Fallin'

Infobox Single
Name = Fallin'


Artist = Alicia Keys
Album = Songs in A Minor
Released = April 2001 (airplay)
July 10, 2001 (commercial single)
Format = CD single, 12" single
Recorded = KrucialKeys Studios
(New York City, New York)
Genre = R&B, soul
Length = 3:30 (Album Version)
3:16 (Radio Edit)
Label = J
Writer = Alicia Keys
Producer = Alicia Keys
Certification = Platinum (IFPI – Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland; ARIA; NVPI)
Gold (RIAA; IFPI – Austria, Germany; SNEP; RIANZ)
Last single =
This single = "Fallin'"
(2001)
Next single = "A Woman's Worth"
(2002)
Misc = Extra track listing
Album = Songs in A Minor
Type = studio
prev_track = "How Come You Don't Call Me"
prev_no = 3
this_track = "Fallin'"
track_no = 4
next_track = "Troubles"
next_no = 5 Extra track listing
altAlbum = Unplugged
Type = live
Length = 5:10
Label = J
prev_track = "Stolen Moments"
prev_no = 14
this_track = "Fallin'"
track_no = 15
next_track = "Love It or Leave It Alone/Welcome to Jamrock"
next_no = 16

"Fallin'" is an R&B–soul song written and produced by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her debut album, "Songs in A Minor" (2001). Released to radio and music video outlets in April 2001, it is generally considered her signature song. "Fallin'" became Keys' first number-one single in the United States and her first top five hit in several countries. It was also Keys' second biggest single to date after 2007's "No One". The song won three Grammy Awards in 2002, including Song of the Year.

ong information

The songwriting and production of "Fallin'" are credited solely to Keys. The song's lyrics find Keys lamenting on a relationship that fills her with confused and mixed feelings. Following the song's a cappella intro, she proceeds to explain how her relationship with her man varies between happy times and painful conflict. To sum up her feelings, Keys notes, "I keep on fallin'/In and out of love with you/I never loved someone the way that I'm loving you." Accompanying the lyrics is Keys' production, including her piano performance. The record also features a violin performance of the pizzicato and legato strings by Miri Ben-Ari. Keys' collaborator Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, provides the song's digital programming.

Although it is regarded as Keys' signature song, it almost did not become her single. Before she joined J Records, Keys had signed a recording contract with Sony's Columbia Records. Sony felt that Keys should sing more mainstream-accessible material written by others, while she insisted upon recording her own compositions. As a result, Keys' recording career remained in limbo for two years. Bored and with free time on her hands because of Sony's lack of interest in her, Keys decided to put her time to good use and began to write a song. Instantly, arpeggios hit her, and she became inspired with the chords that would define "Fallin'". She quickly composed lyrics basing the tune on the emotions she faced during one of her first serious romantic relationships.

As Keys was still in artistic limbo, the song was originally not meant for her; Sony intended to have Kim Scott, a child prodigy signed to their label, record "Fallin'". Keys became uneasy over the matter, as she wanted to record the song herself, but could not because Sony was not focusing on her career. At first Keys had surrendered the piece to Scott willingly, but later changed her mind, and Scott did not record it. Clive Davis, a former Columbia executive then at Arista Records, heard about Keys and was impressed with her artistry. After Davis started a label of his own, J Records, he bought out Keys' Sony contract and signed her to his label.

Once at J Records, Keys began working on her debut album, "Songs in A Minor". Unlike Sony, J Records did not mind Keys recording her own compositions, and encouraged her to do so. When it was time for a first single to be chosen, "Girlfriend", a song Keys had worked on with Jermaine Dupri while at Columbia, was considered, but Keys and other executives agreed that "Fallin'" would be the best choice.

Release and chart performance

"Fallin'" was released in April 2001 as Keys' debut single, amidst considerable promotion and praise from Davis and J Records. The song quickly became a staple of both urban and pop radio, eventually rising to number one on both the "Billboard" Hot 100 and the "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. "Fallin'" reached number one on the U.S. chart on August 18, 2001, and remained there for six weeks. It also reached the top position in the Netherlands, Belgium, and New Zealand as well as the top five in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, and Ireland and the top ten in Sweden and Australia. A remix of the song, featuring Busta Rhymes and Rampage from the Flipmode Squad (also at that time signed to J Records), included on the British edition of her album, reimagines the song as a hip hop-flavored dance song. Since its release, "Fallin'" has become a popular standard for contestants in the reality television series "American Idol".

Awards

As one of the most critically-acclaimed singles of 2001, "Fallin'" was nominated for several awards. "Fallin'" connected well with NARAS as the song was nominated in 2002 for four Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song. It ended up winning Song of the Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song (Record of the Year was awarded to U2's "Walk On").

At the 2001 Billboard Music Awards, "Fallin'" was nominated for the Hot 100 Single of the Year; however, it lost the award to Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment". The song was also nominated for Outstanding Song and Outstanding Music Video at the 2002 NAACP Image Awards; it did not win in either category.

Music video

The music video for "Fallin'", directed by Chris Robinson, was a staple of BET and MTV2 during the spring and summer of 2001. Unlike most other contemporary R&B videos, the video for "Fallin'" was a low-key clip with no dancing. The video opens with a radio playing "Girlfriend" (the soon-to-be fourth single from "Songs in A Minor"), and its plot has Keys traveling to a prison to visit her incarcerated boyfriend. The plot is continued in the video for Keys' next single, "A Woman's Worth", which explores what happens when Keys' boyfriend is released and, with her help, adjusts back to regular life. Keys said in an interview that she was supposed to be the one incarcerated, and her boyfriend was visiting her.

Track listing

;CD single

;Promo sleeve single

References

succession box two to one
before1 = "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child
title1 = U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 number-one single (first run)
years1 = August 18, 2001 – September 1, 2001
before2 = "I'm Real" by Jennifer Lopez
title2 = U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 number-one single (second run)
years2 = September 29, 2001 – October 13, 2001
after = "I'm Real" by Jennifer Lopezsuccession box
before = "Loverboy" by Mariah Carey featuring Cameo
title = U.S. "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single
years = August 18, 2001 – September 14, 2001
after = "Where the Party At" by Jagged Edge with Nellysuccession box two to one
before1 = "Miss California" by Dante Thomas
title1 = Dutch Top 40 number-one single
years1 = September 8, 2001 – September 29, 2001
after = "Can't Get You out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue
before2 = "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani
title2 = Belgian Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one single
years2 = September 29, 2001succession box
before = "Can't Get You out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue
title = New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single (first run)
years = November 18, 2001
after = "Too Close" by Bluesuccession box
before = "Too Close" by Blue
title = New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single (second run)
years = December 9, 2001 – December 16, 2001
after = "Somethin' Stupid" by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman