| Will You Marry Me? | |
| Cover: | Paula.Abdul Will.You.Marry.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Paula Abdul |
| Album: | Spellbound |
| Released: | March 19, 1992 |
| B-Side: | Good Night, My Love (Pleasant Dreams) |
| Recorded: | Studio Masters (Los Angeles)[1] |
| Length: | 4:24 |
| Label: | Virgin |
| Prev Title: | Vibeology |
| Prev Year: | 1992 |
| Next Title: | My Love Is for Real |
| Next Year: | 1995 |
"Will You Marry Me?" is a song by American artist Paula Abdul, released as the fifth and final widely released single (the album's final single "Alright Tonight" was exclusively released in Canada) from her second studio album, Spellbound (1991). The song was written by Abdul, Peter Lord, Sandra St. Victor and V. Jeffrey Smith and produced by Lord and Smith. Stevie Wonder notably appears as a special guest playing the harmonica.[2]
The track received moderate success, hitting the top ten in Canada.
"Will You Marry Me?" is performed in the key of G major, with Abdul's vocals ranging from B3–E5.[3] The song is about the narrator pleading for her partner to marry her. It was coincidentally released just as Abdul had gotten engaged and married to actor Emilio Estevez.[4] The single's B-side was a track from the Spellbound sessions called "Good Night, My Love (Pleasant Dreams)" which was only included in the international edition of the album. It was recorded for a compilation as well, called For Our Children, whose proceeds benefited the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.[5]
Larry Flick of Billboard magazine gave the track a positive review, saying "Overall warm reception to ballads from the multi-platinum Spellbound set bodes well for this retro-spiced tune. Harmonica cameo by Stevie Wonder sits well next to Abdul's charming vocal and track's glistening production values. Quite nice."[6] Bryan Buss of AllMusic described the song as "skating that thin line between sweet and precious."[7] Diane Rufer and Ron Fell of Gavin Report also wrote a positive review of the single saying, "We think this is a mute question now, but the single is a worthy play this time of the year in any case."[8]
Like the previous single "Vibeology" the single reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, stalling at number 19 and becoming a modest hit for Abdul.[9] The song performed strongest in Canada where it reached number 6 on the RPM Top Singles chart. "Will You Marry Me?" however performed poorly outside North America, failing to enter the top-fifty in Europe or Australia.
The video for "Will You Marry Me" was directed by Big TV!, a duo made up of Andy Delaney and Monty Whitebloom and whom Abdul have worked with multiple times before.[10] It was added to MTV's playlist for the week of May 2, 1992.[11] It was then released to VH1 on May 9, 1992.[12]
The music video for the song featured a digital composite of five versions of Abdul wearing similarly coloured white outfits. Each "version" of Abdul performs a different style of dance to the song (ballet, jazz, etc...) and ultimately settle into a choreographed routine in which they dance with one another, concluding with one Abdul dancing with and being carried off by a translucent partner.
US cassette single[13]
UK CD single[14]
Australian CD single[15]
Taken from the Spellbound booklet.[16]
| Chart (1992) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[17] | 54 | |
| Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (The Record)[18] | 4 | |
| US Top 40 Radio Monitor (Billboard)[19] | 13 | |
| US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[20] | 5 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)[21] | 16 | |
| US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[22] | 8 | |
| US Crossover (Gavin Report)[23] | 6 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)[24] | 8 | |
| US Top 100 Pop Singles (Cashbox)[25] | 12 |
| Chart (1992) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[26] | 78 | |
| US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)[27] | 75 | |
| US Top 40 (Gavin Report)[28] | 79 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)[29] | 83 |
| Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 19, 1992 | Virgin | ||
| United Kingdom | July 27, 1992 | [30] |