I Can't Turn You Loose

"I Can't Turn You Loose"
Song by Otis Redding
Released	1965
Genre	Soul
Length	2:46
Label	Atco
Writer(s)	Otis Redding
Language	English

"I Can't Turn You Loose" is a song written and first recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released as the B-side to his 1965 single "Just One More Day". The up-tempo song became a bigger hit on the US R&B chart than its A-side and has become one of Redding's signature songs and often appeared in his live performances.

In 1968, The Chambers Brothers version of this song reached #37 on the Billboard Magazine pop singles chart.

An instrumental version of the song was used by The Blues Brothers in their live performances to introduce "Joliet Jake" (John Belushi) and "Elwood" Blues (Dan Aykroyd). The song is played by the band in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. It did not appear on the soundtrack, but did appear as both the opening and closing tracks on their 1978 album Briefcase Full of Blues and on the soundtrack of Blues Brothers 2000.

Edgar Winter's White Trash recorded the song live on their Roadwork album.

Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her album Aretha (1980).

Etta James had the song on her second live album Etta, Red-Hot & Live (1982).

Jon English covered the song on his live album, Beating the Boards (1982)

The Booker T. & the MG's song "Time Is Tight" is very similar to "I Can't Turn You Loose", sharing the bassline, which was something of a "happy accident". Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Booker T. Jones have all acknowledged that this song inspired "Time Is Tight" in part. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are both members of the Blues Brothers Band and Booker T. & The MG's. Booker T. & the MG's were also the Stax house band and collaborated with and played behind Otis Redding on the studio version of this song.

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