Andrew Gold - Never Let Her Slip Away (Official Music Video)

 

"Never Let Her Slip Away" is a song written by Andrew Gold, who recorded it for his third album, All This and Heaven Too. The single reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Queen frontman Freddie Mercury contributed harmony vocals to the song, as an uncredited background singer.[1] A 1992 cover version by dance outfit Undercover was also an international hit.

Background

As revealed in his liner notes for All This and Heaven Too, Gold wrote "Never Let Her Slip Away" about meeting actress and Saturday Night Live alumna Laraine Newman who was his girlfriend when he composed the song.[2] Besides Freddie Mercury's, other background vocals were provided by J. D. Souther and Timothy B. Schmit, and the saxophone was played by Ernie Watts.[3][4]

In popular culture

In 1995, British comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer performed a cover of the song on their show The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. "Never Let Her Slip Away" was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013), as a personal favourite of the principal character.[5]

In conversation on the podcast WTF with Marc Maron, Dave Grohl, singer, songwriter and guitarist of the renowned rock band Foo Fighters, called "Never Let Her Slip Away" "the most beautiful piece of music ever written," and "maybe one of the most melodically sophisticated songs I’ve ever heard in my entire life," and noted his plans to record a cover version of the song.[6]