Superstar teamings are irresistable to radio programmers hungry for hits. It was inevitable that the pairing of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie would produce a number one song, just as there was no doubt that Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder would capture the top spot, or that George Michael and Elton John would achieve pole position. So how could anyone doubt that Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men would achieve similar success? In fact, they surpassed all other previous superstar match-ups, first by entering the Hot 100 at number one, and then by remaining there a record-shattering 16 weeks.
Carey says the idea for "One Sweet Day" was not inspired by the loss of one specific person in her life, but by several people she knew. "I told Walter [Afanasieff] the idea and started the usual process of me directing him as to what I'm hearing in my head and taking it from there - the two of us going to the bridge and developing the song. I had the first verse before I even sang it for Walter and the chorus was basically there. If I don't have the hook off the top of my head, it usually takes me a long time to get it, but that was really there. And then I stopped, because I wanted to finish writing it with Boyz II Men."
Afansieff elaborates, "At the time, Boyz II Men were the biggest thing out there. Through managers, we landed a meeting with the four guys to see if they would be interested. They loved the song. Mariah was in the studio singing it as the track was playing. She was singing the melody and one of the guys starting singing the counter melody."
Nathan Morris of Boyz II Men was surprised at what he heard. "Mariah sang the verse she had already written. The lyrics and the idea and [a song I had written] coincided. Which was awkward, because I didn't know she was writing a song that pertained to what I was writing as well. I told her I had a song I had written two months earlier which was in the same vein." Afanasieff recalls what happened next: "We merged the two songs together lyrically, and a bit melodically, and that's why they're writers on the song."
The actual recording session was chaotic, the producer notes. "It was crazy! They had film crews and videos guys. I'm at the board trying to produce. (Boyz II Men) are the busiest guys in the world. Their managers and bodyguards are in the waiting room and it's 4:30 and they have until 7 o'clock. You've got four guys and you haven't even worked out their parts yet. So I was sweating. And these guys are running around having a ball, because Mariah and them are laughing and screaming and they're being interviewed. And I'm tapping people on the shoulder. 'We've got to get to the microphone!' They're gone in a couple of hours, so I recorded everything they did, praying that it was enough. After going home to my studio, I put the tracks together and did a rough blend of the four guys. And then Mariah went in and did some more vocals to fill in a little bit, because it sounded like it's all Boyz II Men and there wasn't enough Mariah Carey on it."
Carey watchers all over the world had their eyes on the Hot 100 as "One Sweet Day" broke the 14-week record for remaining number one. "I didn't even focus on it until the very, very end," says Carey. "It's just not good. I don't think it's the right vibe to have. But it's definitely a blessing and I'm very grateful for it."
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