Despite the song being remixed for single release, "Don't Give It Up" became Lemar's first song to miss the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart since the release of his debut, "Got Me Saying Ooh", in 2001.

The song spent only four weeks within the UK top 75.

The song was inspired by a woman Lemar met outside a school near Tottenham, his father's home.

Lemar and the woman spoke about their relationship and the situation regarding sexuality.

He explained to her that if he truly loved and cared for her, he would wait and be patient and she should not feel the need to rush into anything that she did not want to get herself into.