Can't Let Go

In this R&B ballad, co-written with her "Love Takes Time" producer, Walter Afanasieff, Mariah Carey has trouble moving on from a breakup even though her ex has found someone new. It was released as the second single from her sophomore album, Emotions.

Carey's hit streak started with her popular self-titled debut album a year earlier, which spawned a record-breaking four #1 hit singles, including "Vision Of Love" and "Love Takes Time." Her second album's title track also went to #1, but "Can't Let Go" broke her run when it peaked at #2 behind Color Me Badd's "All 4 Love."

Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony Music, took a special interest in Mariah's career and wanted to mold her into an Adult Contemporary pop star. In her memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey, the singer explained that her original demos were raw and soulful, but were smoothed over at Mottola's behest to make them more marketable for the mainstream. Because her debut was so successful, she had a little more artistic control over her second album, but her label still wasn't confident in her soulful stylings. She said of this tune in 2012: "I think it may have leaned a bit too R&B for the record label at the time."