Ben (song)

Song written by Don Black and composed by Walter Scharf

For the Adair Lion song, see BEN (song).

"Ben"

Side A of the Brazilian single

Single by Michael Jackson
from the album  Ben
B-side| "You Can Cry on My Shoulder"
Released| July 12, 1972
Recorded| November 1971
Genre|

* Pop
* adult contemporary

Length| 2:44
Label| Motown
Songwriter(s)|

* Don Black
* Walter Scharf

Producer(s)| The Corporation
Michael Jackson singles chronology
| "Ain't No Sunshine"
(1972)  | "Ben"
(1972)  | "With a Child's Heart"
(1973)

|
|

"Ben" (often referred to as "Ben's Song")[1] is a song written by Don Black and Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name (a spin-off to the 1971 killer rat film Willard). It was performed by Lee Montgomery in the film and by Michael Jackson over the closing credits. Jackson's single, recorded for the Motown label in 1972, spent one week at the top of the Billboard 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 the ARIA Charts, spending eight weeks at the top spot.[2] The song also later reached a peak of number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] In 2004, the song appeared in The Ultimate Collection.

"Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1973, losing to "The Morning After" by Maureen McGovern from The Poseidon Adventure.

## Background

[edit]

"Ben" was written for Donny 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 the British pop chart.[2] "Ben" won a Golden Globe for Best Song. It was also nominated for an Academy 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" with The Jackson 5, in 1970),[7] "Ben" made him the third-youngest solo artist, at 14, to score a number 1 hit single. Only Stevie 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 in 1971, were younger.[citation needed]

The song is one of Jackson's most re-released, having appeared on The 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 of Number Ones (even though here it is the 1981 live version), some versions of King of Pop and Icon.[citation needed]

Live recorded versions were released on the 1981 album The Jacksons Live! and Live at the Forum, and remixed versions have appeared on The Remix Suite, The Stripped Mixes and some versions of Immortal. After Jackson's death, singer Akon 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 album The Soundtrack of My Life.[8]

## Critical reception

[edit]

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 editor Vince 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]

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

1972 weekly chart performance for "Ben"  | Chart (1972)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)  | 1
Canada RPM Top Singles[11] | 6
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[12] | 13
South African Singles Chart[13] | 14
UK Singles (OCC)[14] | 7
US Billboard Hot 100[15] | 1
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[16] | 3
US Cash Box Top 100[17] | 2
1973 weekly chart performance for "Ben"  Chart (1973)  | Peak
position

|

Irish Singles Chart[18] | 15
New Zealand (Listener)[19] | 18
2009 weekly chart performance for "Ben"  Chart (2009)  | Peak
position

|

Australian ARIA Singles Chart[20] | 14
Irish Singles Chart | 24
UK Singles Chart | 46

### Year-end charts

[edit]

1972 year-end chart performance for "Ben"  | Chart (1972)  | Position

|

Canada  | 18
US Billboard Hot 100[21] | 20
US Cash Box[22] | 45
1973 year-end chart performance for "Ben"  Chart (1973)  | Position

|

Australia[23] | 12

## Certifications and sales

[edit]

Certifications and sales for "Ben"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Mexico  | —  | 51,000[24]
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] | Silver  | 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Marti Webb version

[edit]

"Ben"

Single by Marti Webb
from the album  Encore
B-side| "Nothing Ever Changes"
Released| 1985
Studio| Angel Recording Studios, London
Label| Starblend Records
Songwriter(s)|

* Don Black
* Walter Scharf

Producer(s)| John Altman
Marti Webb singles chronology
| "For the Touch of Your Love"
(1983)  | "Ben"
(1985)  | "Ready for Roses Now"
(1985)

|
|

In 1985, the song became a top 10 hit again in the U.K. when covered by Marti Webb[26] as a tribute to Ben Hardwick, a young liver transplant patient.[27] This version reached No. 5 in the U.K. Singles Chart and was one of Webb's biggest hits.[26]

## Other cover versions

[edit]

Crispin Glover performed a cover of the song, as well starred and directed a music video, to the 2003 remake of Willard. The video featured R. Lee Ermey (who also appears in the film) as a few male patrons, as well Lindsay Beamish and Jane Jensen among the female extras.[28][better source needed]

Kipp Lennon of the band Venice performed a cover of the song on a 1991 episode of The 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.[29] The song was also regularly performed live by rock band Faith No More during their reunion tour in 2010.[30][31]

## See also

[edit]

* List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1972

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "BEN (1972) - (MOVIE CLIP) BEN'S SONG". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
2. ^ a b c d Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For the Record. Authors OnLine. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6.
3. ^ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1972
4. ^ "Donny Osmond". Lvrj.com. 2009-06-27. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
5. ^ "Michael Jackson - Ben (Oscars 1973)". Youtube.com. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
6. ^ "Radio Action and Pick Singles" (PDF). Billboard. July 22, 1972. p. 93. Retrieved 2020-08-02.
7. ^ McDermott, Maeve. "Ranking Michael Jackson's No. 1 hits, in honor of what would have been his 60th birthday". Usatoday.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
8. ^ "Donny Osmond Gets Personal With 'Soundtrack Of My Life'". Huff Post. 13 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
9. ^ Lindsay Planer. "Ben - Michael Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
10. ^ "Michael Jackson: Ben: Music Reviews: Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 1972-12-07. Archived from the original on June 18, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
11. ^ Canada, Library Archives (17 July 2013). "Image: RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
12. ^ Canada, Library Archives (17 July 2013). "Item: 9840 - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
13. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Songs (A-B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
14. ^ "Michael Jackson — full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
15. ^ "Michael Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
16. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 118.
17. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 10/21/72". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-10-21. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
18. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-01-13.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
19. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
20. ^ "Michael Jackson - Ben". ARIA Charts. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
21. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
22. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1972". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-12-30. Archived from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
23. ^ "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
24. ^ "Label's Biggest Seller Almost Wasn't Released" (PDF). Billboard. June 7, 1975. p. 24. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
25. ^ "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Ben". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
26. ^ a b "MARTI WEBB: full Official Chart History". Oofficialcharts.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
27. ^ "Marti Webb – The Pheasantry". Musical Theatre Review. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
28. ^ Roman "Romych" Pictures (2019-12-03). Crispin Glover - "Ben" [HD]. Retrieved 2024-11-19 – via YouTube.
29. ^ Félix, Doreen St (August 29, 2018). "The Bizarre Dispute Over Whether Three Michael Jackson Songs Were Actually Sung by Someone Else". The New Yorker.
30. ^ Injection, Metal (April 19, 2010). "FAITH NO MORE at Coachella 2010: Reunited And It Feels So Good!". Metal Injection.
31. ^ "Faith No More: Big Pimping Their Coachella Reunion!". SPIN. 18 April 2010.

## External links

[edit]

* Michael Jackson - Ben on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Willard

Books|

* Ratman's Notebooks
* Rat Catching

Films|

* Willard (1971)
* Ben (1972)
* Willard (2003)

Related|

* Stephen Gilbert
* "Ben" (song)

* v
* t
* e

Michael Jackson songs

* Singles
* Songs
* Unreleased songs

1970s|

* "Got to Be There"
* "Ain't No Sunshine"
* "I Wanna Be Where You Are"
* "Rockin' Robin"
* "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
* "You've Got a Friend"
* "Ben"
* "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"
* "My Girl"
* "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day"
* "We've Got a Good Thing Going"
* "With a Child's Heart"
* "Morning Glow"
* "All the Things You Are"
* "Happy"
* "Too Young"
* "Music and Me"
* "We're Almost There"
* "Just a Little Bit of You"
* "You Can't Win"
* "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
* "Rock with You"
* "Working Day and Night"
* "It's the Falling in Love"

1980s|

* "Off the Wall"
* "Girlfriend"
* "She's Out of My Life"
* "One Day in Your Life"
* "The Girl Is Mine"
* "Billie Jean"
* "Beat It"
* "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
* "Human Nature"
* "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
* "Thriller"
* "The Lady in My Life"
* "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"
* "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)"
* "Lonely Teardrops"
* "That's What Love Is Made Of"
* "Farewell My Summer Love"
* "Girl You're So Together"
* "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"
* "Bad"
* "The Way You Make Me Feel"
* "Speed Demon"
* "Liberian Girl"
* "Just Good Friends"
* "Another Part of Me"
* "Man in the Mirror"
* "Dirty Diana"
* "Smooth Criminal"
* "Leave Me Alone"
* "Twenty-Five Miles"

1990s|

* "Black or White"
* "Jam"
* "In the Closet"
* "Remember the Time"
* "Heal the World"
* "Who Is It"
* "Give In to Me"
* "Will You Be There"
* "Gone Too Soon"
* "Dangerous"
* "Come Together"
* "Scream"
* "Childhood"
* "They Don't Care About Us"
* "Stranger in Moscow"
* "This Time Around"
* "Earth Song"
* "D.S."
* "You Are Not Alone"
* "Tabloid Junkie"
* "HIStory"
* "Smile"
* "Mind Is the Magic"
* "Blood on the Dance Floor"
* "Ghosts"
* "Is It Scary"
* "On the Line"

2000s|

* "Speechless"
* "You Rock My World"
* "Heaven Can Wait"
* "Butterflies"
* "Cry"
* "One More Chance"
* "Cheater"
* "(I Like) The Way You Love Me"
* "Fall Again"
* "This Is It"

2010s|

* "Hold My Hand"
* "Hollywood Tonight"
* "(I Can't Make It) Another Day"
* "Behind the Mask"
* "Don't Be Messin' 'Round"
* "I'm So Blue"
* "Price of Fame"
* "Love Never Felt So Good"
* "Chicago"
* "Loving You"
* "A Place with No Name"
* "Slave to the Rhythm"
* "Do You Know Where Your Children Are"
* "Blue Gangsta"

2020s|

* "She's Trouble"

Other|

* "We Are the World"
* "What More Can I Give"
* "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"
* "Blood on the Dance Floor x Dangerous"
* "Diamonds Are Invincible"

Featured|

* "A Brand New Day"
* "Ease on Down the Road"
* "Night Time Lover"
* "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
* "State of Independence"
* "Muscles"
* "Say Say Say"
* "Somebody's Watching Me"
* "Don't Stand Another Chance"
* "Centipede"
* "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)"
* "Eaten Alive"
* "Get It"
* "2300 Jackson Street"
* "Do the Bartman"
* "Whatzupwitu"
* "Why"
* "I Need You"
* "We Be Ballin'"
* "Girls, Girls, Girls"
* "All in Your Name"
* "There Must Be More to Life Than This"
* "Low"
* "Don't Matter to Me"

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song

1960s|

* "Town Without Pity" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1961)
* No Award (1962)
* No Award (1963)
* "Circus World" – Music by Dimitri Tiomkin; Lyrics by Ned Washington (1964)
* "Forget Domani" – Music by Riz Ortolani; Lyrics by Norman Newell (1965)
* "Strangers in the Night" – Music by Bert Kaempfert; Lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder (1966)
* "If Ever I Would Leave You" – Music by Frederick Loewe; Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner (1967)
* "The Windmills of Your Mind" – Music by Michel Legrand; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1968)
* "Jean" – Music and lyrics by Rod McKuen (1969)

1970s|

* "Whistling Away the Dark" – Music by Henry Mancini; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1970)
* "Life Is What You Make It" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1971)
* "Ben" – Music by Walter Scharf; Lyrics by Don Black (1972)
* "The Way We Were" – Music by Marvin Hamlisch; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman (1973)
* "I Feel Love" – Music by Euel Box; Lyrics by Betty Box (1974)
* "I'm Easy" – Music and lyrics by Keith Carradine (1975)
* "Evergreen" – Music by Barbra Streisand; Lyrics by Paul Williams (1976)
* "You Light Up My Life" – Music and lyrics by Joseph Brooks (1977)
* "Last Dance" – Music and lyrics by Paul Jabara (1978)
* "The Rose" – Music and lyrics by Amanda McBroom (1979)

1980s|

* "Fame" – Music by Michael Gore; Lyrics by Dean Pitchford (1980)
* "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – Music and lyrics by Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach, Christopher Cross, and Carole Bayer Sager (1981)
* "Up Where We Belong" – Music by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1982)
* "Flashdance... What a Feeling" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Irene Cara and Keith Forsey (1983)
* "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – Music and lyrics by Stevie Wonder (1984)
* "Say You, Say Me" – Music and lyrics by Lionel Richie (1985)
* "Take My Breath Away" – Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyrics by Tom Whitlock (1986)
* "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" – Music by John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz; Lyrics by Franke Previte (1987)
* "Let the River Run" – Music and lyrics by Carly Simon / "Two Hearts" – Music by Lamont Dozier; Lyrics by Phil Collins (1988)
* "Under the Sea" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1989)

1990s|

* "Blaze of Glory" – Music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi (1990)
* "Beauty and the Beast" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Howard Ashman (1991)
* "A Whole New World" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1992)
* "Streets of Philadelphia" – Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (1993)
* "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1994)
* "Colors of the Wind" – Music by Alan Menken; Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (1995)
* "You Must Love Me" – Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics by Tim Rice (1996)
* "My Heart Will Go On" – Music by James Horner; Lyrics by Wilbur Jennings (1997)
* "The Prayer" – Music and lyrics by David Foster, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager, and Alberto Testa (1998)
* "You'll Be in My Heart" – Music and lyrics by Phil Collins (1999)

2000s|

* "Things Have Changed" – Music and lyrics by Bob Dylan (2000)
* "Until..." – Music and lyrics by Sting (2001)
* "The Hands That Built America" – Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. (2002)
* "Into the West" – Music and Lyrics by Annie Lennox, Howard Shore, and Frances Walsh (2003)
* "Old Habits Die Hard" – Music and lyrics by Mick Jagger and David A. Stewart (2004)
* "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" – Music by Gustavo Santaolalla; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2005)
* "The Song of the Heart" – Music and lyrics by Prince Rogers Nelson (2006)
* "Guaranteed" – Music and lyrics by Eddie Vedder (2007)
* "The Wrestler" – Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen (2008)
* "The Weary Kind" – Music and lyrics by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (2009)

2010s|

* "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" – Music and lyrics by Diane Warren (2010)
* "Masterpiece" – Music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, and Jimmy Harry (2011)
* "Skyfall" – Music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth (2012)
* "Ordinary Love" – Music and lyrics by Bono, Adam Clayton, the Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., and Danger Mouse (2013)
* "Glory" – Music and lyrics by Common and John Legend (2014)
* "Writing's on the Wall" – Music and lyrics by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes (2015)
* "City of Stars" – Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2016)
* "This Is Me" – Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (2017)
* "Shallow" – Music and lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt (2018)
* "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" – Music by Elton John; Lyrics by Bernie Taupin (2019)

2020s|

* "Io sì (Seen)" – Music by Diane Warren; Lyrics by Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, and Niccolò Agliardi (2020)
* "No Time to Die" – Music and lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (2021)
* "Naatu Naatu" – Music by M. M. Keeravani; Lyrics by Chandrabose (2022)
* "What Was I Made For?" – Music and lyrics by Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell (2023)
* "El Mal" – Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard (2024)

* Complete List
* (1960s)
* (1970s)
* (1980s)
* (1990s)
* (2000s)
* (2010s)
* (2020s)

* v
* t
* e

Marti Webb

Studio albums|

* Tell Me on a Sunday
* Won't Change Places
* I'm Not That Kind of Girl
* Encore / If You Leave Me Now
* Always There / Marti Webb Sings Small Screen Themes
* Performance
* Marti Webb Sings Gershwin: The Love Songs
* Limelight

Collaboration albums|

* The Magic of the Musicals (with Mark Rattray)

Singles|

* "Take That Look Off Your Face"
* "Unexpected Song"
* "Ben"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

|

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