Can't Shake Loose
| "Can't Shake Loose" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Picture sleeve for European releases | ||||
| Single by Agnetha Fältskog | ||||
| from the album Wrap Your Arms Around Me | ||||
| B-side | "To Love" | |||
| Released | 13 August 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Studio | Polar Music Studios (Stockholm) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:22 (album version) 3:15 (AOR remix/US single edit) 3:54 (D.J. version) | |||
| Label | Polar | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Russ Ballard | |||
| Producer(s) | Mike Chapman | |||
| Agnetha Fältskog singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Can't Shake Loose" on YouTube | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Can’t Shake Loose (D.J. Version)" on YouTube | ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 US picture sleeve | ||||
"Can't Shake Loose" is a song by Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog from her seventh studio (and first english) album, Wrap Your Arms Around Me (1983). The song was written by Russ Ballard, who also wrote the successful "I Know There's Something Going On" for Faltskog's ABBA colleague Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida). It was released as Faltskog's debut single on 13 August 1983 in the United States, by Polydor Records, and 7 October internationally through Polar Music as the album's third single.
"Can't Shake Loose" proved received generally positive reviews from music critics and radio programmers, highlighting it to become a worldwide hit. It was successful on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 29, making it her only Top 40 hit in that country, additionally peaking at number 23 in Canada. As usual, Fältskog did only limited promotion, although she appeared on American television in August to promote her single. In the UK and Australia, however, the track charted modestly, both reaching number 63 and 76, respectively.
Music video
Agnetha filmed a promotional video for the track, in which she portrayed a worried and nervous girlfriend of a rich and powerful man, played by Mikael Rickfors. She also drove a Porsche in the clip. The video is unusual for the time as Agnetha does not mime the lyrics to the song during the clip, with the exception of the "I don't want to stay here" bridge.
Reception
WBAX's program director, Paul Christie, commented that the song "has more hooks than a tackle box", viewing it as a "universal appeal" to become an worldwide hit.[1]
Charts
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] | 76 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] | 24 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] | 23 |
| France (SNEP)[5] | 42 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 63 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 29 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[8] | 32 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 13 August 1983 | Polydor |
|
[9] |
| Japan | 21 August 1983 | Discomate | 7-inch vinyl | [10] |
| Various | 7 October 1983 | Polar | [11] | |
| United Kingdom | Epic |
|
[12] | |
| Australia | RCA Victor | 7-inch vinyl | [11] |
References
- ^ "Out of the Box: Hot 100/AC" (PDF). Billboard. 27 August 1983. p. 14. Retrieved 14 August 2025 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Agnetha Fältskog – Can't Shake Loose" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4365." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "France". Home.zipworld.com.au. 13 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ "Agnetha Fältskog Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Slater, Andrew (1 September 1983). "After ABBA: Conquering the New World with pop". USA Today. p. 30. Retrieved 5 February 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ (booklet). Agnetha Fältskog. Discomate. 21 August 1983. DSP-227.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "Agnetha Fältskog - Can't Shake Loose". Ultratop. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Music Week Magazine 1983-10-01" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Music Week. 1 October 1983. p. 24. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
