The Sweetest Days (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “The Sweetest Days” | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by Vanessa Williams | |
| from the album The Sweetest Days | |
| B-side | “Dreamin” |
| Released | October 18, 1994 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 3:31 |
| Label | WingMercury |
| Songwriter(s) | Jon Lind Wendy Waldman Phil Galdston Jon Lind Wendy Waldman Phil Galdston |
| Producer(s) | Keith Thomas |
| Vanessa Williams singles chronology | |
| “Love Is“ (1993)”The Sweetest Days“ (1994)”The Way That You Love“ (1995) | |
“The Sweetest Days” is the first single from American singer Vanessa Williams‘ third studio album of the same name. The song was written by the same team who previously penned “Save the Best for Last” for Williams.
The song was produced by Keith Thomas. It was released on October 18, 1994 by Wing Records. The single reached No. 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a “glorious pop ballad that has a slight resemblance to her Grammy-nominated hit “Save The Best For Last”.” He added, “The song has a lilting and thoroughly engaging melody and a lovely, if somewhat melancholy, lyric that glistens with universal appeal. Williams is in excellent vocal form, offering a well-shaded performance amid a plush arrangement of warm strings and horns.”
Music video
The video for “The Sweetest Days” is shot in two different ways. The “romantic version” was shot in an apartment overlooking a city skyline while the “urban version” shows Williams walking in a park and through streets. There are a few clips that they both share in the same spots but for the 3-minute and 31-second video, they give the song a different feel.
Track listings and formats
CD single 851 110-2
- “The Sweetest Days”
- “Love Is“
CD maxi-single 851 113-2
- “The Sweetest Days”
- “What Child Is This“
3. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas“
4. “Whatever Happens”
Special Collector’s Edition CD maxi-single 851 111-2
- “The Sweetest Days” – 3:31
- “Love Is” – 4:44
- “Save the Best for Last” – 3:39
- “Dreamin’” – 5:26
Charts
| Weekly Charts (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 47 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 6 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) | 18 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade) | 7 |
| Scotland (OCC) | 49 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 41 |
| UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) | 10 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 18 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 3 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 40 |
| US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) | 22 |
| US Rhythmic (Billboard) | 22 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 44 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 75 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 21 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 18, 1994 | 7-inch vinylCDcassette | Wing Mercury | |
| United Kingdom | March 27, 1995 | CDcassette |
The Sweetest Days (Album)
| The Sweetest Days | |
|---|---|
| |
| Studio album by Vanessa Williams | |
| Released | December 6, 1994 |
| Recorded | January 1993–October 1994 |
| Studio | Axis (New York City) Battery (New York City) Electric Lady (New York City) Power Station (New York City) The Hit Factory (New York City) Bass Hit (New York City) Sorcerer (New York City) Right Track (New York City) RPM Sound (New York City) East Wing (New York City) Sony Music (New York City) Capitol (Hollywood, California) Westlake (West Hollywood, California) Mad Hatter (Los Angeles) Music Grinder (Hollywood, California) Larrabee Sound (North Hollywood, California) The Bennett House (Franklin, Tennessee) Javelina Recording (Nashville, Tennessee) Goodnight (Dallas, Texas) |
| Genre | R&B pop jazz |
| Length | 52:08 |
| Label | Wing Mercury |
| Producer | Babyface Gerry E. Brown Keith Thomas Vanessa Williams |
| Vanessa Williams chronology | |
| The Comfort Zone (1991)The Sweetest Days (1994)Star Bright (1996) | |
| Singles from The Sweetest Days | |
| “The Sweetest Days“ Released: October 18, 1994″The Way That You Love“ Released: January 24, 1995″Colors of the Wind“ Released: April 25, 1995″You Can’t Run” Released: July 17, 1995″Higher Ground” Released: October 10, 1995″Betcha Never” Released: January 30, 1996 | |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Entertainment Weekly |  |
| Muzik | |
| Robert Christgau | |
The Sweetest Days is the third studio album by American singer Vanessa Williams, released on December 6, 1994, by Wing Records and Mercury Records. The album peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 25 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The album includes the singles “You Can’t Run”, “Betcha Never”, “The Way That You Love“, and the title track. It also includes the first recording of the song “Higher Ground” later covered by Barbra Streisand as the title track from her 1997 self-titled album, as well as cover versions of songs previously recorded by Patti Austin and Sting. The album was re-released in 1995 with the additional track “Colors of the Wind“, the theme from the Disney animated film Pocahontas.
“The Way That You Love” and “You Can’t Run” were nominated at the 1996 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female and Best R&B Song, respectively.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Intro-Lude” | Nick Moroch Gerry E. Brown | Brown Vanessa Williams | 0:55 |
xxxxxx
| 2. | “The Way That You Love“ | J. Dibbs Abenaa | Brown Williams J. Dibbs | 4:48 |
|---|
xxxxxx
| 3. | “Betcha Never” | Babyface | Babyface | 3:55 |
|---|
xxxx
| 4. | “The Sweetest Days“ | Jon Lind Wendy Waldman Phil Galdston | Keith Thomas | 3:31 |
|---|
xxx
| 5. | “Higher Ground” | Steve Dorff George Gree | Brown Williams | 4:19 |
|---|
xxx
| 6. | “You Don’t Have to Say You’re Sorry“ | Patti Austin | Brown Williams | 4:10 |
|---|
xxx
| 7. | “Ellamental” | Laythan Armor Bunny Hull | Brown Williams | 6:06 |
|---|
xxx
| 8. | “Sister Moon“ | Sting | Brown Williams | 5:28 |
|---|
xxx
| 9. | “You Can’t Run” | Babyface | Babyface | 4:27 |
|---|
xxx
| 10. | “Moonlight Over Paris” | Peter Mayer James Mayer Roger Guth | Brown Williams | 5:07 |
|---|
xxx
| 11. | “Constantly” | Donald Robinson | Brown Williams Galdston | 5:04 |
|---|
xxx
| 12. | “Long Way Home” | Brock Walsh Eric Carmen Galdston | Brown Williams | 4:18 |
|---|
xxx
1996 Japanese reissue bonus tracks
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | “Love Is” (duet with Brian McKnight) | Tonio K John Keller | Brown Williams McKnight | 4:46 |
xxx
| 14. | “Colors of the Wind” (radio mix) | Alan Menken Stephen Schwartz | Thomas | 4:20 |
|---|
xxx
1995 Target exclusive edition (bonus CD single)
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “For All the Children” | Don Sebesky Gloria Nissenson | BrownMoroch | 3:20 |
xxx
| 2. | “Colors of the Wind” (radio mix) | Menken Schwartz | Thomas | 4:18 |
|---|
xxxx
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.
- Abenaa – composer, background vocals
- Laythan Armor – arranger, composer, fender rhodes, programming, rhythm arrangements
- Ryan Arnold – assistant engineer
- Patti Austin – composer
- Roy Ayers – guest artist, vibraphone
- Babyface – composer, drum programming, guest artist, keyboards, producer
- Ron Blake – saxophone
- Anthony Block – cover typeset
- Jeff Bova – keyboards, mellotron, programming, strings, synthesizer programming
- Gerry Brown – arranger, composer, guitar, keyboards, mixing, electric piano, producer, special effects, tape effects
- Jackie Brown – assistant producer, production assistant
- Larry Carlton – guest artist, guitar
- Eric Carmen – composer
- Bryan Carrigan – assistant engineer
- Ron Carter – acoustic bass, guest artist
- Marietta Ciriello – stylist
- Tim Conklin – assistant engineer
- Mick Corey – technical support
- Dominic Cortese – accordion
- Martin Czembor – assistant engineer
- Paulinho Da Costa – guest artist, percussion
- Kenwood Dennard – drums
- Joel Diamond – organ
- J. Dibbs – arranger, composer, producer, programming, rhythm arrangements
- Tim Donovan – assistant engineer
- Steve Dorff – composer
- Derek Duffey – production assistant
- Barry Duryea – technical support
- Suzanne Dyer – assistant engineer
- Ed Eckstine – executive producer
- Peter Erskine – drums
- Tabitha Fair – background vocals
- Brent Fischer – orchestration, strings orchestrator
- Clare Fischer – conductor, string arrangements
- Eric Fischer – assistant engineer
- Phil Galdston – arranger, composer, keyboards, producer, synthesizer, synthesizer programming, vocal arrangement
- Odile Gilbert – hair stylist
- Brad Gilderman – engineer
- Carl Glanville – assistant engineer
- Carl Gorodetzky – contractor
- George Gree – composer
- Roger Guth – composer
- Mick Guzauski – mixing
- Mark Hammond – drum programming, programming
- Roy Hargrove – guest artist, trumpet
- Kenny Hicks – vocal arrangement, background vocals
- Dann Huff – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Ronn Huff – conductor, string arrangements
- Bunny Hull – composer, background vocals
- Anthony Jackson – bass
- Tim Leitner – assistant engineer, engineer, mixing assistant
- Jon Lind – composer
- Peter Lindbergh – photography
- Marty Maidenberg – artwork, cover design, package layout
- Bill Malina – digital editing, engineer, mixing
- Stephanie Marais – make-up
- James Mayer – composer
- Peter Mayer – composer
- Brian McKnight – guest artist
- Joe Mennona – accordion
- Vaughn Merrick – assistant engineer
- Jay Militscher – assistant engineer
- Jen Monnar – assistant engineer
- Todd Moore – production coordination
- Nick Moroch – arranger, composer, guitar, guitars, mandolin, mellotron, synthesizer, synthesizer bass
- James Murphy – drums
- The Nashville String Machine – strings
- Marty Ogden – assistant engineer
- Pino Palladino – bass, bass slide
- Greg Parker – assistant engineer
- Leon Pendarvis – piano
- Jamey Perenot – assistant engineer
- Greg Phillinganes – fender rhodes
- Joe Pirrera – assistant engineer
- Herb Powers – mastering
- Morris Repass – conductor, string contractor
- Marnie Riley – assistant engineer
- Max Risenhoover – digital Editing
- Donald Robinson – composer
- Rory Romano – assistant engineer
- Armand Sabal-Lecco – bass
- Philippe Saisse – keyboards, piano
- Al Schmitt – engineer
- Ivy Scott – production coordination
- Mike Scott – mixing, assistant engineer
- Ira Siegel – guitar
- Ricardo Silveira – guitar
- Dexter Simmons – assistant engineer
- Artie Smith – technical support
- Bill Smith – assistant engineer
- Robert Smith – assistant engineer
- Soul Man – rap
- Brian Sperber – assistant engineer
- Carol Steele – percussion
- Sting – composer, guest artist, background vocals
- Casey Stone – assistant Engineer
- Toots Thielemans – guest artist, harmonica
- Keith Thomas – arranger, bass, piano, producer, programming, string arrangements, synthesizer programming
- Chris Thompson – art direction
- Fonzi Thornton – background vocals
- Wendy Waldman – composer
- Randy Walker – MIDI programming, programming
- Brock Walsh – arranger, composer, vocal arrangement, background vocals
- Bill Whittington – engineer, mixing
- Christian “Wicked” Wicht – technical support
- King Williams – assistant engineer
- Vanessa Williams – arranger, lead vocals, primary artist, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals
- Victor Winograd – cartage
- Dann Wojnar – assistant engineer
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1994–1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 72 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 74 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 36 |
| US Billboard 200 | 57 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 25 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 142 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 68 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (RIAJ) | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
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