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"'''Ben'''" is a song written by [[Don Black (lyricist)|Don Black]] and composed by [[Walter Scharf]] for the [[Ben (film)|1972 film of the same name]] (the sequel to the 1971 killer rat film ''[[Willard (1971 film)|Willard]]''). It was performed in the film by [[Lee Montgomery]] and by [[Michael Jackson]] over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the [[Motown Records|Motown]] label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. pop chart]].<ref name=Cadman>{{cite book |last=Cadman |first=Chris |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=[[Michael Jackson]]: For the Record |year=2007 |publisher=Authors OnLine |location= |isbn=978-0-7552-0267-6 }}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1972.<ref>[[Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972]]</ref> It also reached number-one on the [[ARIA Charts|Australian pop chart]], spending eight weeks at the top spot.<ref name=Cadman/> The song also later reached a peak of number seven on the [[UK Singles Chart|British pop chart]].<ref name=Cadman/>
"'''Ben'''", often refered to as '''"Ben's Song"''', is a song written by [[Don Black (lyricist)|Don Black]] and composed by [[Walter Scharf]] for the [[Ben (film)|1972 film of the same name]] (the sequel to the 1971 killer rat film ''[[Willard (1971 film)|Willard]]''). It was performed in the film by [[Lee Montgomery]] and by [[Michael Jackson]] over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the [[Motown Records|Motown]] label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. pop chart]].<ref name=Cadman>{{cite book |last=Cadman |first=Chris |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=[[Michael Jackson]]: For the Record |year=2007 |publisher=Authors OnLine |location= |isbn=978-0-7552-0267-6 }}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1972.<ref>[[Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972]]</ref> It also reached number-one on the [[ARIA Charts|Australian pop chart]], spending eight weeks at the top spot.<ref name=Cadman/> The song also later reached a peak of number seven on the [[UK Singles Chart|British pop chart]].<ref name=Cadman/>


"Ben" won a [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Song]]. It was nominated for an [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] in 1973, losing to "[[The Morning After (Maureen McGovern song)|The Morning After]]" from ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]''; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony.<ref name="Ben at Oscars">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1dAQN5QcZU |title="Ben" at Oscars |publisher=Youtube.com |date=2009-06-26 |accessdate=2013-12-26}}</ref> The song was Jackson's first U.S. #1 solo hit.
"Ben" won a [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song|Best Song]]. It was nominated for an [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] in 1973, losing to "[[The Morning After (Maureen McGovern song)|The Morning After]]" from ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]''; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony.<ref name="Ben at Oscars">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1dAQN5QcZU |title="Ben" at Oscars |publisher=Youtube.com |date=2009-06-26 |accessdate=2013-12-26}}</ref> The song was Jackson's first U.S. #1 solo hit.

Revision as of 13:14, 3 February 2017

For the Adair Lion song, see BEN (song).
"Ben"
Song
B-side"You Can Cry on My Shoulder"

"Ben", often refered to as "Ben's Song", is a song written by Don Black and composed by Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name (the sequel to the 1971 killer rat film Willard). It was performed in the film by Lee Montgomery 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 U.S. pop chart.[1] Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1972.[2] It also reached number-one on the Australian pop chart, spending eight weeks at the top spot.[1] The song also later reached a peak of number seven on the British pop chart.[1]

"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" from The Poseidon Adventure; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony.[3] The song was Jackson's first U.S. #1 solo hit.

Background

Originally written for Donny Osmond, "Ben" was offered to Jackson as Osmond was on tour at the time and unavailable for recording.[4] In addition to its one week at #1 in the U.S., the song also later reached a peak of number seven 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]

Although Jackson had already become the youngest artist to ever record a number-one ("I Want You Back" with The Jackson 5, in 1970), "Ben" made him the third-youngest solo artist, at fourteen, to score a number-one hit single. Only Stevie Wonder, who was thirteen when "Fingertips, Pt. 2" went to number one, and Osmond, who was months shy of his fourteenth birthday when "Go Away Little Girl" hit number one 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, 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, Number Ones, 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"
Song
B-side"Nothing Ever Changes"

Marti Webb version (1985)

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

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 she highlighted the track.[14] 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."[15]

Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
October 14, 1972 (one week) 		Succeeded by

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For the Record. Authors OnLine. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972
  3. ^ a b ""Ben" at Oscars". Youtube.com. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  4. ^ "Donny Osmond". Lvrj.com. 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  5. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  6. ^ "Item: 9840 - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  7. ^ "Chart Stats". Archived from the original on 2012-11-21. Retrieved 2010-03-03. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 10/21/72". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-10-21. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-01-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  12. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1972". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-12-30. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  13. ^ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-06. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Lindsay Planer. "Ben - Michael Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  15. ^ "Michael Jackson: Ben : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Web.archive.org. 1972-12-07. Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-26. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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