One Sweet Day
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| “One Sweet Day” | |||||
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| Single by Mariah Carey featuring Boyz II Men from the album Daydream |
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| Released | November 14, 1995 (U.S.) November 19, 1995 (UK) | ||||
| Format | CD single, CD maxi single, cassette single, cassette maxi single, 7" single, 12" single | ||||
| Genre | Pop, R&B | ||||
| Length | 4:41 | ||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||
| Writer(s) | Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, Wanya Morris, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Michael McCary | ||||
| Producer | Walter Afanasieff, Mariah Carey | ||||
| Certification | 2x platinum (RIAA) | ||||
| Mariah Carey singles chronology | |||||
| "Fantasy" (1995) |
"One Sweet Day" (1995) |
"Open Arms" (1996) |
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| Boyz II Men singles chronology | |||||
| "Vibin'" (1995) |
"One Sweet Day" (1995) |
"I Remember" (1996) |
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| Daydream track listing | |||||
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| #1's track listing | |||||
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| Greatest Hits (CD #2) track listing | |||||
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| The Ballad Collection track listing | |||||
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"One Sweet Day" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey and quartet Boyz II Men and co-written by Carey, Walter Afanasieff and Boyz II Men members Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Michael McCary. It was co-produced by Carey and Afanasieff for Carey's sixth album Daydream, and was released as the album's second single in 1995 (see 1995 in music). It holds the record for the longest run at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (16 weeks total), and is one of the biggest hits of both Carey's and Boyz II Men's careers.
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[edit] About the record
"One Sweet Day" was inspired by the death of producer and C+C Music Factory member David Cole, as well as Mariah's “Guitar Legend,” Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark, in 1991. While brainstorming with Boyz II Men on a possible collaboration, the diva discovered that the group had written a tribute to their manager who was murdered while they were on tour. Her song plus theirs became “One Sweet Day.” David Cole worked with Mariah Carey on her two previous albums, including her 'MTV Unplugged' album. During this period, she had arranged to record a song with Boyz II Men. This is also one of the songs that Carey uses to showcase the power of her voice on her Daydream album.[1]
In terms of Billboard magazine charts, 'The song is the most successful single for both Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men'. The protagonists lament the deaths of friends, but say that they will be together again "one sweet day". The single's video, directed by Larry Jordan, is made up of footage showing Carey and Boyz II Men writing and recording the song in the studio, as it was difficult for both Boyz II Men and Carey to schedule a time to film a video.
There are no major remixes of the song, but there is a Chuck Thompson-produced remix, "One Sweet Day" (Chucky's remix), which gives the song a slightly more R&B feel. An a cappella version of the song, known as the "Sweet a cappella", features slightly different vocal arrangements and a new intro which also serves as a counter melody throughout the song.
[edit] Television References
This song is referenced in an episode of the MTV show Daria, The Misery Chick (#113). Principal Angela Li says, "can someone get him out of here so we can sing "One Sweet Day."
[edit] Reception
The single became Carey's tenth number-one single on the Hot 100 and Boyz II Men's fourth, remaining at the peak for a record-breaking sixteen weeks from November 26, 1995 to March 16, 1996. Boyz II Men had previously held this record twice, with "End of the Road" (1992) spending thirteen weeks at the top and "I'll Make Love to You" (1994) spending fourteen. (The former song shares this record with Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine", and the latter song shared its record with Whitney Houston's cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".) "One Sweet Day" replaced "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston at number one, and was replaced by Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me".
The single also debuted at number one, making Carey the first artist to have more than one number-one debut, and also the only artist ever to have two consecutive singles debut at number one. The single spent twenty-six weeks in the top forty, was certified two times platinum by the RIAA, and ranked number two on the Hot 100 1996 year-end charts. Despite its success in the United States, it was not as big a hit elsewhere as previous Carey singles such as "Fantasy" (1995), the first release from Daydream. It failed to top any chart outside the U.S aside of New Zealand's, but was a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and Canada. It had some success across Continental Europe, but failed to match the success of "Fantasy". However it did reach number 1 on the United World Chart staying there for 6 weeks. It ranked #5 at the end of the year chart. It was Boyz II Men's biggest success outside the U.S. since "End of the Road", and was later included on their greatest hits release Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection (2001).
The song became MTV Asia Hitlist's longest number single, topping the charts for a record-breaking 11 weeks. Carey broke her own record with 2005's 'We Belong Together."
"One Sweet Day" was nominated for the 1996 Grammy Awards for "Record of the Year" and "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals", losing both categories. As two of the top nominees at the 1996 Grammy Awards, Carey and Boyz II Men were invited to perform, and sang "One Sweet Day". Carey began the evening happily as she had been nominated for six Grammys that night. "One Sweet Day" was the current #1 record on the Hot 100 at that time, and the following morning it was announced that it had just broken the record set by Whitney Houston, giving Mariah a "consolation prize".
[edit] Audio samples
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"One Sweet Day" - Problems playing the files? See media help.
[edit] Track listings
- US CD maxi single
- "One Sweet Day" (Album Version)
- "One Sweet Day" (Sweet A Cappella)
- "One Sweet Day" (A Cappella)
- "One Sweet Day" (Chucky's Remix)
- "One Sweet Day" (Live Version)
- "Fantasy" (Def Drums Mix)
- UK CD maxi single
- "One Sweet Day" (album version)
- "Fantasy" (Def Drums mix)
- "Joy to the World" (Celebration mix)
- "Joy to the World" (club mix)
- European CD single
- "One Sweet Day" (Album Version)
- "One Sweet Day" (Live Version)
- European CD maxi single
- "One Sweet Day" (Album Version)
- "One Sweet Day" (Sweet A Cappella)
- "One Sweet Day" (A Cappella)
- "One Sweet Day" (Chucky's Remix)
- "One Sweet Day" (Live Version)
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
No. of chart topper | |||
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| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 (16 weeks) | 10th (Carey) 4th (Boyz II Men) |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks | 2 | — | |||
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 (13 weeks) | 6th (Carey) | |||
| U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 | 1 (11 weeks) | 13th (Carey) 6th (Boyz II Men) |
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| United World Chart | 1 (6 weeks) | — | |||
| Israeli Singles Chart | 1 (2 weeks) | — | |||
| New Zealand | 1 (2 weeks) | — | |||
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 2 | — | |||
| Canadian Singles Chart | 2 | — | |||
| French Singles Chart | 5 | — | |||
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 6 | — | |||
| UK Singles Chart | 6 | — | |||
| Swiss Singles Chart | 12 | — | |||
| Italian Singles Chart | 23 | — | |||
| German Singles Chart | 25 | — | Maryland Historica 20 | 2 | — |
| Preceded by "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single December 2, 1995- March 16, 1996 |
Succeeded by "Because You Loved Me" by Céline Dion |
| Preceded by "Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio featuring L.V. |
RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single 22 December 1995 - 19 January 1996 |
Succeeded by "How Bizarre" by OMC |
| Preceded by "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio |
United World Chart number one single January 27, 1996 – March 2, 1996 |
Succeeded by "Missing by Everything but the Girl |
