Always Be My Baby
Encyclopedia
"Always Be My Baby" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
from her fifth studio album, Daydream. It was released by Columbia Records
on March 9, 1996 as the third US single and fourth overall. The song was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
and Manuel Seal
, who also produced the song. A mid-tempo
song, its lyrics describe the feeling of attachment and unity the protagonist feels towards her estranged lover, even though they are no longer together. She says he will always be a part of her and will "always be her baby" even after they move on.
Music critics have praised "Always Be My Baby". The song became Carey's 11th chart topper on the Billboard
Hot 100
, tying her with Madonna
and Whitney Houston
for most number one singles for a female artist. It spent two weeks atop the chart and became Carey's eight chart topper on the Canadian Singles Chart
. In other regions, the song performed moderately, peaking at number three in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand, number 17 in Australia and in the top 20 in most music markets where it charted.
The song's music video features scenes of Carey frolicking by a campsite, as well as swinging on a large swing over a lake. Additional inter-cuts include scenes of two children, one male and female, sneaking out at night and spending time together by a campfire similar to Carey's location. Most scenes from the video were filmed at The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah, named after Mariah Carey for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air Fund children. The song was performed live during her Daydream World Tour
(1996) and many of her future tours and concerts. "Always Be My Baby" was also featured in Carey's compilation albums, Number 1's
(1998), Greatest Hits
(2001) and The Ballads
(2008).
, who had risen to fame during that period, began working with Carey on material for her album. After recording the song in December 1994, Carey recalled that she chose to work with Dupri because he had a "very distinct vibe." Additionally, Carey commissioned the assistance of hip-hop
and contemporary R&B
producer, Manuel Seal
. As Seal played different keys on the piano, Carey led him with the melody she was "hearing inside her head" and began humming the phrase "always be my baby." In an interview with Fred Bronson
, Carey discussed the process it took to write and produce the song:
Like producers before him, Dupri commended Carey's vocal abilities, "she can pretty much do anything with her voice. She's really strong vocally." Another musical craft the song featured was the inclusion of heavy background vocals of her lower registers, with Carey then belting and singing the higher notes over the her background vocals and melody, creating a "double voice effect." When discussing the technique used in the background vocals, Carey said:
, which incorporates pop
and contemporary R&B genres. It has a moderate tempo
of 76 beats per minute. The song features a "double voice" which is an effect Carey created in the studio, where her lower vocal notes are used as backup, and her higher chest notes
are used as the song's main focal point. The song's instrumentation is written in the key
of F major
, with basic chord progression
of F–B–C–Cm–Dm. It is set in signature common time
. Carey's vocals in the song are sung in the key of E major
and span from the note of B2 to B5. The song garnered positive reviews by the critics. Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly
complimented the song's "relaxed swing" and felt its instrumentation helped make it a standout from the album. Stephen Holden
, editor of The New York Times
, complimented "Always Be My Baby", calling it one of "the best on the album." At the 38th Grammy Awards the song received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
.
on March 9, 1996 in Europe, and debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
on the issue dated April 6, 1996, behind Celine Dion
's "Because You Loved Me
", which had replaced Carey's previous single, "One Sweet Day
", at number one. "Always Be My Baby" stayed at number two for four weeks, and topped the Hot 100 on May 4, 1996, where it spent two weeks before returning to the number two position for an additional five weeks. At the end of its US chart run, the song spent a total of nine weeks at number two, the fourth longest stay in the chart's history. The song became Carey's 11th chart topper in the United States, tying her with pop singers Whitney Houston
and Madonna
as the female solo artist with the most number one singles, a record she passed soon after. After spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, the three singles from Daydream had given Carey a combined 26 weeks (six months) atop the chart, something never duplicated by another artist until Usher and The Black Eyed Peas in the mid to late 2000's. In Canada, the song became Carey's eighth chart topper, after it ascended to the number one position on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
during the week of May 20, 1996.
While it charted well outside the US, the song didn't manage to chart as high as her previous two singles "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day". In Australia, the song entered the Australian Singles Chart
at number 28 during the week of March 13, 1996. The song spent 16 weeks fluctuating in the chart before spending its last week at number 47 on June 30. "Always Be My Baby" was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. The song debuted and peaked at number five in New Zealand, spending three consecutive weeks at the position. After 16 weeks, the song fell of the singles chart
and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ). In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
at number three, where it peaked. In its second week, the song fell to number four, staying on the chart for a total of ten weeks. As of 2008, sales in the UK are estimated at over 220,000. In Ireland, the song peaked at number ten on the Irish Singles Chart
, spending nine weeks in the chart. In the Netherlands, "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart at number 43 during the week on April 20, 1996. The song peaked at number 27, spending one week at the position and five weeks in the chart overall. "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart in Sweden at number 58 during the week of May 3, 1996. After peaking at number 38 and spending a total of five weeks in the chart, the song fell off the Swedish Singles Chart
.
in the middle of the night are shown. They frolic together beside a fireplace, soon coming up to the lakeside swing Carey had been on before. As they jump into the water, Carey is then seen by the campfire they passed on their journey to the lake, smiling and enjoying herself by the fire. The video concludes with scenes of the young boy and girl walking together back to their bungalow, walking hand-in-hand. Having possibly witnessed the entire event, Carey is seen once again by the large swing, chuckling and staring into the night's sky.
An alternate video was shot for the song's remix. It too was directed by Carey, and was shot in black and white. The shot of Carey in a beret that would become the cover for this single is a scene from the video. The video features cameo appearances by Da Brat and Xscape. It begins with Carey and the duo spending time recording the song in Carey's in-home studio. In the video, Carey is wearing a large white, straw hat and features long golden hair. As the trio finishes the song, scenes of Carey by her pool are shown, with cameos made by her dog, Jack. Brat and Xscape are seen poolside with Carey, playing cards and drinking beer, as the trio further bond and laugh. Towards the end of the video, scenes of the trio in the studio are shows, and intermingled with snippets of Carey walking inside her mansion, shared with then husband Tommy Mottola
. The video ends with Carey and Brat bonding by the studio and pool.
(1996), Rainbow World Tour
(2000), and The Adventures of Mimi
(2006), and during select shows on her Charmbracelet World Tour
(2002–03), and Angels Advocate Tour
(2009–10). During the Japanese shows in 1996, Carey donned a white suit and jacket, and featured three female back-up singers. Red spotlights were used throughout the performance, as well as some light dance routines. During her Rainbow World Tour, Carey wore a two piece outfit, a pair of pants and top, with golden heels. Three back-up singers were provided, one male and two female, while Carey interacted with the front row fans. On her Adventures of Mimi Tour in 2006, Carey donned a pair of black leggings, worn with a bikini-like top. Wearing Christian Louboutin
pumps, Carey sang on the arena's secondary stage, where she sang three of the set-list's titles. On the seventh season
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 studio recording of the song was released on the iTunes Store
during the show's run as "Always Be My Baby (American Idol Studio Version) - Single" and was among the season's best-selling singles.
, including vocals from Da Brat
and Xscape
and another song called "Slipping Away" that was supposed to be on the Daydream album, but failed to make the track listing.
Worldwide CD single
U.S. 7" single
Worldwide 12" single
U.S. CD single
|-
! Country
! Certifications
|-
| Australia
| Gold
|-
| New Zealand
| Gold
|-
| United States
| Platinum
|-
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
from her fifth studio album, Daydream. It was released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
on March 9, 1996 as the third US single and fourth overall. The song was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
and Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal, Jr. is an American Hip-Hop/R&B record producer and songwriter.Formerly a contract songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, Manuel Seal, Jr...
, who also produced the song. A mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
song, its lyrics describe the feeling of attachment and unity the protagonist feels towards her estranged lover, even though they are no longer together. She says he will always be a part of her and will "always be her baby" even after they move on.
Music critics have praised "Always Be My Baby". The song became Carey's 11th chart topper on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, tying her with Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
for most number one singles for a female artist. It spent two weeks atop the chart and became Carey's eight chart topper on the Canadian Singles Chart
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
. In other regions, the song performed moderately, peaking at number three in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand, number 17 in Australia and in the top 20 in most music markets where it charted.
The song's music video features scenes of Carey frolicking by a campsite, as well as swinging on a large swing over a lake. Additional inter-cuts include scenes of two children, one male and female, sneaking out at night and spending time together by a campfire similar to Carey's location. Most scenes from the video were filmed at The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah, named after Mariah Carey for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air Fund children. The song was performed live during her Daydream World Tour
Daydream World Tour
The Daydream World Tour is a series of concerts by American R&B singer Mariah Carey. The tour took place during early to mid-1996, and kicked-off at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and ended at London, England's Wembley Arena.-History:...
(1996) and many of her future tours and concerts. "Always Be My Baby" was also featured in Carey's compilation albums, Number 1's
Number 1's (Mariah Carey album)
#1's is the first compilation album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released by Columbia Records on November 17, 1998. The album contained Carey's thirteen number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as four new songs. In Japan, #1's also included her popular single "All I Want...
(1998), Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Mariah Carey album)
Greatest Hits is the eleventh album by American singer Mariah Carey, released in the United States on December 4, 2001 by Columbia Records. It is a greatest hits double album: CD 1 is primarily a collection of Carey's hits from 1990 to 1995, while CD 2 is primarily a collection of hits from 1996 to...
(2001) and The Ballads
The Ballads (Mariah Carey album)
The Ballads is a compilation album by American pop/R&B singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The album features some of Carey's top selling ballads over the course of her career...
(2008).
Background and recording
While Carey was writing and recording Daydream in early 1995, she began searching for different producers, in order to give her work a new sound. Jermaine DupriJermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, who had risen to fame during that period, began working with Carey on material for her album. After recording the song in December 1994, Carey recalled that she chose to work with Dupri because he had a "very distinct vibe." Additionally, Carey commissioned the assistance of hip-hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
producer, Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal
Manuel Seal, Jr. is an American Hip-Hop/R&B record producer and songwriter.Formerly a contract songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, Manuel Seal, Jr...
. As Seal played different keys on the piano, Carey led him with the melody she was "hearing inside her head" and began humming the phrase "always be my baby." In an interview with Fred Bronson
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. Bronson is an American journalist, author and writer. He is best known for his appearances on American Idol, the weekly "Chart Beat" column in Billboard magazine, and as the author of books related to Billboard charts.Born to Irving and Mildred Bronson and raised in Culver City,...
, Carey discussed the process it took to write and produce the song:
"Jermaine, Manuel and I sat down and Jermaine programmed the drums. I told him the feel I wanted and Manuel put his hands on the keyboards and I started singing the melody. We went back and forth with the bridge and the B-section. I had the outline of the lyrics and started singing 'Always be my baby' off the top of my head."
Like producers before him, Dupri commended Carey's vocal abilities, "she can pretty much do anything with her voice. She's really strong vocally." Another musical craft the song featured was the inclusion of heavy background vocals of her lower registers, with Carey then belting and singing the higher notes over the her background vocals and melody, creating a "double voice effect." When discussing the technique used in the background vocals, Carey said:
"The background vocals are an important part of the picture for me. That's why I like to do them myself a lot of the time, or initially I'll lay down the tracks. I'll double my voice or do a couple of tracks of my own voice. It's easy for me to match my voice. And then if I'm going to use other background singers, I'll let them go on top of mine.
Composition and critical reception
"Always Be My Baby" is a balladBallad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, which incorporates pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and contemporary R&B genres. It has a moderate tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 76 beats per minute. The song features a "double voice" which is an effect Carey created in the studio, where her lower vocal notes are used as backup, and her higher chest notes
Belt (music)
Belting refers to a specific technique of singing by which a singer produces a loud sound in the upper middle of the pitch range. It is often described as a vocal register although some dispute this since technically the larynx is not oscillating in a unique way...
are used as the song's main focal point. The song's instrumentation is written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
, with basic chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of F–B–C–Cm–Dm. It is set in signature common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
. Carey's vocals in the song are sung in the key of E major
E major
E major is a major scale based on E, with the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps .Its relative minor is C-sharp minor, and its parallel minor is E minor....
and span from the note of B2 to B5. The song garnered positive reviews by the critics. Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
complimented the song's "relaxed swing" and felt its instrumentation helped make it a standout from the album. Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
, editor of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, complimented "Always Be My Baby", calling it one of "the best on the album." At the 38th Grammy Awards the song received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
.
Chart performance
"Always Be My Baby" was released by Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
on March 9, 1996 in Europe, and debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on the issue dated April 6, 1996, behind Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
's "Because You Loved Me
Because You Loved Me
"Because You Loved Me" is a song from Céline Dion's album Falling into You, released as the first single on February 19, 1996 in North America and Japan. In other parts of the world it was released in May 1996 as the second single, after "Falling into You"....
", which had replaced Carey's previous single, "One Sweet Day
One Sweet Day
"One Sweet Day" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and R&B group Boyz II Men. The song was written by Carey, Walter Afanasieff and the members of Boyz II Men: Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Michael McCary. "One Sweet Day" was produced by Carey and Afanasieff for...
", at number one. "Always Be My Baby" stayed at number two for four weeks, and topped the Hot 100 on May 4, 1996, where it spent two weeks before returning to the number two position for an additional five weeks. At the end of its US chart run, the song spent a total of nine weeks at number two, the fourth longest stay in the chart's history. The song became Carey's 11th chart topper in the United States, tying her with pop singers Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
as the female solo artist with the most number one singles, a record she passed soon after. After spending two weeks atop the Hot 100, the three singles from Daydream had given Carey a combined 26 weeks (six months) atop the chart, something never duplicated by another artist until Usher and The Black Eyed Peas in the mid to late 2000's. In Canada, the song became Carey's eighth chart topper, after it ascended to the number one position on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
during the week of May 20, 1996.
While it charted well outside the US, the song didn't manage to chart as high as her previous two singles "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day". In Australia, the song entered the Australian Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number 28 during the week of March 13, 1996. The song spent 16 weeks fluctuating in the chart before spending its last week at number 47 on June 30. "Always Be My Baby" was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. The song debuted and peaked at number five in New Zealand, spending three consecutive weeks at the position. After 16 weeks, the song fell of the singles chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
(RIANZ). In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number three, where it peaked. In its second week, the song fell to number four, staying on the chart for a total of ten weeks. As of 2008, sales in the UK are estimated at over 220,000. In Ireland, the song peaked at number ten on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, spending nine weeks in the chart. In the Netherlands, "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart at number 43 during the week on April 20, 1996. The song peaked at number 27, spending one week at the position and five weeks in the chart overall. "Always Be My Baby" entered the singles chart in Sweden at number 58 during the week of May 3, 1996. After peaking at number 38 and spending a total of five weeks in the chart, the song fell off the Swedish Singles Chart
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
.
Music video
The music video for "Always Be My Baby" was the second video Carey's directed. In it, 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. The video begins with scenes of Carey on a lakeside tire-swing, smiling and beginning to retell a story of young love. As she sits upon the swing, scenes of two children sneaking out of their bungalowBungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
in the middle of the night are shown. They frolic together beside a fireplace, soon coming up to the lakeside swing Carey had been on before. As they jump into the water, Carey is then seen by the campfire they passed on their journey to the lake, smiling and enjoying herself by the fire. The video concludes with scenes of the young boy and girl walking together back to their bungalow, walking hand-in-hand. Having possibly witnessed the entire event, Carey is seen once again by the large swing, chuckling and staring into the night's sky.
An alternate video was shot for the song's remix. It too was directed by Carey, and was shot in black and white. The shot of Carey in a beret that would become the cover for this single is a scene from the video. The video features cameo appearances by Da Brat and Xscape. It begins with Carey and the duo spending time recording the song in Carey's in-home studio. In the video, Carey is wearing a large white, straw hat and features long golden hair. As the trio finishes the song, scenes of Carey by her pool are shown, with cameos made by her dog, Jack. Brat and Xscape are seen poolside with Carey, playing cards and drinking beer, as the trio further bond and laugh. Towards the end of the video, scenes of the trio in the studio are shows, and intermingled with snippets of Carey walking inside her mansion, shared with then husband Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
. The video ends with Carey and Brat bonding by the studio and pool.
Live performances and cover version
Carey performed the song throughout the entire run of her Daydream World TourDaydream World Tour
The Daydream World Tour is a series of concerts by American R&B singer Mariah Carey. The tour took place during early to mid-1996, and kicked-off at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and ended at London, England's Wembley Arena.-History:...
(1996), Rainbow World Tour
Rainbow World Tour
The Rainbow World Tour was a worldwide arena concert tour in the year 2000 by American R&B artist Mariah Carey.-History:Carey had released her ninth album Rainbow in November 1999 and decided to go on tour to promote it. Unlike her previous outing, the Butterfly World Tour, marked Carey's first...
(2000), and The Adventures of Mimi
The Adventures of Mimi Tour
The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American R&B singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was one of a few tours in her then-sixteen year career and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name...
(2006), and during select shows on her Charmbracelet World Tour
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey
Charmbracelet World Tour: An Intimate Evening with Mariah Carey is the name of Mariah Carey's 2003–04 worldwide concert tour. It takes its name from Carey's 2002 album Charmbracelet, which had been released six months earlier.-History:...
(2002–03), and Angels Advocate Tour
Angels Advocate Tour
The Angels Advocate Tour is the seventh concert tour by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, in support of her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. The tour visited North America, also Egypt, Brazil and Singapore...
(2009–10). During the Japanese shows in 1996, Carey donned a white suit and jacket, and featured three female back-up singers. Red spotlights were used throughout the performance, as well as some light dance routines. During her Rainbow World Tour, Carey wore a two piece outfit, a pair of pants and top, with golden heels. Three back-up singers were provided, one male and two female, while Carey interacted with the front row fans. On her Adventures of Mimi Tour in 2006, Carey donned a pair of black leggings, worn with a bikini-like top. Wearing Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin
Christian Louboutin is a French footwear designer whose father is cabinetmaker Roger Louboutin and homemaker mother Irene. His siblings include three sisters, no brothers. Landscape architect Louis Benech has been his partner since 1997. Louboutin launched his line of high-end women's shoes in...
pumps, Carey sang on the arena's secondary stage, where she sang three of the set-list's titles. On the seventh season
American Idol (season 7)
The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, David Cook
David Cook (singer)
David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...
performed a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
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 studio recording of the song was released on the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
during the show's run as "Always Be My Baby (American Idol Studio Version) - Single" and was among the season's best-selling singles.
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 BandThe SOS Band
The SOS Band is an American musical ensemble, founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977. Originally known as Santa Monica, the 'SOS' initialism in the band's name stands for Sounds of Success.-History:...
, including vocals from Da Brat
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
and Xscape
Xscape (band)
Xscape, was a female American R&B group that originally started out as a quintet and then became a quartet. The group had a string of hit songs during the 1990s...
and another song called "Slipping Away" that was supposed to be on the Daydream album, but failed to make the track listing.
Worldwide CD single
- "Always Be My Baby" (album version) – 4:18
- "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri No Rap Radio Mix) – 3:42
- "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix) – 4:40
- "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Extended Mix) – 5:30
- "Always Be My Baby" (Reggae Soul Mix) – 4:53
U.S. 7" single
- "Always Be My Baby" – 4:18
- "Long Ago" – 4:32
Worldwide 12" single
- "Always Be My Baby" (Always Club) – 10:51
- "Always Be My Baby" (Dub-A-Baby) – 7:16
- "Always Be My Baby" (Groove a Pella) – 7:15
- "Always Be My Baby" (ST Dub) – 7:12
U.S. CD single
- "Always Be My Baby" (album version) – 4:18
- "Always Be My Baby" (Mr. Dupri Mix) – 4:40
- "Slipping Away" – 4:30
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the Daydream liner notes.- Mariah Carey – co-productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, songwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jermaine Dupri – co-production, songwriting
- Manuel Seal Jr. – co-production, songwriting
Peak positions
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
17 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
27 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
76 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
10 |
| Japanese Singles Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
79 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
5 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
38 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 6 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
1 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1996) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 21 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
End of decade charts
| Chart (1990–1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 49 |
Sales and certifications
{| class="wikitable" border="1"|-
! Country
! Certifications
|-
| Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
| Gold
|-
| New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
| Gold
|-
| United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| Platinum
|-