Believe (Elton John song)
{{Short description|1995 single by Elton John}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Believe
| cover = Believe_(Elton_John).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elton John
| album = Made in England
| B-side = {{ubl|"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (live)|"The One" (live)}}
| released = {{start date|1995|2|20|df=y}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-02-18.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=31|date=18 February 1995|access-date=27 June 2021}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:51
| label = Rocket
| composer = Elton John
| lyricist = Bernie Taupin
| producer =
- Elton John
- Greg Penny
| prev_title = Circle of Life
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Made in England
| next_year = 1995
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|ABSXJiYQFuI|"Believe"}}}}
}}
"Believe" is a song by English musician Elton John. It was the first single from his twenty-fourth studio album, Made in England (1995), and was released on 20 February 1995 by Rocket. Several versions of the single were released, featuring B-sides such as "Circle of Life" from The Lion King and live versions of tracks including "The One," "The Last Song," "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and "Believe," which were recorded at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
"Believe" reached number one in Iceland, Italy and Canada, becoming John's 18th number-one single in the latter country. In the United States, "Believe" became John's 15th number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart{{cite book|title=Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|author-link=Joel Whitburn|year=2002|publisher=Record Research|page=129}} and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100; it gave him a third straight top-20 single in the US. In Europe, it was a top-20 hit in France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the Wallonia region of Belgium.
The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Marcus Nispel, was entirely in black-and-white and shot in London.
Critical reception
Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "Elton John debuts his resurrected Rocket label with a ballad as compelling as any he's ever recorded. Go directly to the air studio, place in deck, hit play. End of story."{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Sholin|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/95/Gavin-1995-02-17.pdf|title=Gavin Picks: Singles|magazine=Gavin Report|date=17 February 1995|page=94|access-date=20 January 2023}} Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel viewed it as a "plodding single," saying, "This is the formula stuff John's been getting away with for years."Campbell, Chuck (31 March 1995). "Traci Lords' Passion Turns To Techno Music". Knoxville News Sentinel. Music Week gave the song four out of five, describing it as "a fab, pompous and brooding {{'}}I believe in love{{'}} stomper. Thankfully, he's ditched the frothy pop for a quite majestic song that would no doubt get an approving nod from a certain Freddie Mercury."{{cite magazine|title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 11 February 1995 |page= 10 |accessdate= 5 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-02-11.pdf}} Music Week editor Alan Jones felt the song "is clearly destined to be massive. The big ballad, cleverly marketed over two CD singles, augers well for his upcoming album Made in England."{{cite magazine|first= Alan |last= Jones |title= Talking Music |magazine= Music Week |date= 25 February 1995 |page= 16 |accessdate= 5 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-02-25.pdf}}
Pan-European magazine Music & Media named 'Believe' a "grand ballad".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-04-01.pdf|title=New Releases: Albums|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=13|date=1 April 1995|page=9|access-date=14 March 2025}} Paul Moody from NME wrote that the "belting comeback single" "is probably the best thing Elt's come up with since his last career revival in the mid-'80s, being a booming epic not dissimilar in mood to Duran's marvellous 'Ordinary World'."{{cite magazine|first=Paul|last=Moody|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53412702518/|title=Long Play|magazine=NME|date=25 March 1995|page=41|access-date=25 December 2023}} A reviewer from People Magazine described it as "a power ballad that hints at John Lennon during his pop-obsessed Double Fantasy era."{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-made-in-england-vol-43-no-16/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Made in England|magazine=People|date=24 April 1995|accessdate=18 October 2021}} Also Tony Cross from Smash Hits gave 'Believe' four out of five, writing that "it's a rock opera of Freddy Mercury proportions that proves the wee wiggy grandpa can keep coming up with the goods. Everything crumbles for love... he croons above the usual helpings of slush, violins, that piano and those specs... It proves Elton's still got the ability to hit where it hurts the most — in the heart."{{cite magazine|first=Tony|last=Cross|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/54256345015/in/album-72177720323065761|title=New Singles|magazine=Smash Hits|date=15 February 1995|page=49|access-date=5 February 2025}} Another Smash Hits editor, Mark Sutherland, named it a "superior smoocher".{{cite magazine|first=Mark|last=Sutherland|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/54270374580/in/album-72177720323211111|title=New Albums|magazine=Smash Hits|date=15 March 1995|page=55|access-date=5 February 2025}}
Music video
In the accompanying black-and-white music video for "Believe" directed by German film director and producer Marcus Nispel, Elton John travels around the world in a zeppelin. Some behind the scenes footage of the video was used for the 1997 documentary Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras.
Accolades
{{Awards table}}
|-
|1996 || "Believe" || Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-01-05-ca-21204-story.html |title= THE 38TH ANNUAL GRAMMY NOMINATIONS : The Complete List of Nominees |work=Los Angeles Times |date=5 January 1996}} || {{nom}}
|-
{{End}}
Track listings
- 7-inch
- "Believe" – 4:51
- "The One" (live) – 6:32
- Europe CD maxi
- "Believe" – 4:51
- "Believe" (live) – 4:43
- "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (live) – 3:52
- US CD maxi
- "Believe" – 4:51
- "The One" (live) – 6:32
- "Believe" (live) – 4:43
Personnel
- Elton John – vocals, piano, keyboards
- Guy Babylon – keyboards, programming
- Bob Birch – bass
- Paul Buckmaster – orchestra arrangement, conducting
- Ray Cooper – percussion
- Davey Johnstone – guitars
- Charlie Morgan – drums
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|23|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|21|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders|38|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|8|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| scope="row"|Canada Retail Singles (The Record){{cite magazine|first=|last=|title=Hits of the World: Canada|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1995/BB-1995-06-24.pdf|magazine=Billboard|date=24 June 1995|page=52|accessdate=20 November 2022}}
|2 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=6889|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|1|chartid=9167|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-03-25.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=12|page=15|date=25 March 1995|access-date=25 September 2020}}
|18 |
| scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=117|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2021|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|section=Elton John|page=117|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|access-date=27 June 2022|language=fi}}
|19 |
| {{single chart|France|13|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|56|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|songid=2971|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2726864#page/n41/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (8.4. '95 – 14.4. '95)|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=50|date=8 April 1995|access-date=1 October 2019}}
|1 |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|24|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-03-25.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=12|page=17|date=25 March 1995|access-date=25 November 2019}}
|1 |
| scope="row"|Italy Airplay (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-03-25.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay: Italy|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=12|page=27|date=25 March 1995}}
| 4 |
| scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1995/week-13|title=Tipparade-lijst van week 13, 1995|lang=dutch| publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=20 March 2023}}
|6 |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|47|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|43|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|17|date=19950311|rowheader=true|access-date=5 April 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|25|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|20|artist=Elton John|song=Believe|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|UK|15|date=19950311|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|13|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|1|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|31|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|21|artist=Elton John|rowheader=true|access-date=3 May 2018}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Elton John songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Music videos directed by Marcus Nispel
Category:Number-one singles in Iceland
Category:Number-one singles in Italy
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin