"Like You'll Never See Me Again" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriterAlicia Keys for her third studio albumAs I Am (2007). Written and produced by Keys andKerry Brothers Jr., it was first heard on October 25, 2007, on Atlanta's V103WVEE radio station. Subsequently, it was released as the second single fromAs I Am on January 22, 2008, byJ Records.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was written and produced by Keys andKerry Brothers Jr. Keys explained toMTV News that the song is "about living every moment as if it's your last. Because if it's our last time to say, 'I love you,' then let it be that we didn't forget that."[2]
The song received critical acclaim. Nate Chinem fromNew York Times wrote that the song is "a distant cousin toPrince’s 'Purple Rain'."[3] J. Freedom du Lac fromWashington Post agreed, writing that "the sexy, Prince-ly track is by far the album's best track.[4] Rodney Dugue fromSpin wrote that the song is a "dreamy lullaby, where she ponders whether she'll be appreciated after a lover stops calling her name."[5]Edna Gundersen fromUSA Today praised the track, referring to it as an "instant and enchanting classic, where Keys simply dazzles, demonstrating her lock on the future regardless of the industry's fate."[6] Stephanie Merrit fromThe Observer called it a "sweet, caramel-smooth track."[7]
Nick Levine wrote forDigital Spy a very positive review, writing that it is "a smoochy, seductive soul ballad, built around a delicate, Oriental-sounding piano riff, it gives Keys plenty of chance to show off her breathy,Mariah-esque upper register. Best of all, like all Keys' most impressive moments, its melody has a timeless quality that allows it to transcend its modish R&B production."[8]
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" debuted at number 37 on theBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs as the Hot Shot debut of the week, jumping to number 22 in its second week, number 15 in its third week, and to then number nine in its fourth. After climbing to number three in its fifth week, the song reached number two in its sixth week, and then rose to number one in its ninth week, beating off Keys' own song "No One"; this made Keys the second artist since the R&B chart began usingNielsen SoundScan data in 1992 to succeed herself at number one, as "Like You'll Never See Me Again" jumped from number two to number one and traded places with "No One", which had topped the chart for 10 weeks. RapperNelly accomplished this feat in 2002 with "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma".[9] The song spent seven weeks atop the chart, after which it remained at number two for six weeks thereafter. As of the charting week of September 13, 2008, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" has remained on the chart for 45 consecutive weeks, all of them inside the top 50. Additionally, the song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year-end chart of 2008.[10] On theBillboard Hot 100, it debuted at number 93, jumped to number 45 in its second week, and subsequently peaked at number 12.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was released on February 25, 2008, in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 53 on theUK Singles Chart. In Australia, it debuted and peaked at number 77 on theARIA Singles Chart, number 44 on the Physical Singles Chart, and number 19 on the Urban Singles Chart the week of April 14, 2008.
The music video for "Like You'll Never See Me Again", directed byDiane Martel, features cameos byCommon (with whom Keys had previously worked with in the 2007 motion pictureSmokin' Aces) as Keys' love interest who is critically injured in a motorcycle accident and Keys' mother Terri Augello as a hospital medic. It tells the story backwards, and the viewer learns that the couple had been arguing. The video premiered on November 13, 2007, onMTV'sTotal Request Live andBET's106 & Park. It debuted at number two onVH1'sVSpot Top 20 Countdown on February 23, 2008. Keys described the video as "heart-wrenching. If your heart doesn't feel me, then you are dead!".[2]
^Like You'll Never See Me Again (European promotional CD Maxi-single liner notes).Alicia Keys.J Records. 2008. 88697 271712.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Like You'll Never See Me Again (Japanese promotional CD single liner notes).Alicia Keys.J Records,BMG. 2008. None.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
