Until It's Gone (Monica song)

"Until It's Gone" was written and produced by Missy Elliott, Cainon Lamb, and Jazmine Sullivan, all of which had contributed to Monica's previous singles "Everything to Me" and "Anything (To Find You)", with additional writing by Anthony Randolph. It contains elements of both The Spinners' 1975 record "I Don't Want to Lose You", penned by Thomas Bell and Linda Epstein, and Boogie Down Productions' 1987 song "9mm Goes Bang", written by band members Lawrence "KRS-One" Parker, and Scott "La Rock" Sterling. == Critical reception ==

"Until It's Gone" received generally mixed to positive reviews by music critics. AllMusic editor Matt Collar called the song an "anthemic ballad", benefiting from Elliott's "slick but straightforward productions that mix a deft synth and drum program studio vibe with a warm, overall earthy vibe." Mark Edward Nero from About.com felt that "Until It's Gone" gave "a few hints where Monica might be headed", and added: "The song, which has a strong piano-based melody, is a lot more sophisticated and melodically complex than anything she recorded during her The Boy is Mine days in the '90s". Music blog DJBooth.net remarked that the "heart-wrenching ballad finds heavyweight femcee Missy Elliott and co-producer Lamb once again working their magic behind the boards. Pairing reverb-drenched percussion with delicate piano chords, the collaborators craft an appropriately poignant backdrop for Monica’s soulful (and rather blunt) entreaties." Bianca Roach, writer for news agency Associated Press, felt that "sophisticated killer ballad "Until It's Gone" is proof Monica hasn't lost that golden voice." She remarked that "the raw pain in her voice hits home to give you goosebumps all over". ThatGrapeJuice.net felt that the song was sticking to her tried-and-true formula of previous midtempo singles "So Gone" and "Everything to Me" and wrote that it "showcases the Monica fans have grown to know and love – sass, simplicity, and heartfelt vocal delivery." In her track-by-track review of New Life, Billboard magazine writer Erika Ramirez noted, "the 'You Don't Know What You Got Till It's Gone' anthem is laced with The Spinners "I Don't Want to Lose You" and Boogie Down Productions' "9 MM Goes Bang." The cut stands the best chance of breaking out amid the filler-heavy material here". Less empathetic with its production, Slant Magazine writer Jonathan Keefe found that "Missy Elliott brings nothing more to the ballad than a pedestrian beat and chintzy quiet-storm keyboards," while Tuyet Nguyen of The A.V. Club commented that "even catchy tunes, like the Missy Elliott-produced "Until It's Gone," only register for a moment before disappearing again into the recesses of the album. ==Music video==

Background in a sequence from the "Until It's Gone" video The music video for "Until It's Gone" was directed by Diane Martel, and largely filmed in the Harlem neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan on October 3, 2011. The video marked Martel and Monica's first collaboration since 1999's "Angel of Mine". Reception The video was generally well–received by critics. PopCrush remarked that "Monica is certainly bringing the drama with her new video. All and all, the singer is relaying a valuable life message throughout the clip — love the one you’re with and don’t cheat on your spouse. We can dig it." Music blog ThatGrapeJuice.net wrote that "similar to the offerings of Still Standing, Mo continues to weave compelling storylines with heartfelt/emotional vocal deliveries. In an age where so many succumb to the pressures of the music industry’s tyrant electropop, Mrs. Brown stands as proof that staying true to oneself yields more long term satisfaction (and fan approval) than a minor iTunes top 10." Rap-Up magazine commended to "grab the Kleenex 'cause this one’s a tearjerker", while SoulCulture declared the clip a "deeply emotive video". ==Credits and personnel==

• Composer – Melissa Elliott, Cainon Lamb, Jazmine Sullivan, Anthony Randoplh, Thomas Bell, Linda Epstein, Scott Sterling, Lawrence Parker • Production – Missy Elliott, Cainon "Lambo" Lamb • Additional keyboards – Anthony "J.R. Smashh" Randolph • Engineering – Miguel "Pro" Castro • Mixing – Manny Marroquin • Mixing assistance – Erik Madrid, Chris Galland ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Release history==