James Arthur – Say You Won't Let Go Lyrics - Genius

2025, In ReviewFeaturedChartsVideosPromote Your MusicSign Up154Say You Won’t Let GoJames ArthurProducersAlex Beitzke, Bradley Spence & 1 moreTrack 2 onBack From The Edge Sep. 9, 20163 viewers5M views160 ContributorsTranslations

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Say You Won’t Let Go Lyrics

“Say You Won’t Let Go” is the first single from British singer-songwriter James Arthur’s second studio album, Back from the Edge. The song has peaked at No. 1 in several countries, including the United… Read More [Verse 1]I met you in the dark, you lit me upYou made me feel as though I was enoughWe danced the night away, we drank too muchI held your hair back when you were throwin' up[Pre-Chorus]Then you smiled over your shoulderFor a minute, I was stone-cold soberI pulled you closer to my chestAnd you asked me to stay overI said, "I already told yaI think that you should get some rest"[Chorus]I knew I loved you then, but you'd never know'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting goI knew I needed you, but I never showedBut I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old[Post-Chorus]Just say you won't let goJust say you won't let go[Verse 2]I'll wake you up with some breakfast in bedI'll bring you coffee with a kiss on your headAnd I'll take the kids to school, wave them goodbyeAnd I'll thank my lucky stars for that nightSee James Arthur LiveGet tickets as low as $80You might also like[Pre-Chorus]When you looked over your shoulderFor a minute, I'll forget that I'm olderI wanna dance with you right now, woahAnd you look as beautiful as everAnd I swear that every day, you'll get betterYou make me feel this way somehow[Chorus]I'm so in love with you, and I hope you knowDarlin', your love is more than worth its weight in goldWe've come so far, my dear, look how we've grownAnd I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old[Post-Chorus]Just say you won't let goJust say you won't let go[Bridge]I wanna live with you even when we're ghosts'Cause you were always there for me when I needed you most[Chorus]I'm gonna love you till my lungs give outI promise till death we part, like in our vowsSo I wrote this song for you, now everybody knowsThat it's just you and me till we're grey and old[Post-Chorus]Just say you won't let goJust say you won't let goJust say you won't let goOh, just say you won't let go154EmbedCancel

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AboutSong Bio5 contributors

“Say You Won’t Let Go” is the first single from British singer-songwriter James Arthur’s second studio album, Back from the Edge. The song has peaked at No. 1 in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Sweden.

The song’s tender lyrics talk about falling in love with someone at first sight, and wanting to grow old with them. He talks about enjoying and loving her when she is young, and still wanting to be with her when she is old and grey, just as long as she “won’t let go.”

To show how serious he is about his love for her, he even expresses the desire to be with her after they both die.

James Arthur recently explained that a lot of the song came from imagination. “I wanted to write the type of song that guys would want to play for their girlfriends.”

Arthur said of this:

[It’s] about looking at the future and spending your life with someone, even after death.

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Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Ask a questionWhat did James Arthur say about "Say You Won't Let Go"?Verified CommentaryJames ArthurGenius Answer2 contributors

The inspiration was to look at someone’s life and the path through it with a partner. Some of it is personal and some of it is inspired by people around me as well as imagining what life is like in other people’s relationships.

I love songwriting and it’s something I never stop thinking about and doing. There are influences in every part of my life and I loved writing songs and being given so much freedom to do so when I was writing for back Back From The Edge. We had about 60 songs and it was very difficult to get the track listing down to something sensible. I wanted a 30-track album.

+58What does James think about the "gray and old" part in the video?Verified CommentaryJames ArthurGenius Answer1 contributor

There is an old guy in the video that was just amazing. He’s an incredible actor. Do you remember the film Titanic, when you see those two old people and as the ship’s going down? The two old people are on the bed together, and you can see them just holding onto each other. I think that such a powerful image. I wanted to re-create that. So, I was thinking, when you see two people who have been together forever, that bond is so strong. There’s just lots of examples of people being in love in the video.

+43Where and when did James write this song?Verified CommentaryJames ArthurGenius Answer1 contributor

I wrote it in Los Angeles with a guy called Steve Solomon. It was just a day like any other. I was just doing back-to-back-to-back songwriting sessions, and I spoke to my A&R, and she was like, “Look bro. There’s not enough love songs on this album. It’s quite personal. Have a listen to some love songs and see if you can reinterpret a classic love song.” I was listening to some stuff. I thought, “Yeah this is cool. I’d like to try and be a little unconventional and not have the same chorus every time. And tell a story and try and make people feel like they’re getting the same chorus every time, but saying something different and developing the song and evolve the song and get to a point where you send it home at the end.”

I had a clear task in mind, where normally I just express myself. Trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together. It was one of the few songs that were really calculated. I never really calculate my songs very much, but this one I was definitely trying to achieve something.

+42Is there a Genius 'Verified' video for this track?Is there a live performance of "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur?Who produced “Say You Won't Let Go” by James Arthur?When did James Arthur release “Say You Won't Let Go”?Who wrote “Say You Won't Let Go” by James Arthur?Back From The Edge (2016)James Arthur

1. 1. Back from the Edge
2. 2. Say You Won’t Let Go
3. 3. Prisoner
4. 4. Can I Be Him
5. 5. I Am
6. 6. Train Wreck
7. 7. Safe Inside
8. 8. Sober
9. 9. Phoenix
10. 10. Let Me Love the Lonely
11. 11. Sermon
12. 12. Remember Who I Was
13. 13. Finally
14. 14. The Truth
15. 15. Skeletons
16. 16. If Only
17. 17. Coming Home For Summer

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