I Will Come To You

Album: Middle of Nowhere (1997)
Charted: 5 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Hanson set the pop music world on fire with their debut single, "MMMbop," but they scored another substantial hit with "I Will Come To You," a soaring ballad with a lead vocal by middle brother Taylor. It's a song about not just being there for someone, but seeking out that person in their time of need, asking nothing in return.
  • Hanson had already written "MMMbop" and a few other songs when they signed to Mercury Records, but the label brought in some experienced scribes to help them write songs to fill out the album. Among them was Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who wrote "I Will Come To You" with them.

    Mann and Weil wrote some of the biggest hits of the '60s, including "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "On Broadway." In the '80s, they wrote "Somewhere Out There" and "Don't Know Much." "I Will Come To You" was the last of their Top 10 hits.
  • With a string section and guitar solo from Isaac Hanson, this song is pretty heavy for Hanson, who were very young at the time. When the album was released, they were just 16 (Taylor), 14 (Isaac 14), and 11 (Zac) years old.
  • Hanson followed "MMMbop" with "Where's The Love," which was released as a promotional single but not sold commercially - a bid to sell more albums. "I Will Come To You" was the next single, and it was sold commercially. By this time, Hanson had a Christmas album out and was still a really big deal. Their popularity waned in 1998 and 1999, in part because they didn't release another studio album until 2000. By that time, they had lost their momentum. When they released their next album in 2004, it was on their own independent label.
  • The music video, directed by Peter Christopherson, is heavy on special effects, with dark, warped shots of commuters in a busy city contrasting with scenes of Hanson in a golden glow performing the song in a meadow. It looks like the Hanson brothers are supposed to be angels of some kind, entering the terrestrial realm to bring comfort to those in need. It's a big change from their "MMMbop" video, where they're just running around having fun.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in Rock

Does Jimmy Page Worship The Devil? A Look at Satanism in RockSong Writing

We ring the Hell's Bells to see what songs and rockers are sincere in their Satanism, and how much of it is an act.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.