The single One Sweet Day was one of Mariah's most successful single, because it's stayed on #1 for full 16 weeks.
Single:
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One Sweet Day was Mariah second single for Daydream album. It was released in November 1995. The single entered at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 on December 2, 1995 and stayed on for 16 weeks.
The song is a beautiful ballad, that talks about a lost love. She is remembering her loved one and regrets what was left unsaid. Eventually they will meet in heaven and they will be together again. The song is reflecting sadness and it’s full of feelings. Many people can relate to the lyrics. That’s probably the reason, why it stayed on top of world’s charts for such a long time.
Mariah explains: ‘The song is about personal tragedies. It was the first time that I was forced to face the death of beloved people. I am sure that a lot of people would feel that this song is about them.’
Mariah worked on the song with the very successful US quartet Boyz II Men. So the lyrics was written in collaboration with Michael McCray, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman.
Mariah was writting the song in memory of a good friend David Cole, who also worked with Mariah on her three albums, that recently died.
Mariah approached Boyz II Men with an unfinished song, so they would all contribute and it would be their song also. At that time Nathan Morris was working on a very similar song, dedicated to a road manager Khalil Rountree, who was shot to death in 1992. They realized they can blend their songs together and they have created this beautiful ballad One Sweet Day.
Mariah remembers: ‘I was kind of in shock for a minute. It seemed like the whole pairing was meant to be.’ Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men adds: ‘We were kind of flipped about it ourselves. Fate had a lot to do with that. I know some people won't believe it, but we wouldn't make up such a crazy story.’
Mariah also performed One Sweet Day with Boyz II Men on some of Mariah’s concerts.
CD5: US (Columbia; 38T 78074):
1. One Sweet Day (Album Version)
2. One Sweet Day (Live Version)
CD5: US (Columbia; 44K 78075), UK, OZ:
1. One Sweet Day (Album Version)
2. One Sweet Day (Sweet A Cappella)
3. One Sweet Day (A Cappella)
4. One Sweet Day (Chucky's Remix)
5. >One Sweet Day (Live Version MSG)
6. Fantasy (Def Drums Mix)*
* US only
The video:
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The music video for One Sweet Day was filmed in the recording studio. It shows Boyz II Men and Mariah working on their song. They are all acting very natural and spontaneous. Mariah is wearing blue jeans shorts and a white T-shirt and the Boyz are also wearing casual clothes. There is also a ‘special appearance’ of Mariah‘s Yorkshire Terrier.
Actually Mariah was not very comfortable about the idea of recording that song together: ‘Yes, we did the backing vocals together, but I had already put down a rough of my lead vocal. I get shy when people come into the studio! When they're really good singers, I prefer not to sing in front of them, but like anything else, you get used to it.‘
