"Release (The Tension)" is a song recorded and released by singer
Patti LaBelle as a single on the
Epic label in 1980. The title track of LaBelle's fourth solo album, Released. It was written and produced by renowned New Orleans funk musician
Allen Toussaint. LaBelle recorded the song in
mid-range as the song produced a
post-disco dance groove. The single failed to hit the Billboard Hot 100 and barely hit the R&B charts where it peaked at number 61 while it peaked at number 48 on the dance singles chart. It had some bigger success internationally reaching the top 20 on the
Dutch charts. As a result of that success, LaBelle promoted the song on Dutch TV in the fall of that year.