If you were anywhere near a radio in late 1996, you heard it. That shimmering, clean acoustic guitar intro. Then, that smooth-as-silk tenor. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds didn't just write hits; he crafted the literal DNA of the nineties. Honestly, Babyface songs Everytime I Close My Eyes stands as the peak of that mid-nineties "Quiet Storm" resurgence. It wasn't just another ballad. It was a cultural moment that brought together some of the biggest heavyweights in music history, and most people don't even realize who was actually in the room for that recording session.
It’s easy to dismiss it as "just another love song." But listen closer.
The Secret Weaponry Behind the Track
Think about the credits on this thing. You’ve got Babyface on the lead, sure. But then those background harmonies kick in. That isn't a synthesizer or a lucky session singer. Those are the multi-platinum pipes of Mariah Carey. She isn’t even credited as a featured artist on the single’s cover, yet her signature "whisper-tone" and soaring harmonies are what give the chorus its ethereal, almost haunting quality.
Then there’s the bridge.
Most R&B tracks of the era relied on a saxophone solo to bridge the gap between the second chorus and the finale. Babyface went a different route. He brought in Kenny G. Now, depending on your stance on contemporary jazz, that’s either a masterstroke or a dealbreaker, but in 1996? It was gold. It helped the song cross over from R&B charts to Adult Contemporary stations, making it inescapable.
The song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. That’s a massive feat for a ballad that’s essentially about pining. It stayed on the charts for 26 weeks. People weren’t just listening; they were living in this track. It’s a masterclass in "less is more" production. The percussion is incredibly light—just a steady, rhythmic snap and a soft kick—allowing the vocal dynamics to do the heavy lifting.
Why the Song Hits Different Even Now
Music today is loud. It’s compressed. It’s designed to grab your attention in the first three seconds before you skip on TikTok. Babyface songs Everytime I Close My Eyes takes its time. It breathes.
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Babyface has this weirdly specific talent for writing lyrics that feel like a diary entry but sound like a poem. "I imagine as the world goes by / That you are here with me." It’s simple. It’s almost "Hallmark card" territory, but because of his delivery—that breathy, sincere, slightly vulnerable tone—it bypasses your cynicism. He doesn't oversell the emotion. He doesn't need to do vocal gymnastics like some of his contemporaries. He just tells the truth.
The Architecture of a 90s Masterpiece
When we talk about the technical side of the song, we have to look at the album it came from: The Day. This was Babyface at the absolute summit of his power. He was already the guy who gave us Whitney Houston’s "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" and Boyz II Men’s "End of the Road." He was the architect of the "LaFace" sound.
In Everytime I Close My Eyes, he utilized a specific chord progression that feels like it's constantly ascending.
- The verses start in a grounded, almost conversational key.
- The pre-chorus builds tension with a slight lift in his register.
- The chorus explodes—not with volume, but with layers.
Adding Mariah Carey was the genius move. If you solo her vocal tracks from this session, you’d hear a masterclass in vocal layering. She’s doing things in the background that most lead singers can’t do in their prime. She provides the "air" in the track.
The Kenny G Factor
Let’s be real about the saxophone. By the mid-90s, the "smooth jazz" sound was becoming a bit of a cliché. However, Babyface knew exactly how to use Kenny G’s soprano sax to complement his own voice. The sax doesn't compete with the vocals; it acts as a second voice during the instrumental breaks. It follows the melody of the chorus almost exactly, reinforcing the hook in the listener's ear without saying a single word.
Production Nuance and the Sony Connection
At the time, Babyface was signed to Epic Records, a division of Sony. Mariah was at Columbia, also Sony. This corporate synergy allowed for these massive collaborations that seem impossible today due to red tape and "label politics."
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The recording session itself was legendary for its perfectionism. Babyface is known as a "vocal producer" first and foremost. He knows how to get the most out of an artist. Even though he was the one singing lead, he treated his own performance with the same scrutiny he’d give to Toni Braxton or TLC. Every "breathe" was intentional. Every vibrato was calculated.
- Release Date: September 1996 (Album), January 1997 (Single)
- Producer: Babyface
- Background Vocals: Mariah Carey, Kelly Price, Shanice
- Instruments: Kenny G (Saxophone), Dan Huff (Guitar)
You see those names? Dan Huff? He’s a legendary session guitarist who worked with everyone from Michael Jackson to Faith Hill. This wasn't a "bedroom pop" production. This was the Avengers of the music industry coming together to create four minutes of R&B perfection.
Why It Still Matters for Songwriters
If you're a songwriter today, you need to study this track. It teaches you about space.
Modern R&B is often cluttered with sub-bass and trap hats. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s a reason people still play Babyface at weddings and anniversaries thirty years later. The song focuses on the melody. If you can play a song on a single acoustic guitar and it still makes people feel something, you’ve written a good song. Everytime I Close My Eyes is the gold standard for that.
The lyrics deal with the universal theme of longing. It’s about that "perfect" person who only exists in your dreams because you're too afraid or unable to be with them in reality. "It's a prayer that's been answered / I've finally found my way." It captures that moment of realization that love is real, even if it feels like a dream.
The Legacy of "The Day"
The Day wasn't just an album; it was a statement. Babyface wanted to prove he was more than just the guy behind the scenes. While he had success with For the Cool in You, this track solidified him as a premier solo artist. He proved he could hold his own alongside Mariah and Kenny G without being overshadowed.
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Interestingly, the song earned a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He lost to Elton John’s "Candle in the Wind 1997," which... let’s be honest, nobody was beating that year. But the nomination itself proved that the song had transcended R&B. It was a pop staple.
Moving Forward: How to Appreciate the Catalog
If you're revisiting Babyface songs Everytime I Close My Eyes, don't stop there. To truly understand the impact of this specific track, you have to look at what he did immediately after. He went on to produce the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, which is arguably the greatest R&B soundtrack of all time.
You can see the direct lineage from Everytime I Close My Eyes to the ballads he wrote for others. The DNA is the same: soulful, melodic, and deeply emotional.
Next Steps for the R&B Enthusiast:
- Listen to the "Unplugged" version: Babyface performed this live on MTV Unplugged, and it strips away the studio polish to reveal just how strong the vocal arrangement really is.
- Check the liner notes: Look for the name "Sheila E." on the album credits—she played percussion on several tracks, showing the depth of talent involved in this era.
- Compare the "Radio Edit" vs. the "Album Version": Notice how the radio edit tightens the Kenny G solo to keep the momentum going for FM broadcast.
- Explore the "Slow Jam" playlists: Add this to a sequence including "I Swear" by All-4-One and "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II Men to see how Babyface influenced the entire tempo of the decade.
The reality is, music like this doesn't happen by accident. It takes a specific alignment of talent, budget, and songwriting craft. Whether you’re a 90s kid looking for a hit of nostalgia or a new listener wondering why your parents still talk about Babyface, this track is the definitive answer. It’s a moment in time when R&B was both sophisticated and deeply accessible.