The Will to Live

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The Will to Live
Ben Harper - The Will to Live.jpg
Studio album by
Ben Harper
ReleasedJune 17, 1997
GenreAlternative rock
Length53:18
LabelVirgin America
ProducerJean-Pierre Plunier
Ben Harper chronology
Fight for Your Mind
(1995) 		The Will to Live
(1997) 		Burn to Shine
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3.5/5 stars[1]
Chicago Tribune(favorable)[2]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(neither)[3]
Los Angeles Times3/4 stars[4]
Pitchfork Media7.2/10[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.

The record would yield his first UK Top 75 single, Faded. To date it remains his only UK single entry.

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[]

Production[]

  • Producer: J.P. Plunier
  • Engineer: Todd Burke
  • Assistant engineers: Peter Doell, Erica Stephenson, Dann Thompson
  • Mixing: Eric Sarafin
  • Mastering: Dave Collins
  • Art direction: J.P. Plunier
  • Design: Flavia Cureteu
  • Photography: Annalisa, J.P. Plunier

Charts[]

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1997 The Billboard 200 89

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[7] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[8] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[9] Platinum 300,000*
Italy (FIMI)[10] Gold 50,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[11] Platinum 15,000^

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

References[]

  1. ^ Stanley, Leo. "The Will to Live - Ben Harper". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  2. ^ Reger, Rick (1997-07-04). "The Maturation Of Ben Harper". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000-10-15). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 9780312245603.
  4. ^ SCRIBNER, SARA (1997-06-14). "Ben Harper, "The Will to Live," (***)". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  5. ^ Whitaker, Lang (2008-04-08). "Ben Harper: The Will To Live: Pitchfork Record Review". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  6. ^ Diehl, Matt (1997-06-12). "The Will To Live". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-12-28.
  7. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live". Music Canada. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  9. ^ "French album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  10. ^ Mirkin, Steven (17 May 1997). "Ben Harper Finds 'Will' To Rock On 3rd Virgin Set". Billboard. p. 15. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  11. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Ben Harper – The WIll to Live". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
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