Water Runs Dry

"Water Runs Dry" is a song by American vocal harmony group Boyz II Men, written and produced by Babyface.^[1] The single, the fourth released from the album II, reached number two in the United States and number four in Canada. It also contains a version of the group's previous number one hit from the same album, "I'll Make Love to You". A Spanish version, "No dejemos que muera el amor", was also recorded and peaked at number 10 on the US Latin Pop Airplay chart.

"Water Runs Dry"
Single by Boyz II Men
from the album II
Released	April 11, 1995
Genre	R&B
Length	3:22
Label	Motown
Songwriter(s)	Babyface
Producer(s)	Babyface
Boyz II Men singles chronology
"Thank You" (1995) "Water Runs Dry" (1995) "Vibin'" (1995)

Music video

In a 2019 interview with the Grammys, Nathan Morris said the music video was one of his two favorites out of all the videos the group had ever made.^[2] Directed by Wayne Isham, it was filmed at White Sands National Park in New Mexico.^[3]

Synopsis

The music video features a woman (played by Tyra Banks) walking through a desert setting and holding a glass ball. The camera zooms in on the ball to reveal an aerial view, from a helicopter, of Boyz II Men standing atop a sand dune inside the ball. Shots of a string orchestra and guitarist playing along are interspersed throughout as the group sings the song. Clips of both the woman and the group walking and running across the dunes are also shown. Some scenes feature a rippling effect that mimics water. The video ends with the woman holding the glass ball once again and the camera zooming out to show her watching the group walk away inside it.

Reception

In a brief throwback-to-1995 piece, Essence magazine jokingly commented that the video "has more white-on-white sets than, well, the Essence Festival", but also said that it was "full of more 90s goodness" and concluded with "We love it".^[4] Pop culture website Vulture listed the outfits worn in the video by Boyz II Men as one of the forty "matchiest" of their careers, stating that the group's clothes, like their music, were "always harmonious".^[5]

The music video received two MTV VMA nominations for Best Cinematography and Best R&B Video at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards but did not win.^[6] It was additionally nominated for Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo at the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards,^[7] but lost to TLC's "Waterfalls.^[8]

Live performances

Boyz II Men performed an acoustic rendition of "Water Runs Dry" at the 1995 MTV Movie Awards.^[9] They later headlined the "Budweiser Superfest" concert series that ran from July through August of that year,^[10] and performed the song as part of the setlist for each show.^[11][12][13] In 2018, the group was one of the opening acts for Bruno Mars on five dates (between September–October) of the second North-American leg of his 24K Magic World Tour,^[14] and performed the song during their appearances.^[15]

Track listings

US remixes[16] "Water Runs Dry" (Strat mix edit) – 3:53 "Water Runs Dry" (Strat mix) – 4:51 "Water Runs Dry" (Mood mix edit) – 4:10 "Water Runs Dry" (Mood mix) – 4:44 "Water Runs Dry" (LP version) – 3:21 US maxi-CD "Water Runs Dry" (LP version) – 3:21 "Water Runs Dry" (Mood mix) – 4:43 "Water Runs Dry" (Strat mix) – 4:51 "Water Runs Dry" (Groove mix) – 4:30 "Water Runs Dry" (Bump mix) – 4:38

UK maxi-CD[17] "Water Runs Dry" (Strat mix edit) – 4:00 "Water Runs Dry" (LP version) – 3:21 "Water Runs Dry" (Mood mix) – 4:43 "I'll Make Love To You" (pop edit) – 3:49

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from Tidal.^[18]

• Boyz II Men – primary vocals
• Babyface – songwriting, production
• Colin Heldt – immersive mix engineering
• Reggie Hamilton – string arrangement

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Water Runs Dry" Chart (1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[19] 36 Canada Retail Singles (The Record)[20] 33 Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (The Record)[20] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 4 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[22] 2 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[23] 14 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[24] 17 Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade)[25] 14 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[26] 19 Scotland (OCC)[27] 62 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 24 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[29] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[31] 3 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[32] 19 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[33] 30 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[34] 4 US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[35] "No dejemos que muera el amor" 10 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[36] 2 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[37] 3 Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[38] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Water Runs Dry" Chart (1995) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[39] 35 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[40] 11 US Billboard Hot 100[41] 12 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[42] 17 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[43] 23 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[44] 10 US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)[45] 7

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[46]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	April 11, 1995	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Motown	[citation needed]
Japan	May 25, 1995	Mini-CD		[47]
United Kingdom	June 26, 1995	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[48]

Renditions

In 1998, contemporary jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb covered the song for his album The Moon, the Stars and the Setting Sun.^[49]

American cover band Boyce Avenue released an acoustic version of the song in 2010.^[50]

Contemporary Christian artist The Katinas covered the song for their 2013 album Love Chapter.^[51]

American singer Kelly Clarkson performed a stripped-down version of the song, accompanied by only a guitarist, on the June 7, 2021, episode of her daytime television talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show, during the "Kellyoke"^[a] segment.^[53]

Notes

1. Clarkson opens the show with a musical performance of various songs requested by audience members—she performs one cover per episode.^[52]

References

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2. Hodge, Will (August 30, 2019). "Boyz II Men Celebrate 25 Years Of Their Masterstroke Second Album, 'II'". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
3. "Commercial Filming". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
4. "95 Live: Remember Boyz II Men's 'Water Runs Dry'?". Essence. April 4, 2014. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
5. Fox, Jesse David; Jones, Marcus (November 4, 2014). "Boyz II Men's 40 Matchiest Outfits". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
6. "1995 VMA Winners". MTV. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
7. "TLC, Jackson lead Soul Train nominees". UPI. February 22, 1996. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
8. "D'Angelo, TLC top Soul Train Awards". UPI. March 30, 1996. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
9. Meyers, Laura Marie (April 10, 2016). "The Most '90s-tastic Moments From the MTV Movie Awards". PopSugar. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
10. "Backstage With The Boyz". The New Yorker. August 13, 1995. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
11. Wilker, Deborah (June 26, 1995). "Boyz II Men Step Up To Arena Status". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
12. Preston, Rohan B. (July 18, 1995). "Superfest Goes Soft". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
13. Watrous, Peter (July 31, 1995). "POP REVIEW; Boyz II Men, the Gentlemen Lovers for the 90's". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
14. Mims, Taylor (August 14, 2018). "Bruno Mars Taps Boyz II Men, Ciara, Ella Mai & Charlie Wilson to Take Over for Cardi B on 24K Magic Tour". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
15. Lazor, Drew (September 20, 2018). "Crowd-pleasing Bruno Mars brings Boyz II Men to the Wells Fargo Center". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
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31. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
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33. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
34. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
35. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
36. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
37. "Boyz II Men Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
38. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
39. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. July 17, 2013. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
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41. "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Billboardtop100of.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
42. "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-80. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
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44. "The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Mainstream Top Titles" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 8. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
45. "The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover Top Titles" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 9. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
46. "American single certifications – Boyz II Men – Water Runs Dry". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
47. "Boyz II Men Discography" (in Japanese). PolyGram. Archived from the original on February 21, 1999. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
48. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 24, 1995. p. 43.
49. "The Moon, the Stars and the Setting Sun". AllMusic.
50. Kellog, Kristi; Nesvig, Kara (February 1, 2018). "55 Best Sad Breakup Songs for the Newly Single". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
51. Love Chapter (Liner notes). The Katinas. United States: Destiny Productions. 2012. 643157424314.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
52. Kaufman, Gil (April 14, 2021). "How Kelly Clarkson's Wildly Popular 'Kellyoke' Covers Get Made". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
53. Mamo, Heran (June 7, 2021). "Your Tears Might Run Dry During Kelly Clarkson's Boyz II Men-Approved Cover". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.