I Wanna Hold On to You

"I Wanna Hold On to You"
"I Wanna Hold On to You"
Single by Mica Paris
from the album Whisper a Prayer
B-side	"Say You Will"
Released	24 May 1993
Studio	Tarpan (San Rafael, California)
Length	4:16
Label	4th & B'way
Songwriter(s)	Narada Michael Walden; Mica Paris; Sally Jo Dakota;
Producer(s)	Narada Michael Walden; Mike Mani;
Mica Paris singles chronology
Music video
	"I Wanna Hold on to You" on YouTube

"I Wanna Hold on to You" is a song by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris, released in May 1993 by 4th & B'way as the second single from her third studio album, Whisper a Prayer (1993). Co-written by Paris with Narada Michael Walden and Sally Jo Dakota, it peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart and number five on Music Week's Dance Singles chart. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American artist, photographer, director and creative director Matthew Rolston. It was later made available by VEVO on YouTube in 2018.^[3]

Critical reception

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton described the song as a "fairly standard piece of Brit soul".^[4] Alan Jones from Music 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 from NME wrote, "Standard understated and impossibly unimaginative soul groove."^[6] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update described it as "EnVogue-ish" and "slinky".^[7] Damon Albarn and Alex James of Blur reviewed the song for Smash Hits, giving it five out of five. Albarn said that "she definitely sounds more and more like Anita 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]

Track listings

CD

Europe^[2]^[9]^[10]

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

12-inch

UK^[11]

Side one
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

Side two
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.

Side one
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

Side two
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

7-inch

Netherlands^[13]

Side one
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

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Say You Will"	Phil Edwards	Mica Paris	5:10

Personnel

Personnel are obtained from the Whisper a Prayer liner notes.^[2]

Performance credits

Lead vocals – Mica Paris
Background vocals – Mica Paris

Instruments

Guitar – Vernon 'Ice' Black
Keyboards – Mike Mani
Bass synth – Narada Michael Walden

Technical and production

Arrangement – Narada Michael Walden
Songwriters – Narada Michael Walden, Sally Jo Dakota, Mica Paris
Engineering – Marc 'Elvis' Reyburn
Engineering assistants – Jeff 'G' Gray
Mastering – Bernie Grundman
Mixing – David 'Frazeman' Frazer
Production – Narada Michael Walden, Mike Mani
Programming – Mike Mani

Charts

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
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[20]	46
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)^[21]	54

References

^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 May 1993. p. 21.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Whisper a Prayer (CD booklet). Mica Paris. 4th & B'way Records. 1993.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Mica Paris - I Wanna Hold On To You". YouTube. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
^ Masterton, James (30 May 1993). "Week Ending June 5th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
^ Jones, Alan (29 May 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 11. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
^ McCann, Ian (29 May 1993). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
^ Hamilton, James (29 May 1993). "Djdirectory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
^ Albarn, Damon; James, Alex (12 May 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 48. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
^ "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". Discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "I Wanna Hold on To You". Spotify. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 25. 19 June 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 30. 24 July 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
^ "Mica Paris: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
^ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 12 June 1993. p. 16. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 June 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 29 May 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
^ "Mica Paris Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Mica Paris Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard.

[1] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 May 1993. p. 21.

[AlbumNotes-2] Whisper a Prayer (CD booklet). Mica Paris. 4th & B'way Records. 1993.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[3] "Mica Paris - I Wanna Hold On To You". YouTube. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2021.

[4] Masterton, James (30 May 1993). "Week Ending June 5th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 11 September 2021.

[5] Jones, Alan (29 May 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 11. Retrieved 26 March 2021.

[6] McCann, Ian (29 May 1993). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

[7] Hamilton, James (29 May 1993). "Djdirectory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2021.

[8] Albarn, Damon; James, Alex (12 May 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 48. Retrieved 10 December 2022.

[Discogs_CD_EU-9] "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". Discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[Spotify-10] "I Wanna Hold on To You". Spotify. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[Discogs_12_UK-11] "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[Discogs_12_US-12] "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[Discogs_7_NED-13] "Mica Paris – I Wanna Hold on To You". discogs. Retrieved 15 August 2017.

[14] "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 25. 19 June 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 24 March 2024.

[15] "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 30. 24 July 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 5 November 2021.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Mica_Paris-16] "Mica Paris: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.

[17] "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 12 June 1993. p. 16. Retrieved 30 April 2024.

[18] "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 June 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 9 April 2021.

[19] "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 29 May 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Mica_Paris-20] "Mica Paris Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphopairplay_Mica_Paris-21] "Mica Paris Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard.

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v t e Mica Paris
Studio albums	So Good Contribution Whisper a Prayer Black Angel Born Again Gospel
Singles	"My One Temptation" "Like Dreamers Do" "Breathe Life into Me" "Where Is the Love" "Contribution" "If I Love U 2 Nite" "I Never Felt Like This Before" "I Wanna Hold On to You" "One" "Stay" "Tracks of My Tears" "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
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