Will You Be There

Recorded during the 1990–1991 sessions for Dangerous, this track serves as a spiritual anchor in Michael Jackson's catalog. The song opens with a spoken-word sample of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, specifically the "Ode to Joy" theme, which Jackson used to frame his lyrics about faith and human connection. He co-produced the piece with engineer Bruce Swedien, layering a piano melody over sweeping strings and a powerful gospel choir that builds toward a cathartic climax.

Jackson first debuted the song live at MTV's 10th anniversary special in 1991, generating immediate anticipation before its official release as the eighth single from Dangerous on June 28, 1993. The single found massive commercial success when it became the theme song for the 1993 family film Free Willy. Vince Patterson directed the music video, intercutting footage of Jackson performing with scenes from the movie to visually reinforce the message of rescue and friendship.

Commercially, the single peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top ten in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The RIAA certified the single Platinum for selling over one million copies in the United States. Additional certifications include Gold status from Music Canada and RMNZ, plus Silver from the BPI. The B-side featured "Man in the Mirror" and a Michael Jackson version of "Girlfriend." [edit]