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| "Ben" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Side A of the Brazilian single | ||||
| Single byMichael Jackson | ||||
| from the albumBen | ||||
| B-side | "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" | |||
| Released | July 12, 1972 | |||
| Recorded | November 1971 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:44 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | The Corporation | |||
| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Ben" (often referred to as "Ben's Song")[1] is a song written byDon Black andWalter Scharf for the1972 film of the same name (a spin-off to the 1971 killer rat filmWillard). It was performed byLee Montgomery in the film and byMichael Jackson over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for theMotown label in 1972, spent one week at the top of theBillboard Hot 100, making it Jackson's first number one single in the US as a solo artist.[2]Billboard ranked it as the number 20 song for 1972.[3] It also reached number 1 on theARIA Charts, spending eight weeks at the top spot.[2] The song also later reached a peak of number 7 on theUK Singles Chart.[2] In 2004, the song appeared inThe Ultimate Collection.
"Ben" won aGolden Globe forBest Song. It was nominated for anAcademy Award forBest Original Song in 1973, losing to "The Morning After" byMaureen McGovern fromThe Poseidon Adventure.
"Ben" was written forDonny 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 US, the song later reached a peak of number 7 on theBritish pop chart.[2] "Ben" won aGolden Globe forBest Song. It was also nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Original Song in 1973; Jackson performed the song in front of a live audience at the ceremony.[5]Billboard called it a "beauty".[6]
Although Jackson had already become the youngest artist to ever record a number 1 ("I Want You Back" withThe Jackson 5, in1970),[7] "Ben" made him the third-youngest solo artist, at 14, to score a number 1 hit single. OnlyStevie 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 in1971, were younger.[citation needed]
The song is one of Jackson's most re-released, having appeared onThe 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 ofNumber Ones (even though here it is the 1981 live version), some versions ofKing of Pop andIcon.[citation needed]
Live recorded versions were released on the 1981 albumThe Jacksons Live! andLive at the Forum, and remixed versions have appeared onThe Remix Suite,The Stripped Mixes and some versions ofImmortal. After Jackson's death, singerAkon released a remix of the song with his own background vocals and Jackson's original vocal solo.
Osmond did record it later in his career, including it in his 2014 albumThe Soundtrack of My Life.[8]
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".[9]Rolling Stone editorVince 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".[10]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | — | 51,000[25] |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[26] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Ben" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byMarti Webb | ||||
| from the albumEncore | ||||
| B-side | "Nothing Ever Changes" | |||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Studio | Angel Recording Studios, London | |||
| Label | Starblend Records | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | John Altman | |||
| Marti Webb singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1985, the song became a top 10 hit again in the U.K. when covered byMarti Webb[27] as a tribute toBen Hardwick, a youngliver transplant patient.[28] This version reached No. 5 in theU.K. Singles Chart and was one of Webb's biggest hits.[27]
Crispin Glover performed a cover of the song, as well starred and directed a music video, to the2003 remake ofWillard. The video featuredR. Lee Ermey (who also appears in the film) as a few male patrons, as wellLindsay Beamish andJane Jensen among the female extras.[29][better source needed]
Kipp Lennon of the bandVenice performed a cover of the song on a 1991 episode ofThe Simpsons titled "Stark Raving Dad". Jackson himself appeared as a guest voice in this episode, but for contractual reasons, all of the singing lines his character had were given to Lennon.[30] The song was also regularly performed live by rock bandFaith No More during theirreunion tour in 2010.[31][32]
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