Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston recorded “When You Believe,” the theme for the 1998 The Prince Of Egypt motion picture. The song, also available on Mariah's #1's and Whitney's My Love Is Your Love, was written by Stephen Schwartz and Babyface. “One of my favorite collaborations I've ever done was with the incomparable Whitney Houston,” Mariah told Billboard in 2019. “Working with Whitney was an experience I'll never forget. Once we knew each other we had the best time together and I was honored to work with her.”
“[DreamWorks principal] Jeffrey Katzenberg made a suggestion that he'd like to see me and Mariah do a song together,” Whitney told Billboard. “I thought, ‘Wow, what an incredible idea.’ I love inspirational songs that mean something… and I don't think they could have chosen two better people, two better voices, to come together and do it.”
After impacting radio on November 3, 1998, “When You Believe” made its debut at number fifty-one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song spent seventeen weeks on the chart, peaking at number fifteen on January 30, 1999. “When You Believe” was awarded the Best Original Song award during the 71st Annual Academy Awards and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association Of America on March 27, 2022.
“When You Believe” made its debut at number four on the Official UK Charts on December 19, 1998, becoming both Mariah and Whitney's tenth Top 5 hit. The song was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on June 14, 2024. In Australia, “When You Believe” peaked at number thirteen on the ARIA charts and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Associationon December 14, 1998.
| Song | Remix | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| When You Believe | Movie Soundtrack Version |
5:04 |
| When You Believe | TV Track |
4:35 |
| When You Believe | Instrumental |
4:15 |
The music video for “When You Believe” was directed by Phil Joanou and filmed in October 1998 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music performing arts center. “When they see the video, people are gonna see that there's no drama, there's no ‘catfighting,’ there's no ridiculousness going on, we're having a good time.” Mariah told MTV.
In the United States, the “When You Believe” Single was released on January 5, 1999. Available on CD and Cassette, it includes the Album and Instrumental versions of the song.
Released in Europe in late November 1998, the “When You Believe,” CD Single includes the Album Version and TV Track of the song, while the Maxi Single adds Mariah's “I Am Free,” from her Daydream album, and Whitney's “You Were Loved,” from The Preacher's Wife motion picture soundtrack. A second Maxi Single was also available, including The M!'s Pounding Vocal remix of Mariah's “Sweetheart” as well as Whitney's “You Were Loved.” Europe also saw the only vinyl release of “When You Believe,” with the same four tracks included on CD 1.
“When You Believe,” became commercially available in the United Kingdom on December 4, 1998. CD 1 includes “When You Believe,” Mariah's “I Am Free” and Whitney's “You Were Loved.” The second Maxi Single was a strictly limited edition almost identical to Europe's CD2, but including a bonus poster and the song's lyrics. The Single, containing the Album Version and the TV Track mix of the song, was released on Cassette.
Australia saw the release of the “When You Believe” Maxi Single on CD and Cassette on November 23. Both formats include the both Album Version and the TV Track version of “When You Believe,” as well as “I Am Free,” by Mariah Carey, and “You Were Loved,” by Whitney Houston.
The “When You Believe” Maxi Single released in Japan became available on November 26, 1998, including both the Album and TV Track versions of the song as well as Mariah's “I Am Free” and Whitney's “You Were Loved.”
Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My heart's so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
So in times when all your hope is gone
And you go through life afraid
In your heart there lies a hopeful song
That is there to guide the way
And all the hurt and all the pain
You soon will learn was not in vain
For all your prayers, they will be heard
They'll come to pass through faith
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will (Now you will)
You will when you believe
Written by Stephen Schwartz, Babyface.
Produced by Babyface.
