Open Arms (Mariah Carey single)

"Open Arms"
File:OAC.jpg
Single by Mariah Carey
From the album Daydream
Released	1996
Format	Not released in USA
Genre	Pop
Length	3:30
Label	Sony
Writers	Steve Perry Jonathan Cain
Producers	Mariah Carey Walter Afanasieff
Director	Larry Jordan
Certification	n/a
Chart positions	#4 (UK)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"One Sweet Day" 1996	"Open Arms" 1996	"Always Be My Baby" 1996

"Open Arms" was the third single released from Mariah Carey's sixth album, Daydream, in early 1996.

The single was co-produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. The song is a cover and was originally performed by the legendary rock band, Journey, and written by two of its members, Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain. The epic ballad details the struggle of lovers having problems, who are trying to reconcile by starting anew with "open arms". Mariah took a high bar to hurdle with this selection, as Steve Perry held renown as one of the best singers in rock. But Carey had connections with Journey, as the band's drummer Steve Smith played drums on many of her earlier singles, and the band's bassist for a short period in the mid-1980s, Randy Jackson, has been involved musically with Carey for a long time.

Chart performance

The single was released internationally in most markets, where it performed moderately. It fared best in the United Kingdom, peaking at number four, and in the Philippines, where it competed directly with another Mariah Carey single, One Sweet Day, and both songs topped the charts of numerous radio stations. However, it did not reach the top ten in other markets. The single was not released in the United States.

Music video/Spanish music video

The music video of the song is simple, and is a video of a live performance of the song by Carey at Madison Square Garden. The Spanish version of this song, "El Amor Que Sone", also has a music video, also a live performance in Madison Square Garden from the same night.

The music video has been released in its full unedited form as part of the Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden DVD/video, but it has never been released in edited music-video form to consumers on video or DVD. The music video of "El Amor Que Sone", the Spanish version of the song, has never been released to consumers on video or DVD.

Remixes

There are no known remixes of this song. However, as mentioned above, there is also a Spanish version of this song known as "El Amor Que Sone".

Track listings of major single-releases

UK CD single 1

1. "Open Arms" (album version)
2. "I Am Free" (album version)
3. "Fantasy" (live)
4. "Vision of Love" (live)

UK CD single 2

1. "Open Arms" (album version)
2. "Hero" (album version)
3. "Without You" (album version)
4. "I'll Be There" (radio edit)

Comprehensive charts

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1996	"Open Arms"	UK Singles Chart	#4
1996	"Open Arms"	ARIA Singles Chart	#23
1996	"Open Arms"	Germany Singles Chart	#72
1996	"Open Arms"	France Top 100 Singles	#29
1996	"Open Arms"	Switzerland Top 100 Singles	#30

Official remixes/versions list

• "Open Arms" (album version)
• "El Amor Que Sone" (album version) (Spanish version of "Open Arms")