"When You Believe" is a signature song from the 1998 DreamWorks musical animated feature The Prince of Egypt, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The Prince of Egypt is an adaptation of the first fourteen chapters of the Book of Exodus.
A pop single version of "When You Believe" performed by American singers Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, with additional music and lyrics by writer-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, was also recorded for the film's end credits and its soundtrack album by DreamWorks Records. Additionally, the song was released as a single on November 2, 1998, serving as the lead single for the soundtrack and for both Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love by Arista Records, and the second single and first commercial single for Carey's first compilation album, #1's by Columbia Records.
The original version of the song, featured in the narrative portion of the film, is performed by Sally Dworsky, Michelle Pfeiffer, and a children's choir soloist Andrew Bryan. It's sort of a message song. It's what Prince of Egypt is about, Moses.
In the film, "When You Believe" is sung mainly by Miriam and Tzipporah in an attempt to reassure Moses in the aftermath of the tenth plague and to make sense of and rejoice their new newfound freedom. They recall tough times that have caused them to question their faith; they have prayed for many nights to God, but those prayers had seemed to remain unanswered. Nevertheless, they realize that although the times may be difficult, their faith should remain strong.
The scene is overlayed with Hebrews emerging from their homes after the plagues, being free for the first time. Houston had sung in a church choir while growing up, and Carey had always connected to her faith through music, especially during any difficult times. This song became one of the many reasons that both singers were so interested in the project.
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Composition and Production
The song was co-written by Stephen Schwartz and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who also produced the song. Edmonds expressed how he went through more than one version of the song and described its production as a beautiful film ballad that was something different from anything he, Carey, or Houston had ever previously recorded.
In order to give the song a wider radio and pop appeal, Edmonds changed some of the song's instrumentals and replaced the children’s choir and the original bridge with a gospel one. His version was considered more "commercial" and would make the song "help sell the movie". Schwartz's original version was titled "When You Believe", while Edmonds' enhanced version was titled "The Prince of Egypt (When You Believe)".
Musical Structure
"When You Believe" is a slow tempo ballad, which incorporates pop, soul and R&B genres. The song is set in common time. Houston's verse is written in the key of B minor and features a basic chord progression of A-G1, and the song modulates to D major for her chorus. Her vocals in the song range from the note of F♯3 to F♯5. Carey's verse is set in the same key, but the song changes to E major for her chorus. Her vocal range in the song spans from the low note of E3 to the high note of A♯5 The song's key changes again in the last chorus, to F-sharp major.
Critical Reception
"When You Believe" was generally well-received by critics, who favorably described the track as "epic", "powerful", "beautiful", "stunning", "bombastic", and "a devout duet". Chuck Taylor of Billboard wrote: "The Babyface-stamped track is indeed lovely, offering an instantly accessible chorus and a squeaky clean message of "all things are possible when you believe in your dreams". He added that "the genuine story in this track is the return of Houston, who sounds fantastic-as clear and confident as ever". Another editor, Paul Verna stated that it is a "high-powered" duet, and later highlighted the song while reviewing Houston's album. However, some reviewers were not as enthusiastic.
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Chart Performance
The song performed moderately in the United States, despite a performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the 71st annual Academy Awards. The song performed moderately in Australia, where it entered at number 25 on the ARIA Singles Chart during the week of December 6, 1998. It remained on the chart for 14 weeks, spending its last week on the chart at number 50; it was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. In New Zealand, it peaked at number eight on the singles chart, and spent nine weeks fluctuating in the singles chart.
"When You Believe" experienced its highest charting in Europe. In Belgium, it reached number five on the Flanders Ultratop 50, and peaked at number four and spent 20 weeks on the Wallonian Ultratop 40. In Norway, "When You Believe" entered at number three on the VG-lista chart and peaked at number two, spending three consecutive weeks at the position. It was certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and spent 15 weeks on the chart. The song peaked at number two in Sweden and Switzerland, spending 20 and 24 weeks on the singles charts, respectively. The IFPI certified the song platinum in Sweden and gold in Switzerland. "When You Believe" experienced high charting in the United Kingdom.
Chart Positions and Certifications
The following table summarizes the peak chart positions and certifications for "When You Believe":
| Region | Peak Position | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | - | Gold |
| New Zealand | 8 | - |
| Belgium (Flanders) | 5 | - |
| Norway | 2 | Platinum |
| Sweden | 2 | Platinum |
| Switzerland | 2 | Gold |
Music Videos
The single's music video was filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music during the fall of 1998. The video begins with Houston entering a small arena as she begins to sing the song's first verse. As she finishes her part, Carey appears on the stage as well, performing the second verse and chorus. The video is set in a dark studio accented by Egyptian settings, backdrops, and scenes inspired by The Prince of Egypt. An audience is on hand to emulate a concert-like-setting, cheering on both singers. Occasionally, home video clips of Carey and Houston appear throughout the video, as well as clips of the final moments of the film, during the splitting of the Red Sea. The video ends as the room is illuminated, and the two singers are joined by a large choir. As they complete the song, Carey and Houston receive a standing ovation from the crowd, and exit the studio together, walking side by side as they disappear in the distance.
The song's alternate video features a similar synopsis, where Houston begins singing the song on a large stone altar in the middle of an auditorium. As she finishes her verse, Carey is seen walking up the ramp in the background, joining Houston for her verse. They continue singing the song together, standing side by side and holding hands.
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Live Performances
The duo performed the song live on The Oprah Winfrey Show on November 26, 1998. Aside from the joint performance, Houston and Carey sang their own singles at the time, "I Learned from the Best" and "I Still Believe", respectively. Additionally, they sang the song live at the 71st Annual Academy Awards on March 21, 1999.
Before the performance, they were due to rehearse together a few days before their scheduled appearance. Houston however, called in sick and had to miss the rehearsal. Reportedly, her excuse was not taken well, as academy executives were not convinced by that story. Conti, the academy's musical arranger, found a young female singer to take Houston's place, Janis Uhley. Before the performance, Carey walked down the stage in a white top and jeans, while choreographer Debbie Allen led the background singers.
As they began the performance, Carey forgot the lyrics and stopped, as Uhley began singing in a "theatricality and gusto". Her boastful performance was not taken well by the directors, who called it "inappropriate and unnerving". The next night, after they began the rehearsal, both singers had trouble performing the film version of the song. After hours of practice and confusion, they reached a compromise; they would sing a mash-up of the film and single versions, which featured an additional bridge and instrumentation by Edmonds.
For the Oscar ceremony, Houston and Carey wore matching white gowns, symbolizing "humbleness and simplicity". Houston entered the arena, performing her verse, followed by Carey. As the song's finale drew near, a full gospel choir joined the performance from large suspending golden scaffolding, all wearing large white tunics.
Legacy
"When You Believe" has been covered by numerous artists across various genres.
- Candice Glover: Performed on American Idol, released as a single on iTunes.
- Celtic Woman: Released as a single from their album Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart (2010).
- Melanie Amaro: Covered during a live performance on The X Factor in 2011.
- Pentatonix and Maren Morris: Covered for Pentatonix's 2018 Christmas album Christmas Is Here!.
- Leon Jackson: Recorded the song in December 2007, with slightly altered lyrics.
The song's co-writer Stephen Schwartz tweaked the lyrics for Jackson's version.
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