1982 Hit Named ‘Most Complex Pop Song of All Time,’ Still Blows Minds Today

A track that was released 43 years ago this month was celebrated for being one of the most remarkable pop songs ever released. An experienced musician has named 'Never Gonna Let You Go' by Sérgio Mendes the "most complex pop song of all time."

What Makes Sérgio Mendes’ 'Never Gonna Let You Go' So Complex?

In April 1983, Sérgio Mendes became the third artist to release a version of the song 'Never Gonna Let You Go,' following Dionne Warwick and Stevie Woods. After reaching the Billboard Hot 100 that same month, his version of the track would go on to peak at No. 4 in July 1983, and spent 23 weeks on the chart in total. The song became the focus of a video dedicated to what made it so complex in June 2021, a few years before Mendes sadly passed away in September 2024.

Rick Beatois an expert musician who earned a bachelor's degree in music from Ithaca College and a master's degree in jazz studies from the New England Conservatory of Music. He also runs a self-titled YouTube channel where he published a discussion about what makes 'Never Gonna Let You Go' such a special track.

In his video, Beato began by describing how blown away he was by the song the first time he heard it when he and a fellow musician were trying to learn how to play it. "We figure, oh, we can learn any song. No problem. We're jazz guys, right? So, she starts playing this song, and I'm like, 'Yeah. Oh, that's weird. Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait, wait.'" He went on to describe repeatedly pausing and rewinding the track just so he could try to digest what he was listening to.

In his video, Beato noted several elements of the song that make it such a complicated piece of music. For example, he noted that it boasts a staggering number of key changes. “You don’t even notice that it changes keys like a hundred times in there.” He also brought up that, unlike most pop songs, it has a non-repetitive structure and that the chord progression keeps rising during each section of the song.

Despite its complex nature, Beato noted how easy it is to miss how musically impressive the song is. “That is the most complicated hit song of all time, the most complex chord progression, yet when you listen to it, you’re just like, 'Yeah, okay, yeah.' It just goes by. You don’t even realize that it’s changing keys like every other beat.”

Here is Rick Beato's full video breaking down 'Never Gonna Let You Go.'

During his career, Sérgio Mendes became an iconic performer due to his immense talents. However, it is important to note that 'Never Gonna Let You Go' was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. The longtime couple also co-wrote songs like 'You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,' 'On Broadway,' 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place,' 'I Just Can’t Help Believing,' and 'Don’t Know Much.'

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