Save the Best for Last
Encyclopedia
"Save the Best for Last" is a 1992
single written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman and Jon Lind
in March 1989. It is considered Vanessa Williams
' signature song
. The lyrics' redemptive themes resonated with Williams' story, as she had put together a successful recording career following her earlier Miss America
resignation scandal. The song is a ballad about a young female admirer of a single man who stands by and watches as the object of her desires goes through years of dating, before he finally unexpectedly decides to consummate a relationship with the singer.
"Save The Best For Last" was not written specifically for Vanessa Williams. There were a number of other singers who were offered the song, they all turned it down. While recording her cd "The Comfort Zone", at the last minute, a song had to be replaced. Vanessa was played "Save The Best For Last", and Vanessa said: "I can't believe nobody wants this song. I have to have this song."
for five weeks in 1992. "Save the Best for Last" was ranked fourth in the Billboard Top 100 hits of 1992, becoming the biggest success of Williams' music career. The song also went to #1 on the U.S. adult contemporary
and R&B
charts; it remained atop these charts for three weeks apiece. Internationally, the single shot to number one in Australia
, the Netherlands
, and Canada
, and to number three in the United Kingdom
, number two in Ireland
, and number three in Japan
. ASCAP named it as its Song of the Year, meaning it was performed more than any other song in 1992, and it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year
and Record of the Year
in 1993 losing to Eric Clapton
's Tears In Heaven
in both categories.
.
Europe Single
US Maxi-CD
UK / Netherlands Vinyl, 7"
Netherlands 12", Promo
covered the song from his album "Forbidden Fruit." In 1995, then New Age
/New Adult Contemporary
pianist Brian Culbertson
covered the song for his album "Modern Life."
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
single written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman and Jon Lind
Jon Lind
Jon Lind is an American songwriter and performer.- Biography :Jon Lind was raised in New York City. He studied classical guitar at the Mannes College of Music. His first break was in the 1970s where he worked with Bob Cavallo. At this period he met Maurice White who recorded two of his songs. He...
in March 1989. It is considered Vanessa Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
' 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...
. The lyrics' redemptive themes resonated with Williams' story, as she had put together a successful recording career following her earlier Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
resignation scandal. The song is a ballad about a young female admirer of a single man who stands by and watches as the object of her desires goes through years of dating, before he finally unexpectedly decides to consummate a relationship with the singer.
"Save The Best For Last" was not written specifically for Vanessa Williams. There were a number of other singers who were offered the song, they all turned it down. While recording her cd "The Comfort Zone", at the last minute, a song had to be replaced. Vanessa was played "Save The Best For Last", and Vanessa said: "I can't believe nobody wants this song. I have to have this song."
Chart performance
The single was Williams' third number one on the Soul singles chart and topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for five weeks in 1992. "Save the Best for Last" was ranked fourth in the Billboard Top 100 hits of 1992, becoming the biggest success of Williams' music career. The song also went to #1 on the U.S. adult contemporary
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
and R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
charts; it remained atop these charts for three weeks apiece. Internationally, the single shot to number one in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and to number three in 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...
, number two in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and number three in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. ASCAP named it as its Song of the Year, meaning it was performed more than any other song in 1992, and it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
and Record of the Year
Record Of The Year
Record of the Year may refer to:*Grammy Award for Record of the Year*The Record of the Year, a British award based on public polling...
in 1993 losing to Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's Tears In Heaven
Tears in Heaven
"Tears in Heaven" is a ballad written by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings about the pain and loss Clapton felt following the death of his four-year-old son, Conor. Conor fell from a window of the 53rd-floor New York apartment of his mother's friend on March 20, 1991. Clapton, who arrived at the...
in both categories.
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1992) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
End of decade charts
| Chart (1990–1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 47 |
Music videos
There are two versions of the music video for this single. Along with the original version, the song was reworked and re-released as a Christmas single in 1993. It recharted for several years as a holiday favorite, with a new snowy videoclip version played on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Track listings
http://www.discogs.com/Vanessa-Williams-Save-The-Best-For-Last/master/113233Europe Single
- Save The Best For Last 3:39
- 2 Of A Kind 5:15
- Dreamin' 5:25
US Maxi-CD
- Save The Best For Last 3:39
- Freedom Dance (Get Free!) (LP Version) 4:13
- Freedom Dance (Get Free!) (Free Your Body Club Mix) 6:59
- Freedom Dance (Get Free!) (Vanessa's Sweat Mix) 5:21
- The Right Stuff (UK Mix) 6:18
UK / Netherlands Vinyl, 7"
- A Save The Best For Last 3:39
- B 2 Of A Kind 5:15
Netherlands 12", Promo
- A Save The Best For Last 3:39
- B1 2 Of A Kind 5:15
- B2 Dreamin´ 5:25
In the media
- The song is sometimes played in conjunction with R. KellyR. KellyRobert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
's 1996 hit "I Believe I Can FlyI Believe I Can Fly"I Believe I Can Fly" is a 1996 song by R&B singer R. Kelly. The song was written, produced and performed by Kelly and was featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam. The song later appeared on Kelly's 1998 album R.....
" at high school graduations, proms, and other special events, such as sports championships: for example, the Toronto Blue Jays1992 Toronto Blue Jays seasonThe Toronto Blue Jays played their 16th season in Major League Baseball. Toronto finished first in the American League East for the 4th time with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses, closing the season with an attendance record of 4,028,318...
played the song following their 1992 World Series1992 World Series-Game 1:Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaBraves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS...
triumph; the Atlanta Braves1992 Atlanta Braves seasonThe 1992 Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Braves finishing first in the National League West with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, clinching their second straight division title....
followed suit three years later1995 World Series-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta ace Greg Maddux pitched a two-hit complete game victory in his first World Series appearance ....
; and the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
played it while celebrating their first-ever NBA title1999 NBA FinalsThe 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage...
. - The song is played over the closing credits of the 1994 Australian movie, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Australian comedy-drama film written and directed by Stephan Elliott. The plot is based on the journey of three drag queens who travel across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus that they have named...
, as a silhouetted drag queenDrag queenA drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
(Tim Chappel) lip-syncs along to it. - The song was played as the last dance for winners Mark RamprakashMark RamprakashMark Ravin Ramprakash is an English cricketer, playing for Surrey and England. A right-handed batsman, he initially made his name playing for Middlesex, and was selected for England aged 21...
and Karen HardyKaren HardyKaren Hardy is a professional ballroom dancer, coach, teacher and adjudicator. In 1998 she won the professional International Latin American Dance Championship with Bryan Watson. She also won the United Kingdom Open, British National, European and World Masters championships...
in the final of the 4th series of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
. - The song was used in a post-credits scenePost-credits sceneA post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...
in the 2008 film, What Happens in VegasWhat Happens in VegasWhat Happens in Vegas is a 2008 American romantic comedy film from 20th Century Fox starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher. The title is based on the marketing catchphrase, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."-Plot:...
, where the ex-boyfriend of Cameron DiazCameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
's character gets punched in the groin by her best friend for revenge after dumping her earlier in the movie. - The song was also used in the UKUnited KingdomThe 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...
to advertise BistoBistoBisto is a well-known brand of traditional British foods in the United Kingdom, most famous for its gravy products.-History:The very first Bisto product, in 1908, was a meat-flavoured gravy powder, which rapidly became a bestseller in the UK. It was added to gravies to give a richer taste and aroma...
gravy granules in the mid 1990s. - The song is also heard in "Definitely, MaybeDefinitely, MaybeDefinitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and Kevin Kline.-Plot:...
" as Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
wins the election. - In the 2001 movie Kate & LeopoldKate & LeopoldKate & Leopold is a 2001 romantic-comedy fantasy that tells a story of a duke who travels through time from New York in 1876 to the present and falls in love with a career woman in the modern New York...
, the song is briefly played near the beginning.
Renditions
In 1994, saxophonist Marion MeadowsMarion Meadows
Marion Meadows is an American tenor saxophonist, soprano saxophonist, composer, and smooth jazz recording artist of Native American, African American and Caucasian descent. Meadows has released a total of 9 albums to date.-Upbringing:...
covered the song from his album "Forbidden Fruit." In 1995, then New Age
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
/New Adult Contemporary
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
pianist Brian Culbertson
Brian Culbertson
Brian Culbertson is a musician and instrumentalist from Decatur, Illinois, United States. Son of jazz band director and trumpeter Jim Culbertson, Brian's instruments include the keyboard and trombone....
covered the song for his album "Modern Life."
See also
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1992 (U.S.)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1992 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1992 (U.S.)
Covers
- This song was covered by the Punk rockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Me First and the Gimme GimmesMe First and the Gimme GimmesMe First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
on their 2003 album Take a Break. - Australian musician Edward GuglielminoEdward GuglielminoEdward Guglielmino is a musician in Brisbane, Australia.-Music career:Edward Guglielmino is a musician, an academic and a blogger; he originally started pursuing music in high-school in 2000. He writes quirky guitar pop. One of his gigs listed as a highlight in April in the book Australia Year in...
covers "Save the best for last" in live performances and is rumored to be recording a version. - Richard Smith performs a cover on his album Natural Soul (2002).