"Will You Be There" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the eleventh track from the Dangerous album. It was released as a single on June 28, 1993, serving as the eighth single from the album. The song became a main theme song for the 1993 movie, Free Willy.
Background[]
"Will You Be There" was written at the Neverland Ranch, specifically at the Giving Tree. It was produced by Jackson and Bruce Swedien. According to Matt Forger, the song was first worked on in early 1990.[1] However, according to engineer Bart Stevens in an In the Studio with MJ interview with Brad Sundberg, the first demo was recorded in February 1991.
| “ | [...] I think it was about 10:30 that night [...]. So Matt [Forger] and I are there and then Michael shows up later into the evening, and he's got a song idea. So we're in studio A there [...] we set up a microphone and Matt and I are inside, and Michael goes out and he's going to start singing some of the rhythm parts. And he starts laying these parts down – no real vocals but just mouth sounds if you will – so he's putting together this percussive track and he starts to build on it, playing some different instruments vocally [...]. And then we go back and he does some background vocals, and – I don't remember exactly how all the words went but we ended up calling the song "Save Me" [...]. [...] at this point he already had some of the main lyrics written as well and he put some of those down. | ” |
–Stevens for In the Studio with MJ, June 27, 2020[2] | ||
| “ | This is Michael again. Bringing a vocal choir in on the track was a stroke of genius. It’s something I’d consider doing since hearing him do it. It’s a long song as well, a lot of this album really clocks in. This nearly hits eight minutes, I think – it’s not a punchy radio edit! Yes, it’s long but it came across really well for the album. A lot of the songs on the album are long. That’s what makes the album I think. | ” |
–Teddy Riley in an interview with MusicRadar[3] | ||
Music video[]
"Will You Be There" had two music videos, both directed by Vince Patterson. The official video includes Jackson performing it during various stops of the Dangerous World Tour, while scenes from Free Willy centering around the friendship of Jesse and Willy are shown. The original VHS copies of Free Willy included the music video before the film. The second video from Dangerous: The Short Films combines Jackson's special performance on the tenth anniversary of MTV, with the concert tour footage.
Live performances[]
Jackson first performed "Will You Be There" live during the aforementioned anniversary special. It was shot in July 1991 and aired on ABC on November 27, after Dangerous was released.
"Will You Be There" was performed as part of the Dangerous World Tour between 1992–1993. It was also planned to have been performed during the HIStory World Tour, but was ultiamtely left off. The last time Jackson sang "Will You Be There" was on June 24, 2009, during the This Is It rehearsals. It was the second to last song he sang during his lifetime.
Controversies[]
Cleveland Orchestra[]
"Will You Be There" featured Andraé Crouch's singers on backing vocals, and opened with 67 seconds of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, played by the Cleveland Orchestra. A $7 million copyright infringement lawsuit was filed but settled in December 1992. The outcome was that all future copies of Dangerous must credit Ludwig van Beethoven and the Cleveland Orchestra on "Will You Be There".
"I Cigni di Balaka"[]
The track was also a subject of another lawsuit filed by Albano Carrisi, who claimed the melody of the song was stolen from his composition, "I Cigni Di Balaka". Italian court ruled in favor of Carrisi because Jackson failed to show up to court. However, when in a follow-up case Jackson did show up in court, the judge ruled in favor of him and rejected the claim.
Audio[]
An alternate mix of "Will You Be There" leaked online on January 27, 2023, following the Brad Sundberg laptop theft.
- Demo - (
listen)
Lyrics[]
[Prelude]
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muss er wohnen
[Verse 1]
Hold me
Like the River Jordan
And I will then say to thee
You are my friend
Carry me
Like you are my brother
Love me like a mother
Will you be there?
[Verse 2]
Weary
Tell me will you hold me
When wrong, will you scold me
When lost will you find me?
But they told me
A man should be faithful
And walk when not able
And fight 'til the end
But I'm only human
[Verse 3]
Everyone's taking control of me
Seems that the world's got a role for me
I'm so confused, will you show it to me?
You'll be there for me and care enough to bear me
[Verse 4]
Hold me
Show me
Lay your head lowly
Told me
Softly then boldly
Yeah
Carry me there
I'm only human
Lead me
Hold me
Love me and feed me
Yeah, yeah
Kiss me and free me
Yeah
I will feel blessed
I'm only human
Carry
Carry
Carry me boldly
Carry me
Lift me up slowly
Yeah
Carry me there
I'm only human!
Save me
Lift me
Heal me and bathe me
Lift me up, lift me up
Softly you say to me
I will be there
I will be there
Lift me
Lift me up slowly
Carry me boldly
Yeah
Show me you care
Hold me
Hoo!
Lay your head lowly
It gets lonely sometimes
I get lonely, yeah, yeah
Softly then boldly
Carry me there
Need me
Hoo!
Love me and feed me
Lift me up, hold me up
Lift me up sometimes, up sometimes
Kiss me and free me
I will feel blessed
[Spoken]
In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair
Will you still care?
Will you be there?
In my trials and my tribulations
Through our doubts and frustrations
In my violence, in my turbulence
Through my fear and my confessions
In my anguish and my pain
Through my joy and my sorrow
In the promise of another tomorrow
I'll never let you part
For you're always in my heart
Gallery[]
![Vinyl back cover[4]](/wiki/File:Willyoubetherebackvinyl.jpg "Willyoubetherebackvinyl.jpg (89 KB)")
![Poster included with the vinyl #1[4]](/wiki/File:Willyoubethereposter1.jpg "Willyoubethereposter1.jpg (47 KB)")
![Poster included with the vinyl #2[4]](/wiki/File:Willyoubetherevinylposter2.jpg "Willyoubetherevinylposter2.jpg (34 KB)")
![Vinyl[4]](/wiki/File:Willyoubetherevinyl.jpg "Willyoubetherevinyl.jpg (104 KB)")
Trivia[]
- The lyrics of "Will You Be There" were included in Jackson's book of poems and reflections, Dancing the Dream, which was published in 1992.
- In 2019, an early version of "Will You Be There" was played at a seminar in Paris. This version can also be heard in studio footage from Brad Sundberg's laptop.[5]
References[]
- ↑ Full interview with longtime Michael Jackson collaborator and friend Matt Forger
- ↑ 7 Songs, 7 Stories: Bart Stevens - In The Studio With MJ
- ↑ Teddy Riley on producing Michael Jackson's Dangerous: "It was really difficult for me having to follow in Quincy Jones' footsteps"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Michael Jackson – Will You Be There – Vinyl (7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, Poster Sleeve) 1993 - Discogs
- ↑ Michael Jackson - Will You Be There (Demo)