Missing You (Mary J. Blige song)

"Missing You" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written and produced by Babyface for her third studio album, Share My World (1997). In the United Kingdom, the song was released as the album's third single where it reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart. "Missing You" features background vocals from singer Shanice and talks about a woman in a dilemma over a relationship with a man that she at first claimed she "wasn't in love" with but then finds herself "thinking about him all the time" and her missing him.

"Missing You"
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album Share My World
Released	October 2, 1997 (1997-10-02)
Recorded	1997
Genre	R&B soul gospel
Length	4:19
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Babyface
Producer(s)	Babyface
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Everything" (1997) "Missing You" (1997) "Seven Days" (1998)

Critical reception

Larry Flick of Billboard wrote that "the song deftly illustrates two notably different sides of La Blige. In its original form, she is the picture of quiet strength, letting producer/writer Babyface drive the pleading ballad to radio-friendly effect. In a live setting, Blige unleashes a white-knuckled intensity that no producer has fully captured yet. She rips through the song with a fervor that is reminiscent of a young Gladys Knight, breathing tangible subtext into every syllable. Also, the live arrangement breaks the track down to a '70s-styled soul throwdown that will educate Bilge's young fans, while delighting mature listeners to no end."^[1] Jonathan Bernstein from Entertainment Weekly described it as "an atypically tart country-blues lament", noting that it "features a choir of aching Mary J.’s."^[2] A reviewer from Music Week gave the song three out of five, adding that "this touching, torch-like ballad could be just the single to cross Blige over to a wider audience."^[3] The magazine's Alan Jones stated that the singer's "reign as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul is likely to continue with the release of Missing You, a gorgeous new Babyface song with gospel undertones."^[4]

Track listings

• CD 1^[5]

1. "Missing You" (Album Version)
2. "I Can Love You" (Album Version)
3. "Missing You" (Curtis and Moore Club Remix)
4. "I Can Love You" (Brooklyn Funk R&B Mix)

• CD 2^[5]

1. "Missing You" (Curtis and Moore Radio Edit)
2. "Everything" (So So Def Remix)
3. "Everything" (Malik Mix)
4. "Don't Walk Away"

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the Share My World liner notes.^[6]

• Babyface – producer, writer
• Mary J. Blige – executive producer, vocals
• Nathan East – bass
• Jon Gass – mixing
• Shanice Wilson – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peak position Scotland (OCC)[7] 41 UK Singles (OCC)[8] 19 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[9] 6 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[10] 23

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position UK Urban (Music Week)[11] 28

References

1. Flick, Larry (July 4, 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 21. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
2. Bernstein, Jonathan (May 2, 1997). "Share My World". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
3. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 8, 1997. p. 14. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
4. Jones, Alan (November 8, 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
5. "Mary J. Blige - Missing You". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
6. Blige, Mary J. (1997). Share My World (Compact Disc). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records.
7. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 23 November 1997 - 29 November 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
8. "Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
9. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
10. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
11. "The Urban Top 40 Tracks Of 1997" (PDF). Music Week. January 10, 1998. p. 6. Retrieved August 6, 2023.