"Always Be My Baby"
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Daydream
Released	March 9, 1996 (1996-03-09)
Format	CD single, cassette single
Recorded	December 1994-1995
Genre	Pop, R&B
Length	4:18
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Jr.
Producer	Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal
Certification	2x Platinum (U.S.) Gold (Australia, New Zealand)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Open Arms" (1996) "Always Be My Baby" (1996) "Forever" (1996)

"Always Be My Baby" is a pop/R&B song written and produced by American singer Mariah Carey, producer/rapper Jermaine Dupri, and songwriter Manuel Seal. Released in 1996 as the third single in the U.S. (fourth in other markets) from Carey's fourth studio album Daydream (1995), the song reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 2 in Canada, and peaked within the top twenty of the majority charts on which it appeared. The lyrics chronicle a relationship that has ended, the protagonist asserts that her former lover will "always be her baby," and will come back to her once he realizes that he misses her. The song received a 1996 Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

[edit] Chart performance

"Always Be My Baby" was solicited to radio on March 26, 1996 in North America, and it became Carey's eleventh number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. However, unlike its predecessors "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day," the song did not debut at number 1 but at number 2, and ascended to the top position four weeks following its release. It spent two weeks at number 1 and nine non-consecutive weeks at number 2, to date Carey's longest stay at the second position and the fourth longest stay at number 2. Whereas "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day" were sales-record singles, "Always Be My Baby" was a major airplay hit. "Always Be My Baby" also managed to reach number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

"Always Be My Baby" was the most-played single in the U.S. in 1996 and appeared at number 1 on the year-end Hot 100 Airplay chart, but despite this achievement it never reached number 1 on the Hot 100 Airplay throughout the course of 1996. Due to its airplay, it became Carey's first number 1 on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks. It also reached the top five on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and Top 40 Mainstream charts.

Outside the U.S., the song became another success, but it was unable to match the chart success of "Fantasy" in most markets. Although generally performing less well than "One Sweet Day," it reached the top five in Canada and the United Kingdom, where it fared better than all of Carey's releases from Daydream. In Australia, it reached the top twenty.

[edit] Music video

A screenshot from Always Be My Baby shot in a Camp Mood.

The music video for "Always Be My Baby" was the second to be directed by Carey. She is the seemingly happy narrator of a tale of young love, as a young boy and a girl elope in the middle of the night. The video was filmed on location at Carey's sponsored charity, the Fresh Air Fund upstate New York camp.

[edit] Official versions and remixes

The main remix of this song, also known as "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix), features re-sung vocals with most of the melodic structure retained while using a sample of the song "Tell Me If You Still Care" by The SOS Band, including vocals from Da Brat and Xscape. (Da Brat would later go on to rap on remixes of "Honey" (1997), "I Still Believe" (1998), "Heartbreaker" (1999), "Loverboy" (2001), and "4real4real", an international bonus track for Carey's album, E=MC².) A video was created for the Mr. Dupri Mix, which shows Carey, Da Brat, and Xscape hanging out around Carey's former mansion. It is in black and white and has the shot of Carey in a beret that would become the cover for this single.

	Always Be My Baby 30 Second Sample of Mariah Carey's Always Be My Baby
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Dance remixes with re-recorded vocals were created by David Morales and Satoshi Tomiie of Def Mix Productions. There was also a reggae remix featuring Li'l Vicious.

[edit] Cover version and remake

On season 7 of American Idol, David Cook performed a rock arrangement of the song during the April 15, 2008 episode, in which Carey mentored the contestants on her songs. His version received high praise from all three judges, and even Carey herself. Cook's version charted and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 67.

[edit] Formats and track listings

[edit] Charts

[edit] Sales and certifications

[edit] See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1996 (U.S.)

[edit] References