Have You Ever?

Album: Never Say Never (1998)
Charted: 13 1
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, a heartbroken Brandy is devastated after losing the guy she thought was the one. She's not likely to get over it anytime soon, still hoping he comes back.
  • Brandy was just 19 when this song was released, but it comes off very adult, as what she's singing about is far more than puppy love. Musically, the song is also very mature, with a smooth mid-tempo groove.

    The song was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, both veteran tunesmiths with a long track record of hits. Warren had written hits for older artists like Cher and Bette Midler, but also for newcomers like Shanice and LeAnn Rimes. Foster's clients include Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand and Chicago.
  • On Soul Tracks Brandy recalls: "That was the first time I had been in the studio with a producer like David Foster. My voice wasn't as developed as it is now and the song required what producers call 'money notes' - the kind that get you a #1 on the charts! I was really nervous but it all worked just fine."
  • The first single from Brandy's second album, Never Say Never, was her lighthearted duet with Monica, "The Boy Is Mine," which stayed at #1 in America for 13 weeks in the summer of 1998. "Have You Ever?" was her follow-up, and it also climbed to the top, staying for two weeks in January 1999.
  • In 2007 this was covered by Irish boy band Westlife on their album Back Home.

Comments: 2

  • Ernest from TanzaniaI like it
  • Jerry from LagosAh I love Brandy
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