find their place in the world without them
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SEAN GARRETT, BJOERN DANIEL ARNE YTTLING, LYKKE LI TIMOTEJ ZACHRISSON, SHONDRAE L. CRAWFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Amelia Sands
Next Wednesday I will be playing this at my son's funeral. He would have been 4months old. He was diagnosed with a heart condition and lost his battle. THANK YOU FOR THIS SONG GARY AND FOR MAKING OTHERS FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE
Lynne
Amelia Sands god bless you and all your family. ❤️
Heather Maas
So sorry for your loss😪😪😔, he is in a better place now, he will be looking down and smiling 🤗😊❤
Jamescarr
Amelia Sands I’m sorry for your loss
Ringo2tommy
❤️❤️
Charlotte
At 23 I'm finally hearing the lyrics, and utterly sobbing. 12 year old me adored this for the happy sound - but now I know it's words of grief for his daughter
Ben Richardson
I only found out today 💔
Jane King
@Ben Richardson SAME
Ben Richardson
@Jane King heartbreaking isn't it
Aaliya Khan
I've just had the same exact experience 😭