My Life (Mary J. Blige song)
Encyclopedia
"My Life" is a song co-written and performed by American R&B artist Mary J. Blige
and the title track off her critically acclaimed second studio album
. It samples heavily from the song "Everybody Loves the Sunshine
" by Roy Ayers
. "My Life" became a signature song
for Blige, achieving great success at Urban radio, despite the fact that it was never officially released outside of the United Kingdom
, and had no accompanying music video.
Thematically, the song explores the protagonist's attempts to both strive for better in life while also remaining true to emotional feelings ("when you're feeling down, you should never fake it"). At its climax, Blige asserts that "things will turn out fine" through faith and spirituality. It was composed by Blige, as was the rest of the album, at a dark time in her personal life when she battled drug and alcohol addiction and was engaged in a tumultuous relationship with K-Ci Hailey.
Faith Evans
and Blige's older sister, LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, provided backing vocals on the song.
Blige recorded "My Life '06" for her compilation album My Collection of Love Songs. The new version of the song features live instruments, a more mature and jazz-inflected vocal arrangement, and new closing ad-libs that shed a positive light on the song's previously melancholy and somber mode.
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
and the title track off her critically acclaimed second studio album
My Life (Mary J. Blige album)
My Life is the second studio album from American R&B and soul singer Mary J. Blige, Released by Uptown/MCA Records on November 29, 1994. Recording sessions for the album began in fall of 1993 and ended almost one year later. Many of the topics on My Life deal with clinical depression, Blige's...
. It samples heavily from the song "Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Everybody Loves the Sunshine
-Track listing:#Hey, Uh, What You Say Come On - 3:45#Golden Rod - 3:03#Keep On Walking - 3:45#You And Me My Love - 3:11#Third Eye - 6:21...
" by Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
. "My Life" became a signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
for Blige, achieving great success at Urban radio, despite the fact that it was never officially released outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and had no accompanying music video.
Thematically, the song explores the protagonist's attempts to both strive for better in life while also remaining true to emotional feelings ("when you're feeling down, you should never fake it"). At its climax, Blige asserts that "things will turn out fine" through faith and spirituality. It was composed by Blige, as was the rest of the album, at a dark time in her personal life when she battled drug and alcohol addiction and was engaged in a tumultuous relationship with K-Ci Hailey.
Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
and Blige's older sister, LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, provided backing vocals on the song.
Blige recorded "My Life '06" for her compilation album My Collection of Love Songs. The new version of the song features live instruments, a more mature and jazz-inflected vocal arrangement, and new closing ad-libs that shed a positive light on the song's previously melancholy and somber mode.