About the song
Few country voices are as commanding or emotionally resonant as Trace Adkins. With a baritone that seems carved from stone and soaked in sorrow, Adkins has made a career out of singing the kind of songs that speak to the heart’s hardest truths. “I Should Let You Go” is a prime example—a deeply introspective track that explores the torment of holding on to a love that no longer serves either person.
Released as part of his 2013 album Love Will…, “I Should Let You Go” is a ballad wrapped in pain and reluctant clarity. It’s not the dramatic heartbreak of sudden loss; rather, it’s the slow, aching realization that love—once fiery and real—has faded into something more burdensome than beautiful. The song doesn’t shout or plead. Instead, it sighs. It confesses. It acknowledges that sometimes, the most loving thing one can do is to say goodbye.
Musically, the track is understated, allowing Adkins’ gravelly voice to take center stage. The instrumentation is soft, steady, and contemplative—a gentle piano line here, a steel guitar twang there—mirroring the emotional restraint of someone who has come to terms with a hard truth. The lyrics walk a tightrope between strength and vulnerability, with Adkins delivering each line as though he’s lived every word.
Lines like “But I can’t take your love, and I can’t let you go” linger long after the song ends. It’s a portrait of emotional paralysis—knowing the right thing, but not having the strength to act on it. That’s what makes the song so relatable. We’ve all been there, in that quiet war between heart and mind.
“I Should Let You Go” isn’t just a breakup song—it’s a reflection on love’s complexities, on emotional dependency, and on the courage it takes to release someone you still care for. It’s Trace Adkins at his most raw and most human, and it deserves to be heard with full attention—and maybe a tissue close by.
Video
Lyrics
Hey, it sounds like I woke you up
Is it really 3 A.M.?
I couldn’t sleep for missing you again
Oh, you know me, I’ll be okay
Are you liking San Antone?
You’re right, it’s late
I should let you go
One of these days
What we had
Won’t hurt so bad, I’m just healing slow
I’ll find a way
To just turn loose
Of the only true love I’ve known
I’ve kept you too long
I should let you go
I came across a photograph
In the glovebox of my car
The memory caught in that snapshot stopped my heart
February 14th, you’re wearing the ring
Your yes is one minute old
Well I’m rambling on
I should let you go
One of these days
What we had
Won’t hurt so bad, I’m just healing slow
I’ll find a way
To just turn loose
Of the only true love I’ve known
I’ve kept you too long
I should let you go
Did I hear a voice whisper your name?
I thought you’d be alone
Sounds like you’ve moved on
I should let you go
Girl, I’ve held on too long
I should let you go