The Will to Live (Ben Harper album)

Last updated

The Will to Live
Ben Harper - The Will to Live.jpg
Studio album by
Ben Harper
ReleasedJune 17, 1997
Genre Alternative rock
Length53:18
Label Virgin America
Producer Jean-Pierre Plunier
Ben Harper chronology
Fight for Your Mind
(1995)		The Will to Live
(1997)		 Burn to Shine
(1999)
Singles from The Will to Live
  1. "Faded"
    Released: 1997
  2. "Jah Work"
    Released: 1997
  3. "Glory & Consequence"
    Released: 1997
  4. "Mama's Trippin'"
    Released: 1998
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Chicago Tribune (favorable) [2]
Christgau's Consumer Guide Rating-Christgau-neither.png [3]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Pitchfork Media 7.2/10 [5]
Rolling Stone (mixed) [6]

The Will to Live is a 1997 album by Ben Harper which showed his continuing folk-centric focus, while at the same time expanding on his rock talents. This was his third album, his second with the Innocent Criminals (uncredited), and was packaged with a special bonus CD in certain countries.

Contents

The record would yield his first UK Singles Chart single, "Faded". To date it remains his only UK single entry. [7]

Track listing

All songs written by Ben Harper except as noted.

  1. "Faded" – 4:48
  2. "Homeless Child" – 3:51
  3. "Number Three" – 1:43
  4. "Roses from My Friends" – 6:23
  5. "Jah Work" – 4:54
  6. "I Want to Be Ready" – 4:02
  7. "The Will to Live" – 4:57
  8. "Ashes" – 3:52
  9. "Widow of a Living Man" – 4:10
  10. "Glory & Consequence" – 5:40
  11. "Mama's Trippin'" (Harper, Jean-Pierre Plunier) – 3:45
  12. "I Shall Not Walk Alone" – 5:13

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Chart performance for The Will to Live
Chart (1997)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] 17
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [9] 24
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [10] 33
French Albums (SNEP) [11] 4
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [12] 1
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [13] 37
UK Albums (OCC) [14] 87
US Billboard 200 [15] 89

Certifications

Certifications for The Will to Live
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [16] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [17] Gold50,000^
France (SNEP) [18] Platinum300,000*
Italy (FIMI) [19] Gold50,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ) [20] Platinum15,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 Stanley, Leo. "The Will to Live - Ben Harper". AllMusic . Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  2. ↑ Reger, Rick (July 4, 1997). "The Maturation Of Ben Harper". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  3. ↑ Christgau, Robert (October 15, 2000). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishing. p. 128. ISBN   9780312245603.
  4. ↑ SCRIBNER, SARA (June 14, 1997). "Ben Harper, "The Will to Live," (***)". Los Angeles Times . ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ Whitaker, Lang (April 8, 2008). "Ben Harper: The Will To Live: Pitchfork Record Review". Pitchfork Media . Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  6. ↑ Diehl, Matt (June 12, 1997). "The Will To Live". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ben Harper songs and albums | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company . Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Ben Harper – The Will to Live". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ben Harper – The Will to Live" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ben Harper – The Will to Live" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Ben Harper – The Will to Live". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Charts.nz – Ben Harper – The Will to Live". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Ben Harper – The Will to Live". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Ben Harper Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  16. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live". Music Canada . Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  18. ↑ "French album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  19. ↑ Mirkin, Steven (May 17, 1997). "Ben Harper Finds 'Will' To Rock On 3rd Virgin Set". Billboard. p. 15. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  20. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved November 20, 2024.
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