You Are Not Alone

Album: HIStory (1995)
Charted: 1 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the first-ever single in US history to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at #1. It's far from Jackson's most popular song, but there was so much anticipation and promotion for the single that it jumped right to the top spot. It also hit #1 on the UK chart.
  • Michael Jackson asked R. Kelly's manager if Kelly would write a song for him after hearing his hit record "Bump And Grind." R Kelly went straight into the studio and came up with this song. Michael Jackson then joined R. Kelly in Chicago to record the track and asked Kelly to provide backing vocals. Kelly is quoted in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh as saying, "I actually imitated Michael when I sent him my first copy. He was laughing at me because I was imitating him."
  • Jackson was married to Lisa Marie Presley at the time, and she appears in the video, where both of them are topless.

    The couple divorced the following year after it became clear that Jackson wanted her to join him in the spotlight, but she wanted no part of it. Presley claimed that Jackson orchestrated their public appearances, and cited the video as an example of how he used her as part of his publicity. She had just returned from Hawaii when she found out he had plans to put her in the clip, and that she would be topless.

    When the couple did show affection in front of the cameras, it often appeared strained. Their kiss at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards was one of the most awkward high-profile smooches, and another example of a last-minute manipulation - Presley said that she found out about the kiss 20 minutes before it happened.
  • In Belgium, the brothers Eddy and Danny Van Passel are considered the composers of this song, as the Belgian right society SABAM agreed that the largest part of the melody came from the 1993 Van Passel composition "If We Can Start All Over."
  • The song topped the UK chart for a second time in 2009 when a cover by the finalists of the sixth series of the United Kingdom music talent show The X-Factor reached #1. All proceeds went to the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
  • R Kelly paid tribute to Michael after his passing by recording his own version of this song as a bonus track on his 2010 album, Love Letter.
  • A woman named Lizzette Martinez claimed that Kelly wrote the song about their relationship when she was a senior in high school. Martinez stated on Lifetime's 2018 Surviving R. Kelly documentary that she became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage and Kelly wrote the song about her losing the baby. "When he wrote it, he was thinking of me," she said.

Comments: 12

  • Kampamba Kasamba from Zambian I really follow great musicians and there stories
  • Calvin Mantso from South Africa North WestI really love the song it heals me when am sad
  • Tom from Lafayette, GaIts hard to listen to this song while they have a montage of michael jackson's life showing in the background. He was a great singer, and a helluva dancer! R.I.P. MJ.
  • Lin Lin from Pinson, AlThis song is about elvis presleys daughter after he married her- and how he felt he could relate to her.
  • Stephanie from Amsterdam, NetherlandsCorrection: The Belgian judgment is enforced and recognized in Europe. It was proven R. Kelly had no independent work when the recordings with Michael Jackson took place. Kelly recorded an onauthorised cover-version from the original Van Passel composition with Michael Jackson.

    Europe: the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters.

    In 2007 the Court of Appeal in Brussels made a general conclusion: "The general conclusion is worded then as follows: the composition You are not alone has to be considered to be an imitation of If we can start all over." Europe: the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters: For the purposes of the free movement of judgments, judgments given in a Member State bound by this Regulation should be recognised and enforced in another Member State bound by this Regulation, even if the judgment debtor is domiciled in a third State.



    http://www.myspace.com/vanpasselbrothers
  • Floramae from Valencia, Philippinesthis song is very unforgetable to me......the nice smooth lyricsss that can captivate your mind and heart michael will remain in our mind forever.....thanks for the music......that you have shared with us.....
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnThis song is kind of corny but lovely.
  • Danielle from Fall River, Maone of the most beautiful songs ever, so romantic
    so captivating only michael jackson nobody else could have given so much power. whenever i hear this song i think of him singing it on stage to
    then wife lisa marie pressly so beautiful. I also loved at conserts he would bring the female fans on stage and dance with them as he sang this song
    despite what people may say michael jackson was a the heart of seven people.
  • Fariha from Dhaka, --This is a song that you can't get sick of. It sounds new every time. It has an eerie, haunting quality to it but it's so sweet and touching at the same time. And the composition is genius!
  • Mjn Seifer from Not Listed For Personal Reason, EnglandIf anyone needs this song - it's Michael Jackson...
  • Lina from Sacramento, CaI like this song. It's nice and smooth. I didn't know he sings slow songs...jk. He sounds good every way and all the way.
  • Mindy from Hesperia, Calove the lyrics to this song!
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