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Ben (song)

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For the Adair Lion song, see BEN (song).

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"Ben"
File:Ben Michael Jackson.jpg
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Ben
B-side"You Can Cry on My Shoulder"
ReleasedJuly 12, 1972
RecordedNovember 1971
Genre
  • Pop
  • adult contemporary
Length2:44
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)
  • Don Black
  • Walter Scharf
Producer(s)The Corporation
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Ain't No Sunshine"
(1972) 		"Ben"
(1972) 		"With a Child's Heart"
(1973)

"Ben" is a song written by Don Black and Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name (a spin-off to the 1971 killer rat film Willard). It was performed by Lee Montgomery in the film and by Michael Jackson over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the Motown label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, making it Jackson's first number one single in the US as a solo artist.[1] Billboard ranked it as the number 20 song for 1972.[2] It also reached number 1 on the ARIA Charts, spending eight weeks at the top spot.[1] The song also later reached a peak of number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] In 2004, the song appeared in The Ultimate Collection.

"Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1973, losing to "The Morning After" by Maureen McGovern from The Poseidon Adventure. Jackson lip-synced to the song at the Oscars ceremony, possibly as his vocal range had shifted since its recording.[3]

Background[]

"Ben" was originally written for Donny Osmond, but he was on tour at the time and unavailable for recording, so Black and Scharf offered the song to Jackson instead.[4] In addition to its one week at number 1 in the U.S., the song also later reached a peak of number 7 on the British pop chart.[1] "Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1973; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony.[3] Billboard called it a "beauty."[5]

Although Jackson had already become the youngest artist to ever record a number 1 ("I Want You Back" with The Jackson 5, in 1970),[6] "Ben" made him the third-youngest solo artist, at 14, to score a number 1 hit single. Only Stevie Wonder, who was 13 when "Fingertips" went to number 1, and Osmond, who was months shy of his 14th birthday when "Go Away Little Girl" hit number 1 in 1971, were younger. The song is one of Jackson's most re-released, having appeared on The Jackson 5 Anthology, The Best of Michael Jackson, 18 Greatest Hits, Michael Jackson Anthology, Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection, The Essential Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection, Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection, The Definitive Collection, The Jacksons Story, the North American version of Number Ones (even though here it is the 1981 live version), some versions of King of Pop and Icon.

A live recorded version was released on the 1981 album The Jacksons Live! and remixed versions have appeared on The Remix Suite, The Stripped Mixes and some versions of Immortal. After Jackson's death, singer Akon released a remix of the song with his own background vocals and Jackson's original vocal solo.

Chart performance[]

Covers[]

"Ben"
Single by Marti Webb
from the album Encore
B-side"Nothing Ever Changes"
Released1985
RecordedAngel Recording Studios, London
LabelStarblend Records
Songwriter(s)
  • Don Black
  • Walter Scharf
Producer(s)John Altman
Marti Webb singles chronology
"For the Touch of Your Love"
(1983) 		"Ben"
(1985) 		"Ready for Roses Now"
(1985)

Brady Bunch version (1972)[]

The song appears on The Kids from the Brady Bunch, the third studio album by American pop group the Brady Bunch, from the television series of the same name. It was released on December 4, 1972, by Paramount Records.

Marti Webb version (1985)[]

In 1985, the song became a top 10 hit again in the U.K. when covered by Marti Webb[20] as a tribute to Ben Hardwick, a young liver transplant patient. [citation needed] This version reached #5 in the U.K. Singles Chart and was one of the singer's biggest hits.[20] The song's lyricist, Don Black, was at the time Webb's manager.[citation needed]

Crispin Glover version (2003)[]

Crispin Glover recorded a version of the song for the soundtrack of the 2003 remake of Willard. A music video for the song was produced, which also featured Glover.

Critical reception[]

AllMusic editor Lindsay Planer wrote about the success of the song: "Like much of the Motown empire at the time, the title track's multimedia exposure, coupled with strong crossover appeal, ensured that "Ben" scored the artist his first Pop Singles' chart-topper" and he highlighted the track.[21] Rolling Stone editor Vince Aletti was not satisfied: "The title song is lovely, no doubt, and Michael packs it with a surprising amount of feeling (his delivery of "They don't see you as I do/I wish they would try to" still tears me up) but it's all a little too thick for my tastes."[22]

See also[]

  • List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
  • List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1972

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For the Record. Authors OnLine. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6. 
  2. ↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 ""Ben" at Oscars". Youtube.com. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2013-12-26. {{cite web}}:
  4. ↑ "Donny Osmond". Lvrj.com. 2009-06-27. http://www.lvrj.com/news/49334897.html. 
  5. ↑ "Radio Action and Pick Singles". Billboard: p. 93. July 22, 1972. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-07-22.pdf. 
  6. ↑ McDermott, Maeve. "Ranking Michael Jackson's No. 1 hits, in honor of what would have been his 60th birthday". Usatoday.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021. {{cite web}}:
  7. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  8. ↑ "Item: 9840 - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  9. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Songs (A-B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved April 23, 2021. {{cite web}}:
  10. ↑ "Michael Jackson — full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 30, 2021. {{cite web}}:
  11. ↑ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021. {{cite web}}:
  12. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 118. 
  13. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 10/21/72". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-10-21. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-01-13. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ↑ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  16. ↑ "Michael Jackson - Ben". ARIA Charts. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021. {{cite web}}:
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  18. ↑ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1972". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-12-30. Archived from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  19. ↑ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}:
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "MARTI WEBB | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Oofficialcharts.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021. {{cite web}}:
  21. ↑ Lindsay Planer. "Ben - Michael Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-26. {{cite web}}:
  22. ↑ "Michael Jackson: Ben : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". 1972-12-07. Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-26. {{cite web}}:

External links[]

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