All Falls Down

Infobox Single
Name = All Falls Down


Artist = Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson
from Album = The College Dropout
A-side = "All Falls Down"
B-side = "Get 'Em High"
Released = February 24, 2004
Format = CD, 12" vinyl
Recorded =
Genre = Hip hop
Length = 3:43
Label = Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam
Writer = Kanye West, Lauryn Hill
Producer = Kanye West
Chronology = Kanye West singles
Last single = "Through the Wire"
(2003)
This single = "All Falls Down"
(2004)
Next single = "Jesus Walks"
(2004)

"All Falls Down" is the second single from Kanye West's debut album, "The College Dropout". Featuring Grammy-nominated singer Syleena Johnson, it was released in June 2004 and entered the UK Singles Chart at #10. It peaked at #7 on the US Hot 100. The song features an interpolation of Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity".

Kanye attempted to get legal permission to sample "Mystery of Iniquity", but for reasons as yet unknown, Hill refused permission. West then called upon Johnson to redo the relevant vocal parts ("all falls down") which ended up in the final single.

Music video

The music video for the song, directed by Chris Milk, featured Stacey Dash (Girl Going On Plane), Common (Airport Security Guard), Kel Mitchell (Gets bag from the car) and Syleena Johnson (Airline Ticket Counter). The video follows Kanye and he accompanies his girlfriend (Dash) to the airport to catch her flight. The video is shot in first-person perspective, showing the action through West's eyes, as when he washes his face in a sink, rubs his eyes, and opens a car door. The airport where the video was shot is LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.

Live

When performed live, a few changes to the lyrics are often made.

The line "she cut it all off, now she look like Eve"
becomes "she cut it all off, now she look like Steve".
Also, the line "and the white man get paid offa all of that."
becomes "and George Bush get paid offa all of that."

Track listings

12" vinyl #1

A-Side
# "All Falls Down" (Clean)
# "All Falls Down" (Dirty)
# "All Falls Down" (A cappella)B-Side
# "Get 'Em High" (Clean)
# "Get 'Em High" (Extended Dirty)
# "Get 'Em High" (A cappella)

12" vinyl #2

A-Side
# "All Falls Down" (Explicit)
# "All Falls Down" (Edited)

B-Side
# "Heavy Hitters" (Dirty)
# "Heavy Hitters" (A cappella)

CD single #1

# "All Falls Down" (Album Version Explicit)
# "Heavy Hitters" (Dirty)

CD single #2

# "All Falls Down"
# "Get 'Em High"
# "Heavy Hitters"
# "Through the Wire"

Peak chart positions