“We Belong Together” was released as the second single from Mariah's The Emancipation Of Mimi album. “‘We Belong Together’ is the last song I did for the album,” she explained. “I wrote it with Jermaine Dupri and I feel like it's probably one of the best songs we've written together. We started working together when we did ‘Always Be My Baby’ for the Daydream album and I feel like this song kind of picks up where that song left off. It's a really emotional song, but it's still a young record, as the beat is really hot because Jermaine Dupri is a great producer.”
“We Belong Together” became digitally available exclusively on MSN Music on March 23, 2005. “Being Mariah Carey fans ourselves, we're excited that MSN Music is the only place that people can purchase her new single, see her new video online and get a behind-the-scenes look at her white-hot The Emancipation Of Mimi party,” said Rob Bennett, senior director of MSN Entertainment. “MSN Music is about helping music fans find what they love, and Mariah Carey's fans are among the most devoted in music.”
On June 4, 2005, “We Belong Together” became Mariah's sixteenth number-one single and spent fourteen consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the second longest-running number-one song in history and the best-performing Hot 100 single of the decade. Mariah became the first artist to break the 200 million one-week BDS Hot 100 audience barrier with “We Belong Together” (which went on to over 223 million listens — more than double anyone else's total). “We Belong Together” was also the first song to top 1 million BDS spins in a week.
During the week of July 30, 2005, “We Belong Together” became Mariah's first chart-topper on Billboard's Adult R&B chart. The song also occupied the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Top 40, the Pop 100, Pop 100 Airplay and the Mainstream Top 40 chart, making “We Belong Together” the first song in history to lead all eight charts concurrently.
“We Belong Together” was certified 6x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on September 26, 2022, and won numerous awards including the Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Song of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.
In Australia, “We Belong Together” became Mariah's second number-one single after debuting at the top of the ARIA charts. The song spent eight consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association on July 24, 2005. The song also performed extraordinarily well in the United Kingdom, where it became Mariah's twenty-second Top 10 single, peaking at number two. “We Belong Together” became the longest-running entry of Mariah's career in the UK, after spending twenty-six weeks on the Official Singles Chart, and was certified Platinum by the BPI on July 17, 2020.
Mariah recorded new vocals for the DJ Clue remix of the song, which features rappers Jadakiss and Styles P., and became available exclusively on iTunes on May 17, 2005. Peter Rauhofer, Atlantic Soul, Tony Moran and Warren Rigg were in charge of the dance remixes, bringing the song to the top of the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart on August 6, 2005.
To celebrate Valentine's Day, Mariah performed a Mimi's Late Night Valentine's Mix of “We Belong Together” on Live with Kelly & Ryan on February 12, 2021. This new mix of the song, as well as a 7-minute extended version, became available on streaming platforms on February 17, 2021.
| Song | Remix | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| We Belong Together | Instrumental
|
3:24 |
| We Belong Together | Remix feat. Jadakiss and Styles P.
Produced by DJ Clue, Jovonn “The Last Don” Alexander. |
4:27 |
| We Belong Together | Remix Instrumental
Produced by DJ Clue, Jovonn “The Last Don” Alexander. |
4:27 |
| We Belong Together | Reconstruction Club Mix
Produced by Peter Rauhofer. |
9:29 |
| We Belong Together | Reconstruction Radio Mix
Produced by Peter Rauhofer. |
4:05 |
| We Belong Together | Reconstruction Club Mix — Part 2
Produced by Peter Rauhofer. |
9:38 |
| We Belong Together | Atlantic Soul Vocal Mix
Produced by Craig C., Martin “Mayhem” Ikin. |
7:24 |
| We Belong Together | Atlantic Soul Radio Mix
Produced by Craig C., Martin “Mayhem” Ikin. |
4:22 |
| We Belong Together | Atlantic Soul Instrumental
Produced by Craig C., Martin “Mayhem” Ikin. |
7:24 |
| We Belong Together | Moran & Rigg Club Mix
Produced by Tony Moran, Warren Rigg. |
9:12 |
| We Belong Together | Moran & Rigg Radio Mix
Produced by Tony Moran, Warren Rigg. |
3:48 |
| We Belong Together | Moran & Rigg Mixshow
Produced by Tony Moran, Warren Rigg. |
5:08 |
| We Belong Together | Mimi's Late Night Valentine's Mix
Produced by Mariah Carey. |
3:12 |
| We Belong Together | Mimi's Late Night Valentine's Mix — Extended
Produced by Mariah Carey. |
7:18 |
The music video for “We Belong Together” was directed by Brett Ratner and picks up where the video for “It's Like That” left off, showing Mariah reconnecting with her love interest — played by actor Wentworth Miller — and leaving her groom at the altar to run away with him. Mariah actually wears the same Vera Wang dress she wore on her first wedding. “At the last minute, we decided to tie two videos together with this wedding concept, but we only had one day to go get this wedding dress,” she explained. “So I said to Brett [Ratner], ‘Well, I do have a wedding dress in storage that I could pull out.’ Why should I go buy a big thing that won't even fit me?”
MSN offered the exclusive online premiere of the “We Belong Together” music video on April 11, 2005, becoming their biggest video premiere with over 1.1 million video streams in 10 days. The video made its TV premiere that same day on VH1.
The only physical release of “We Belong Together” in the United States was the Remix Single featuring Jadakiss and Styles P., which became available on July 12, 2005, on 12" Vinyl and includes the Main Version and the Instrumental.
Released on June 26, 2005, the European “We Belong Together” CD Single was issued in cardboard sleeve including the Album Version and the DJ Clue Remix of the song. The Maxi Single was as Enhanced CD including the song's Album Version and the Reconstruction Radio Mix; the Scott Storch Remix of “It's Like That,” and the “We Belong Together” music video.
“We Belong Together” was released on July 4 in the United Kingdom. CD 1 includes the Album Version and the DJ Clue remix, and CD 2 contains four remixes by Peter Rauhofer and Craig Christensen. Additionally, “We Belong Together” was issued on a Picture Disc 12" Vinyl.
The “We Belong Together” CD Single, including the Album Version and the DJ Clue Remix, got an exclusive release in France.
In Australia, “We Belong Together” was released on June 20, 2005, on a Limited Edition CD Single with a bonus poster. The Australian release includes both the Album Version and the Reconstruction Radio Mix of “We Belong Together,” as well as the Scott Storch Remix of “It's Like That.”
The Japanese “We Belong Together” CD Single, released on June 15, 2005, features both the Main and Instrumental versions of the song.
I didn't mean it when I said
I didn't love you so
I should have held on tight
I never should have let you go
I didn't know nothing,
I was stupid, I was foolish
I was lying to myself
I couldn't have fathomed
I would ever be without your love
Never imagined I'd be sitting
Here beside myself
Guess I didn't know you
Guess I didn't know me
But I thought I knew everything
I never felt
The feeling that I'm feeling
Now that I don't hear your voice
Or have your touch and kiss your lips
Cause I don't have a choice
Oh what I wouldn't give
To have you lying by my side
Right here cause baby
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who else am I gonna lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
I can't sleep at night
When you are on my mind
Bobby Womack's on the radio
Singing to me
“If you think you're lonely now”
Wait a minute this is too deep
I gotta change the station
So I turn the dial tryin' to catch a break
And then I hear Babyface
“I only think of you” and
It's breakin' my heart
I'm tryin' to keep it together
But I'm falling apart
I'm feeling all out of my element
Throwing things, crying tryin'
To figure out where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected in this song
Ain't even half of what I'm feeling inside
I need you, need you back in my life baby
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who else am I gonna lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who am I gonna lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
Written by M. Carey, J. Dupri, M. Seal, J. Austin, D. Bristol, K. Edmonds, S. Dewayne, B. Womack, P. Moten, S. Sully.
Produced by Jermaine Dupri and Mariah Carey. Co-produced by Manuel Seal.
Mariah:
When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please cause
We belong together
Jadakiss / Styles P.:
Show your respect whenever you hear me or see me
This is The Emancipation of Mimi
Hot like a real fever, the real diva
So successful, yet still so eager
No matter what they say, it's on forever
It's our time right now, more than ever
Till the death, we gon' get it on together
And MC, you know we belong together
Mariah:
I lost a part of me
When you left boy can't you see
Boy come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place, there ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
I only think of you
On two occasions
That's day and night
I'd go for broke
If I could be with you
Only you can make it right
Make it right, make it right
Jadakiss / Styles P.:
We belong together like the sun and the summertime
Bounce in a lemon Range, skip in a Hummer lime
P and Kiss in and out, Mariah on the other line
Baby I'ma come back, believe it'll come a time
We belong together like peanut butter and jelly
Februaries and skellies, after-parties and tellies
Feel you in my stomach like you a part of my belly
Baby I'ma come back hope every part of you ready
Mariah:
I lost a part of me
When you left boy can't you see
Boy come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place, there ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
I can't sleep at night
When you are on my mind
Bobby Womack's on the radio
Singing to me
“If you think you're lonely now, wait until tonight”
Boy I'm feeling all out of my element
Throwing things, cryin',
Tryin' to figure out where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected in this song
Ain't even half of what I'm feeling inside
I need you, need you back in my life baby
Jadakiss / Styles P.:
You gon' need a shoulder to cry on
Classic Mustang Cobra to ride on
Past is the past, just let it be bygones
Matter of fact I know a fly song that we could vibe on
Let's get it straight if it's the 6 or the quarter to 8
Then I'm throwin' Babyface or Shai on
Kiss, Ghost and MC
Get close and toast to the diva and MC's
The trees will blow
Big cups, Pinot Grigio
Take it easy, though
We belong together, we know that
Now I think that it's 'bout time we show that
Even though every moment won't be a Kodak
Sometimes we argue
I spazz out, grab my ballsack
Come back not 'cause I have to, I want to
No, I don't just wanna have you
I want you
Mariah:
I lost a part of me
When you left boy can't you see
Boy come back baby please cause
We belong together
Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place, there ain't nobody better
Oh baby baby
We belong together
Written by M. Carey, J. Phillips, D. Styles, J. Dupri, M. Seal, J. Austin, D. Bristol, K. Edmonds, S. Dewayne, B. Womack, P. Moten, S. Sully.
Produced by DJ Clue. Co-produced by Jovonn “The Last Don” Alexander.
