Avril Lavigne - Never Let Go (2001)

This collection, also known as 'Let Go: B-Sides', is a promotional album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, which was intended to be distributed before her debut studio album 'Let Go' was issued by Arista Records in 2002. The compilation contains demos and original tracks that were written and produced in 2001, under the management of Nettwerk in Los Angeles, along with her post manager Clifford Fabri, the production team the Matrix, and songwriter Cliff Magness. It was Arista's idea to send her to Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk, in an attempt to fit her image and attitude with her voice, and although she would release 'Let Go' through Arista, she continued with Nettwerk for her management. Some songs were eventually released by Arista, but they differ from these versions, with the demo of 'I Don't Give' being an explicit version in which Lavigne sings "I don't give a damn/I don't give a shit", whereas the clean version, in which she sings "I don't give it up/I don't give a damn", appeared as a b-side on some formats of Lavigne's debut single 'Complicated', as well as on the 'American Wedding' soundtrack. 'Why' also appears as a b-side on some formats of 'Complicated', along with 'I Don't Give', and is also included as the only studio track on a live album that comes with the DVD 'Avril Lavigne: My World'. 'Get Over It' is included as a b-side for some releases of Lavigne's second single 'Sk8er Boi', where she sings 'Don't turn around, I'm sick and I'm tired of your face', whereas here she sings 'Don't turn around, or you will get punched in the face' in the this version. Lavigne recorded two songs called 'Take Me Away', and the one on this album is completely different to the one on her 2004 album 'Under My Skin'. 'Falling Into History' was covered by Brie Larson in 2005, while 'Falling Down' is featured on the soundtrack for the 2002 film 'Sweet Home Alabama'. A different version of 'Things I'll Never Say' made the tracklist of the final 'Let Go' album, although despite the record being named after the song, 'Let Go' itself was not included on the album. It doesn't seem that this CD was ever intended to be released to the public, but was a way for Arista to gauge their reaction to her music before committing to an album. It seems to have worked, with 'Let Go', and particularly the 'Sk8er Boi' single, being the start of a significant career for the singer, so here are those early demos now retitled and housed in new artwork.  

Track listing

01 I Don't Give (demo version)
02 Why
03 Get Over It (demo version)
04 Take Me Away
05 Headset
06 Falling Into History
07 Falling Down
08 Tomorrow You Didn't
09 Things I'll Never Say (demo version)
10 All You Will Never Know
11 Once And For Real
12 Make Up
13 Not The Only One
14 Stay (Be The One)
15 Move Your Little Self On
16 You Never Satisfy Me
17 Let Go