Released January 14, 1997 Genre Soul, R&B | Recorded 1996 Label Epic, Sony | |
Format CD single, promo single, airplay, cassette single Length 4:58 (album version)
4:11 (Radio edit) | ||
"Every Time I Close My Eyes" is a song written, produced and performed by American musician Babyface. It was released as the second single from his album The Day. Mariah Carey serves as a backing vocalist and Kenny G performs a sax solo on the recording.
Contents
This release met with commercial and critical acclaim, peaking at number six in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in United States and at number 13 in the United Kingdom. At the 40th Grammy Awards this song received a nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Song information
The track was written, produced and performed by Babyface and includes American singer Mariah Carey performing backing vocals, one year after Babyface did the same for her on "Melt Away", a track written by both and produced by Carey, included on her album Daydream. It also has a participation by Kenny G playing sax. In the Entertainment Weekly review of The Moment, the 1996 release by Kenny G, which also includes this song, the collaboration was criticised as being "out of place" on the album and a "mismatch" on the basis that it focused too much on the vocals and made Kenny G seem like "a sideman on yet another Babyface hit", but praised the song itself as "a great tune" and stated "...it will sound great on the radio". On the Allmusic review, this track was awarded with 3 stars out of 5.
At the 40th Grammy Awards this song received a nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, which it lost to "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John. For the music video of this single, Babyface received a MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best Male Video, losing to "Devil's Haircut" by Beck.
Track listing
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Radio edit) – 4:11
- "Lady, Lady" – 4:23
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Timbaland remix) – 4:51
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Radio edit) – 4:12
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Linslee Campbell remix) – 5:53
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Every Time I Feel the Groove remix) – 4:43
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Every Time I Feel The Funk remix) – 4:44
- "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (House of Music remix) – 5:13
Chart performance
The track debuted at number 19 in the Billboard Hot 100 on 02/01/1997 and climb to its peak at number six seven weeks later, spending 26 weeks in the chart. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaked at number 5. Overseas, the single reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. At the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Year-End charts of 1997, this song ranked at number 26. "Every Time I Close My Eyes" was certified gold by the RIAA and sold 700,000 copies.
Personnel
The following people contributed to "Every Time I Close My Eyes":