Will You Be There
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| “Will You Be There” | ||||||||||||||
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| Single by Michael Jackson from the album Dangerous |
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| B-side | "Man in the Mirror" "Girlfriend" |
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| Released | July 1993 | |||||||||||||
| Format | CD single | |||||||||||||
| Recorded | 1991 | |||||||||||||
| Genre | R&B/Ballad | |||||||||||||
| Length | 7:35 (Album version) 5:22 (Edit) 3:39 (Radio edit) |
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| Label | Epic Records | |||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Michael Jackson | |||||||||||||
| Producer | Michael Jackson Bruce Swedien |
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| Certification | Gold (RIAA) | |||||||||||||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||||||||||||
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"Will You Be There" is a song by Michael Jackson which was released as a single in 1993. The single was taken from the 1991 album Dangerous and also appeared on the soundtrack to Free Willy.
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[edit] Song information
The song became one of the bigger hits from Dangerous, staying in the top 40 for over six weeks in the UK. The single achieved even greater success in the U.S., where it sold over 500,000 copies and stayed in the top 10 for six weeks, peaking at number 7 and later being certified Gold.[1] In Europe, the single reached number one in the MTV Eurochart, though it missed the top 10 in many of the other European charts, including Germany and France. The single has sold 1,050,000 copies worldwide.[2]
[edit] Lyrics and composition
The songs starts with a prelude of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor performed by the Cleveland Orchestra. The lyrics depict the general struggle of living. It is considered to be one of his most complex songs with fans and critics alike speculating on its true meaning.
[edit] Music video
The video was a mix of footage from Free Willy, the Dangerous World Tour and Jackson's performance of the song at MTV's 10th anniversary show in 1991. Audio is dubbed from the soundtrack.
[edit] Awards
"Will You Be There" won the MTV Movie Award for "Best Song in a Movie" in 1994. It was also included in the album All Time Greatest Movie Songs, released by Sony in 1999.
[edit] Track listing
- "Will You Be There" (Edit) – 5:22
- "Man in the Mirror" – 5:15
- "Girlfriend" – 3:04
- "Will You Be There" (Album version) – 7:40
[edit] Mixes
- Album version – 7:40
- Edit – 5:22
- Radio edit – 3:39
- Instrumental - 3:25[3]
[edit] Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 53 |
| Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 5 |
[edit] Credits
- Written and composed by Michael Jackson.
- Produced by Michael Jackson.
- Co-produced by Bruce Swedien.
- Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien and Matt Forger.
- Solo and background vocals: Michael Jackson.
- Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Greg Phillinganes.
- Orchestra arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel.
- Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson.
- Choir arrangement by Andrae and Sandra Crouch, featuring the Andrae Crouch Singers.
- Keyboards: Greg Phillinganes and Brad Buxer.
- Synthesizers: Michael Boddicker.
- Synthesizers and synthesizer programming: Rhett Lawrence.
- Drums and percussion: Brad Buxer and Bruce Swedien.
- Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa.
- Prelude: Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Opus 125: Presto.
- Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.
- Directed by Robert Shaw.
- Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra.
- Conducted by George Szell.
- Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.
[edit] References
- ^ HIStory: 1990's. Official Michael Jackson site. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
- ^ Chart Action Wanted. MJJ Charts. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
- ^ THE JACKSONFAMILY-DATABASE - Michael Jackson
[edit] External links
- "Will You Be There" - An Ode to Song - exploratory theories behind the "true" meaning of the song.
- Lyrics at AllMichaelJackson.com
- Michael Jackson "Will You Be There" Collection
- Official YouTube video
