"Like You'll Never See Me Again" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her third studio album As I Am (2007). Written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr., it was first heard on October 25, 2007, on Atlanta's V103 WVEE radio station. Subsequently, it was released as the second single from As I Am on January 22, 2008, by J Records.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was written and produced by Keys and Kerry Brothers Jr. Keys explained to MTV News that the song is "about living every moment as if it's your last. Because if it's our last time to say, 'I love you,' then let it be that we didn't forget that."[2]
The song received critical acclaim. Nate Chinem from New York Times wrote that the song is "a distant cousin to Prince’s 'Purple Rain'."[3] J. Freedom du Lac from Washington Post agreed, writing that "the sexy, Prince-ly track is by far the album's best track.[4] Rodney Dugue from Spin wrote that the song is a "dreamy lullaby, where she ponders whether she'll be appreciated after a lover stops calling her name."[5]Edna Gundersen from USA Today praised the track, referring to it as an "instant and enchanting classic, where Keys simply dazzles, demonstrating her lock on the future regardless of the industry's fate."[6] Stephanie Merrit from The Observer called it a "sweet, caramel-smooth track."[7]
Nick Levine wrote for Digital Spy a very positive review, writing that it is "a smoochy, seductive soul ballad, built around a delicate, Oriental-sounding piano riff, it gives Keys plenty of chance to show off her breathy, Mariah-esque upper register. Best of all, like all Keys' most impressive moments, its melody has a timeless quality that allows it to transcend its modish R&B production."[8]
Commercial performance
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" debuted at number 37 on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs as the Hot Shot debut of the week, jumping to number 22 in its second week, number 15 in its third week, and to then number nine in its fourth. After climbing to number three in its fifth week, the song reached number two in its sixth week, and then rose to number one in its ninth week, beating off Keys' own song "No One"; this made Keys the second artist since the R&B chart began using Nielsen SoundScan data in 1992 to succeed herself at number one, as "Like You'll Never See Me Again" jumped from number two to number one and traded places with "No One", which had topped the chart for 10 weeks. Rapper Nelly accomplished this feat in 2002 with "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma".[9] The song spent seven weeks atop the chart, after which it remained at number two for six weeks thereafter. As of the charting week of September 13, 2008, "Like You'll Never See Me Again" has remained on the chart for 45 consecutive weeks, all of them inside the top 50. Additionally, the song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year-end chart of 2008.[10] On the Billboard Hot 100, it debuted at number 93, jumped to number 45 in its second week, and subsequently peaked at number 12.
"Like You'll Never See Me Again" was released on February 25, 2008, in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart. In Australia, it debuted and peaked at number 77 on the ARIA Singles Chart, number 44 on the Physical Singles Chart, and number 19 on the Urban Singles Chart the week of April 14, 2008.
Music video
The music video for "Like You'll Never See Me Again", directed by Diane Martel, features cameos by Common (with whom Keys had previously worked with in the 2007 motion picture Smokin' Aces) as Keys' love interest who is critically injured in a motorcycle accident and Keys' mother Terri Augello as a hospital medic. It tells the story backwards, and the viewer learns that the couple had been arguing. The video premiered on November 13, 2007, on MTV's Total Request Live and BET's 106 & Park. It debuted at number two on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown on February 23, 2008. Keys described the video as "heart-wrenching. If your heart doesn't feel me, then you are dead!".[2]
^Like You'll Never See Me Again (European promotional CD Maxi-single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records. 2008. 88697 271712.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Like You'll Never See Me Again (Japanese promotional CD single liner notes). Alicia Keys. J Records, BMG. 2008. None.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
