| "I Wanna Hold On to You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byMica Paris | ||||
| from the albumWhisper a Prayer | ||||
| B-side | "Say You Will" | |||
| Released | 24 May 1993 (1993-05-24)[1] | |||
| Studio | Tarpan (San Rafael, California)[2] | |||
| Length | 4:16 | |||
| Label | 4th & B'way | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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| Mica Paris singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "I Wanna Hold on to You" onYouTube | ||||
"I Wanna Hold on to You" is a song by British singer-songwriterMica Paris, released in May 1993 by4th & B'way as the second single from her third studio album,Whisper a Prayer (1993). Co-written by Paris withNarada Michael Walden and Sally Jo Dakota, it peaked at number 27 on theUK Singles Chart and number five onMusic Week's Dance Singles chart. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American artist, photographer, director and creative directorMatthew Rolston. It was later made available byVEVO onYouTube in 2018.[3]
In his weekly UK chart commentary,James Masterton described the song as a "fairly standard piece ofBrit soul".[4] Alan Jones fromMusic Week felt that after the massive "I Never Felt Like This Before", "Mica Paris tackles a less flowing, looser and altogether jazzier song. Vocally superb, but lacking the commercial appeal of the aforementioned single, "I Wanna Hold On to You" is likely to peter out a good 10 or so places lower."[5] Ian McCann fromNME wrote, "Standard understated and impossibly unimaginative soul groove."[6]James Hamilton from theRecord Mirror Dance Update described it as "EnVogue-ish" and "slinky".[7]Damon Albarn andAlex James ofBlur reviewed the song forSmash Hits, giving it five out of five. Albarn said that "she definitely sounds more and more likeAnita Baker the more records she puts out." He added, "Mica is a really sexy woman, it's sexy music. It gives me the horn. It's energetic and sexy."[8]
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| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Absolute radio mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | Absolute | 3:49 |
| 2. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (album version edit) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | Narada Michael Walden, Mike Mani | 4:16 |
| 3. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (old school mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | S & P Jervier | 5:24 |
| 4. | "Say You Will" | Mica Paris | 5:10 |
UK 12-inch[11]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Absolute club mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | Absolute | |
| 2. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (album mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | Narada Michael Walden, Mike Mani | 4:16 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Dirty Drum mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | S & P Jervier | |
| 2. | "Say You Will" | Mica Paris | 5:10 |
US[12]
All tracks are written by Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota.
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (album mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mike Mani | 4:16 |
| 2. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Dirty Drum mix) | S & P Jervier |
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Absolute remix) | Absolute | |
| 2. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Absolute instrumental) | Absolute |
Netherlands 7-inch[13]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wanna Hold On to You" (Absolute radio mix) | Narada Michael Walden, Mica Paris, Sally Jo Dakota | Absolute |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Say You Will" | Phil Edwards | Mica Paris | 5:10 |
Personnel are obtained from theWhisper a Prayer liner notes.[2]
Performance credits
Instruments
| Technical and production
|
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] | 83 |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[15] | 2 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[16] | 27 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[17] | 39 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[18] | 5 |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week)[19] | 11 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] | 46 |
| USR&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[21] | 54 |
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