"Save The Best for Last" | ||||
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Single by Vanessa Williams | ||||
from the album The Comfort Zone | ||||
B-side | "Freedom Dance" (U.S.), "2 Of A Kind" (Europe) | |||
Released | January 14, 1992 | |||
Format | cassette single, 7" single, CD maxi-single | |||
Recorded | 1990 | |||
Genre | Ballad, Adult Contemporary | |||
Length | 3:40 | |||
Writer(s) | Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman, Jon Lind | |||
Producer | Keith Thomas | |||
Vanessa Williams singles chronology | ||||
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"Save the Best for Last" is a 1992 single written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman and Jon Lind in March 1989. It is considered Vanessa Williams' signature song. The lyrics' redemptive themes resonated with Williams' story, as she had put together a successful recording career following her earlier Miss America resignation scandal. The song is a ballad about a young female admirer of a single man who stands by and watches as the object of her desires goes through years of dating, before he finally unexpectedly decides to consummate a relationship with the singer.
"Save The Best For Last" was not written specifically for Vanessa Williams. There were a number of other singers who were offered the song, they all turned it down. While recording her cd "The Comfort Zone", at the last minute, a song had to be replaced. Vanessa was played "Save The Best For Last", and Vanessa said: "I can't believe nobody wants this song. I have to have this song."
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The single was Williams' third number one on the Soul singles chart and topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks in 1992.[1] "Save the Best for Last" was ranked fourth in the Billboard Top 100 hits of 1992, becoming the biggest success of Williams' music career. The song also went to #1 on the U.S. adult contemporary and R&B charts; it remained atop these charts for three weeks apiece. Internationally, the single shot to number one in Australia, the Netherlands, and Canada, and to number three in the United Kingdom, number two in Ireland, and number three in Japan. ASCAP named it as its Song of the Year, meaning it was performed more than any other song in 1992, and it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Record of the Year in 1993 losing to Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven in both categories.
Chart (1991-1992) | Peak position |
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Australian Singles Chart | 1[2] |
Dutch Top 40 | 4[3] |
German Single Charts | 19[4] |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 15[5] |
Swedish Singles Chart | 26[6] |
Swiss Singles Chart | 6[7] |
UK Single Charts | 3[8] |
US Billboard Hot 100 | 1[9] |
US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1[10] |
US Adult Contemporary | 1[11] |
End of year chart (1992) | Position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot 100[12] | 4 |
Chart (1990–1999) | Position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot 100[13] | 47 |
There are two versions of the music video for this single. Along with the original version, the song was reworked and re-released as a Christmas single in 1993. It recharted for several years as a holiday favorite, with a new snowy videoclip version played on MTV.
[1] Europe Single
US Maxi-CD
UK / Netherlands Vinyl, 7"
Netherlands 12", Promo
In 1994, saxophonist Marion Meadows covered the song from his album "Forbidden Fruit."[14] In 1995, then New Age/New Adult Contemporary pianist Brian Culbertson covered the song for his album "Modern Life."
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