When I Die (The Real Milli Vanilli song) explained

When I Die
Type:song
Artist:the Real Milli Vanilli
Album:The Moment of Truth
Length:4:00
Label:Hansa
Producer:Frank Farian

"When I Die" is a song originally released by the Real Milli Vanilli on their 1991 album The Moment of Truth, and later by Try 'N' B on their 1992 debut album. The song achieved more exposure when Germany-based American Eurodance group No Mercy covered it for their 1996 debut album, My Promise.

No Mercy version

When I Die
Cover:No_Mercy-When_I_Die.jpg
Type:single
Artist:No Mercy
Album:No Mercy My Promise
B-Side:For Eternity
Genre:Pop
Length:4:28
Label:
Producer:Frank Farian
Prev Title:Where Do You Go
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Please Don't Go
Next Year:1997

No Mercy's version of "When I Die" was released as the third single from their 1996 debut album, No Mercy, and its North American counterpart, My Promise, in November 1996. This version reached number one in Austria and the Netherlands, number two in Australia, number three in Switzerland, and number five in Germany and Spain.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "With this lovely and instantly memorable pop ballad, Arista aims to cement the future of this charming male vocal trio as more than merely a flash in the disco pan. It's a realistic goal, given the strength of their performance here—it's warmly soulful and technically far more flexible than what the act has displayed on its previous dance hits. In a sea of jeep-styled sound-alike slow jams, this Latin-flavored gem should stand out quite nicely with its plush keyboards and delicate acoustic guitar lines. Not to be missed."[1] The magazine's Paul Verna described it as a "brooding ballad", "which allows singer Marty Cintron to fully flex his boyish, star-powered charm."[2] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented, "Proving they're also adept when it comes to tackling a ballad, this Miami trio slows it down and blends some sweet harmony into a pretty melody."[3] Diana Valois from The Morning Call felt it has Marty Cintron "sounding like a coy and eager Prince".[4]

Track listings

  1. "When I Die" (radio) – 4:28
  2. "For Eternity" (Manumission club mix) – 5:56
  1. "When I Die" (radio edit) – 4:28
  2. "When I Die" (extended) – 6:16
  3. "For Eternity" (Manumission club mix) – 5:56
  4. "When I Die" (unplugged) – 4:12
  5. "Message of Love" – 3:08

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996–1997)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 8
Spain (AFYVE)[6] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)Position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 30
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 35
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 26
Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 17
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[14] 21
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 12

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
Europe18 November 1996CD
Japan22 January 1997BMG Japan[16]
United States29 April 1997Contemporary hit radioArista[17]
6 May 1997CD

Notes and References

  1. Larry. Flick. Single Reviews. Billboard. 26 April 1997. 24 January 2018. Larry Flick.
  2. Paul. Verna. Reviews & Previews: Albums. Billboard. 30 November 1996. 79. 7 December 2022.
  3. Gavin Picks > Singles. Sholin. Dave. Gavin Report. 2152. 54. 25 April 1997. 16 April 2018.
  4. Valois, Diana (1 February 1997). "Disc Reviews". p. A34. The Morning Call.
  5. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 14. 8. 11. 22 February 1997. 10 May 2021.
  6. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  7. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1997. ARIA. 10 May 2021.
  8. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 1997. de. 3 October 2018.
  9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1997. Ultratop. nl. 5 March 2020.
  10. 1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 14. 52. 7. 27 December 1997. 21 December 2019.
  11. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1997. GfK Entertainment. de. 17 April 2018.
  12. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1997. Dutch Top 40. 5 March 2020.
  13. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1997. MegaCharts. nl. 3 October 2018.
  14. Web site: Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1997. Romanian Top 100. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050922001105/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1997.html. 22 September 2005.
  15. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 1997. de. 3 October 2018.
  16. Web site: ホエン・アイ・ダイ ノー・マーシー. When I Die No Mercy. Oricon. ja. 26 September 2023.
  17. New Releases. Radio & Records. 1194. 37. 25 April 1997.