Everything (Mary J. Blige song)

"Everything" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Blige's third album, Share My World (1997). The song contains samples from "You Are Everything" (1971) by American soul group The Stylistics and "The Payback" (1973) by American singer James Brown, also incorporating elements from "Sukiyaki" (1961) by Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto. Due to the inclusion of the samples, Brown, Hachidai Nakamura, Rokusuke Ei, Linda Creed, Thom Bell, John Starks, and Fred Wesley are also credited as songwriters.

"Everything"
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album Share My World
ReleasedAugust 4, 1997 (1997-08-04)
StudioFlyte Time (Edina, Minnesota)
Length4:59
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"I Can Love You"
(1997)		 "Everything"
(1997)		 "Missing You"
(1997)
Music video
"Everything" on YouTube

MCA Records released the song as the third single from Share My World in August 1997. "Everything" reached number twenty-four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It also peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Blige's first top ten hit in the UK, and entered the top ten in the Netherlands and the top twenty in New Zealand. An accompanying music video, directed by Hype Williams, was filmed in Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard stated in his review of "Everything", that Blige "is in typically solid diva form on this romantic jeep cruiser, which is fueled by a prominent sample of "You Are Everything" by the Stylistics, as well as a snippet from James Brown's "The Payback"." He noted that producers Jam and Lewis "do an exemplary job of letting Blige breathe freely as an artist (which she does with delicious soul), while also injecting their own signature pop/R&B flavor."[1] Jonathan Bernstein from Entertainment Weekly felt that "she unleashes equal joy" on the song.[2] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it as a "wonderful Jam & Lewis creation" and "a spartan urban contemporary track, which provides emphatic proof of Blige's singing ability."[3] Ralph Tee from the magazine's RM Dance Update concluded, "For me this is the standout song from 'Share My World', the familiarity factor in the music and Mary's best vocal yet having a lot to do with it."[4] Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times opined that Blige "mixes sweetness and power".[5] Laura Jamison from Salon also noted that "Everything" quotes Stylistics' song, adding that it "draws you in with its sheer familiarity."[6]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by American director Hype Williams and shot in Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.[7] The video blends South Asian style against the lush jungles, cliffs and black sand beaches of the island.[7]

Track listings
CD single (CD1), UK (1997)[8]
No.TitleLength
1."Everything" (album version)5:01
2."Everything" (Full Crew club mix)4:31
3."Everything" (Curtis & Moore vocal mix)7:13
4."Love Is All We Need" (remix)4:13
CD single (CD2), UK (1997)[9]
No.TitleLength
1."Everything" (Instant Flava Mix)4:31
2."Everything" (Full Crew Old Skool Mix)4:14
3."Everything" (Curtis & Moore dub)6:00
4."Everyday"4:24
Cassette single, UK (1997)[10]
No.TitleLength
1."Everything" (LP edit) 
2."Everything" (classic radio edit) 

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Share My World liner notes.[11]

Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark- writer (sample)

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States July 29, 1997 Rhythmic contemporary radio MCA [27]
United Kingdom August 4, 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 [28]
Japan August 6, 1997 CD [29]
United Kingdom August 11, 1997 12-inch vinyl [30]
United States September 30, 1997 Contemporary hit radio [31]

References
  1. Flick, Larry (August 9, 1997). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 54. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  2. Bernstein, Jonathan (May 2, 1997). "Share My World". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  3. Jones, Alan (July 26, 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 27. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  4. Tee, Ralph (July 26, 1997). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 4. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  5. Martinez, Gerald (November 8, 1998). "Dance fever for one and all". New Sunday Times. p. 13. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  6. Jamison, Laura (May 1997). "Sharps and Flats". Salon. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  7. Washington, Shannon (February 12, 2012). "Video Passport: Mary J. Blige's 'Everything' Makes Hawaii's Kauai Real". parlourmagazine.com. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  8. Everything (UK CD1 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCSTD 48059.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. Everything (UK CD2 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCSXD 48059.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. Everything (UK cassette single sleeve). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCACS 55353.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Share My World (US CD album liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCAD-11606.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 35. August 30, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 237 Vikuna 4.9. '97 – 11.9. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 5, 1997. p. 22. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  14. "Mary J Blige – Everything" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  15. "Mary J Blige – Everything" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  16. "Mary J Blige – Everything". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  18. "Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  19. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  20. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  21. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  22. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  23. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  24. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 1997". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  25. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 1998". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  26. "British single certifications – Mary J Blige – Everything". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  27. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1207. July 25, 1997. p. 47.
  28. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 2, 1997. p. 27.
  29. "エブリシング | メアリー・J.ブライジ" [Everything | Mary J. Blige] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  30. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 9, 1997. p. 33.
  31. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1216. September 26, 1997. p. 43.
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