{{Short description|1991 single by Mr. Big}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = To Be with You | cover = To_be_with_you.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Mr. Big | album = Lean into It | B-side = Green-Tinted Sixties Mind | released = {{start date|1991|11|22}} | recorded = | studio = * Rumbo (Los Angeles) * Cherokee (Hollywood, California) | genre = * Glam metal<ref>{{Cite web|last=McPadden |first=Mike|title=5 Hair Metal Ballads Inspired By/Ripped Off From Extreme's "More Than Words" |date=July 8, 2015 |url=https://www.vh1.com/news/hcools/power-ballads-inspired-by-extreme|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522204741/https://www.vh1.com/news/hcools/power-ballads-inspired-by-extreme|url-status=live|archive-date=May 22, 2022|access-date=January 27, 2021|website=VH1 News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=McPadden |first=Mike|title=The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands, Part 4 |date=September 24, 2015 |url=https://www.vh1.com/news/vns2z2/the-hair-metal-100-part-4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704102909/https://www.vh1.com/news/vns2z2/the-hair-metal-100-part-4|url-status=live|archive-date=July 4, 2022|access-date=May 30, 2021|website=VH1 News|quote='To Be With You'—the group's 'More Than Words'-esque acoustic pop-metal ballad}}</ref> * soft rock<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rfNzBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA202 |page=202 |title=The Big Book of Hair Metal |last=Popoff |first=Martin |publisher=Voyageur Press |year=2014 |isbn=9781627883757}}</ref> | length = 3:27 | label = Atlantic | writer = * Eric Martin * David Grahame | producer = Kevin Elson | prev_title = Green-Tinted Sixties Mind | prev_year = 1991 | next_title = Just Take My Heart | next_year = 1992 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|L6-uJLteKek|"To Be with You"}}}} }}
"'''To Be with You'''" is a song by American rock band Mr. Big, released in November 1991 by Atlantic Records as the second single from their second album, ''Lean into It'' (1991), on which it appears as the closing track. The ballad, written by the band's frontman Eric Martin with David Grahame and produced by Kevin Elson, reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for three weeks as well as the ''Cash Box'' Top 100, and topped the charts in 11 other countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand. The accompanying music video was directed by Nancy Bennett, depicting the band performing in a railroad car.
==Background and writing== The song was written and composed by Eric Martin during his teen years, with guitarist Paul Gilbert later on contributing to its melodic arrangements. Writing credit is also given to David Grahame, a songwriter working for the label at the time. The lyrics were inspired by a girl Martin knew when he was younger: "This girl had a lot of boyfriends who treated her like shit. I wanted to be the knight in shining armor, wanted to be with her. She wasn't having it. It never came to play."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/mr-bigs-eric-martin-on-to-be-with-you-getting-the-band-back-together-and-power-rangers-6619372 |title=Mr. Big's Eric Martin on "To Be With You", Getting the Band Back Together, and Power Rangers |website=Phoenix New Times |date=August 1, 2011 |access-date=March 28, 2019}}</ref>
While in Gilbert's apartment at Yucca Street in L.A., he and Martin were laying out their compositions. Martin had a ballad called "To Be with You". Gilbert had his psychedelic rock song called "Green Tinted Sixties Mind". Both felt the two songs were strong enough to be included in their upcoming album, despite it being purely rock;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rocksquad.net/eric_martin_interview.htm |title=..::==Welcome to the RockSquad -- Eric Martin Mr. Big Interview ==:: |access-date=April 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211115605/http://www.rocksquad.net/eric_martin_interview.htm |archive-date=February 11, 2009}}</ref> and true enough, these songs remained throughout the course of their career as a group and as solo artists.
Originally, "To Be with You" was not intended to be released as a single. But after it started getting radio play out of the blue, they decided to release it. The band's Billy Sheehan told in a 1992 interview, "We never intended to release 'To Be With You'. We had another single. But some guy in Lincoln, Nebraska just started playing the song, and the copies of the song started selling like crazy. It spread to Omaha and went all over the country."<ref name="thebaltimoresun">Considine, J.D. (1992). ''The Baltimore Sun'' – via ''Las Vegas Review-Journal''. (June 5, 1992).</ref>
==Critical reception== Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic described the song as a "campfire-singalong ballad."<ref>{{cite web |first= Stephen Thomas |last= Erlewine |title= Mr. Big – ''Lean Into It'' |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= November 4, 2020 |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/lean-into-it-mw0000262706 |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Larry Flick from ''Billboard'' magazine noted that "headbangers get folky on this harmonious strummer." He added that "hand-clapping, sing-along chorus entices, while front man Eric Martin's voice has rarely sounded sweeter."<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Larry |last=Flick |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-11-30.pdf |title=Single Reviews |magazine=Billboard |date=November 30, 1991 |access-date=February 13, 2020 |page=82 |author-link=Larry Flick}}</ref> DeVaney and Clark from ''Cashbox'' named it "an unplugged, acoustic guitar and harmony sing-along single." They also said that Martin "sounds like the quintessential rocker and is backed by some excellent non-electric guitar-picking by guitarist Paul Gilbert, managing to sound very adept without an electric drill for a pick."<ref>{{cite magazine |first1= Bryan |last1= DeVaney |first2= Randy |last2= Clark |title= Music Reviews: Singles |magazine= Cashbox |date= November 30, 1991 |page= 5 |access-date= October 31, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1991/CB-1991-11-30.pdf}}</ref> Janiss Garza from ''Entertainment Weekly'' felt "this simple little ballad" is by far the best song on ''Lean into It''.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Janiss |last= Garza |title= Lean Into It |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= February 14, 1992 |access-date= November 11, 2020 |url= https://ew.com/article/1992/02/14/lean-it/}}</ref> Jonathan Bernstein from ''Spin'' wrote, "In a year sadly lacking in palpable power ballads, these third-raters rode their Trojan horse to pole position with one of the always-spineless genre's most puny entries, 'To Be with You'."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jonathan|last=Bernstein|title=The Year In Pop|magazine=Spin|date=December 1992|page=42|accessdate=January 25, 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uZFqiGmZIPAC}}</ref>
==Music video== The music video for "To Be with You" was directed by Nancy Bennett and features the band performing in a railroad car.<ref>[http://www.mvdbase.com/person.php?id=A6412 Mr. Big artist videography] mvdbase.com</ref> The video changes from black and white to color around the halfway mark. Billy Sheehan told in an interview, "Even our video was done way-super-ultra-cheap. When we tell people how much we spent on the video, they can't believe it. We got this video together dirt cheap. To see it beating up Michael Jackson's million-dollar extravaganza on MTV is pretty amazing."<ref name="thebaltimoresun"/>
==Track listings== * '''7-inch single''' # "To Be with You" (LP version) (3:27) # "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind" (LP version) (3:30) * '''12-inch maxi''' # "To Be with You" # "A Little Too Loose" (live) # "The Drill Song (Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy)" (live) # "Alive and Kickin'" (live)
* '''CD maxi''' # "To Be with You" (3:27) # "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind" (3:30) # "Alive and Kickin'" (5:28)
==Personnel== * Eric Martin – lead vocals * Paul Gilbert – acoustic guitar, handclaps, backing vocals * Billy Sheehan – bass guitar, handclaps, bass drum, backing vocals * Pat Torpey – tambourine, bass drum, backing vocals
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1991–1992) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Australia|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Austria|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=2072|rowheader=true|publish-date=March 7, 1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|4|chartid=2097|rowheader=true|publish-date=April 18, 1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- !scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-04-25.pdf|title=Top 10 Sales in Europe|magazine=Music & Media|page=26|date=April 25, 1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 1 |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-04-11.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|page=22|date=April 11, 1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 1 |- !scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-04-25.pdf|title=European Hit Radio|magazine=Music & Media|issue=17|volume=9|date=April 25, 1992|page=27|access-date=November 17, 2025}}</ref> | 3 |- !scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)<ref>{{cite book|first=Jake|last=Nyman|year=2005|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|location=Helsinki|isbn=951-31-2503-3|language=fi}}</ref> | 6 |- {{single chart|France|10|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Germany|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|songid=2419|rowheader=true|access-date=May 16, 2019}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|2|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- {{single chart|Dutch40|1|year=1992|week=17|rowheader=true|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Norway|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|1|artist=Mr. Big|song=To Be with You|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|UK|3|date=19920328|rowheader=true|access-date=September 25, 2019}} |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (MRIB)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Charts|magazine=Melody Maker|date=April 4, 1992|page=30}}</ref> | 1 |- !scope="row"|UK Airplay (''Music Week'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1992/MW-1992-03-28.pdf|title=Top 50 Airplay Chart|magazine=Music Week|date=March 28, 1992|page=16|access-date=October 27, 2025}}</ref> | 1 |- !scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1992-02-29/|title=Billboard Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=February 29, 1992|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 25, 2023}}</ref> | 1 |- !scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1992-03-28/|title=Adult Contemporary|magazine=Billboard|date=March 28, 1992|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 25, 2023}}</ref> | 11 |- !scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/1991-11-09/|title=Mainstream Rock Airplay|magazine=Billboard|date=November 9, 1991|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 25, 2023}}</ref> | 19 |- !scope="row"|US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmusichistory.co.uk/_files/ugd/b4848d_4f9128176360450ba51be67a0468e9fa.pdf|title=Cash Box Chart Entries 1990-1996|website=popmusichistory.co.uk|access-date=November 20, 2025}}</ref> | 1 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1992) !Position |- !scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye">{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1992/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1992|publisher=ARIA|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 4 |- !scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=s&id=1992|title=Jahreshitparade Singles 1992|language=de|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 5 |- !scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1992|title=Jaaroverzichten 1992|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 20 |- !scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume%2056-No.%2025-December%2019,%201992.pdf|title=The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992|magazine=RPM|volume=56|issue=25|page=8|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 2 |- !scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.1824&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.1824.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.1824|title=The RPM Top 100 Hit tracks of 1992|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 52 |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=1992 Year-End Sales Charts|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=17|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=January 30, 2020}}</ref> | 4 |- !scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf#page=18|title=1992 Year-End Airplay Charts: European Hit Radio|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|date=December 19, 1992|page=18|access-date=December 11, 2025}}</ref> | 20 |- !scope="row"|Germany (Media Control)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1992|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 6 |- !scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201992.pdf|title=Single top 100 over 1992|publisher=Top40|language=nl|access-date=April 14, 2010}}</ref> | 7 |- !scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1992&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 8 |- !scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1992-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1992|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=May 2, 2020}}</ref> | 3 |- !scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammotex.se/topp92singlar.htm|title=Årstopplistan 1992, Singlar|publisher=Grammotex|language=sv|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010225021610/http://www.grammotex.se/topp92singlar.htm|archive-date=February 25, 2001|access-date=April 7, 2025}}</ref> | 3 |- !scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1992|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992|language=de|access-date=September 25, 2019}}</ref> | 3 |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Year End Charts: Top Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=8|date=January 16, 1993}}</ref> | 31 |- !scope="row"|UK Airplay (''Music Week'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-01-09.pdf#page=10|title=1992 Airplay Chart|magazine=Music Week|date=January 9, 1993|page=8|access-date=October 28, 2025}}</ref> | 17 |- !scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1992|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708050630/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992|archive-date=July 8, 2009|access-date=July 30, 2010}}</ref> | 12 |- !scope="row"|US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1992/CB-1992-12-26.pdf#page=8|title=Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles|magazine=Cash Box|issue=18|volume=LVI|date=December 26, 1992|page=8|access-date=November 23, 2025}}</ref> | 9 |}
===Decade-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1990–1999) !Position |- !scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA4|title=1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s|last=Mayfield|first=Geoff|magazine=Billboard|date=December 25, 1999|access-date=October 15, 2010}}</ref> | 90 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|certref=<ref name="ausye"/>|access-date=September 25, 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=Mr. Big|title=To Be with You|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2015|certmonth=6|digital=true|note=Digital|access-date=August 24, 2022}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|type=single|artist=Mr. Big|title=To Be with You|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|access-date=September 25, 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Mr. Big|title=To Be with You|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1992|certyear=2026|source=radioscope|access-date=February 23, 2026}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|artist=Mr. Big|title=To Be with You|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|certref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pictures1.kyozou.com/pictures/_25/24459/24458494.jpg|title=Swedish certification, award|publisher=Paul Gilbert|access-date=June 26, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626144656/http://pictures1.kyozou.com/pictures/_25/24459/24458494.jpg |archive-date=June 26, 2017}}</ref>|access-date=September 25, 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Mr Big|title=To Be with You|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=2026|id=16722-309-1|access-date=February 27, 2026}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Mr. Big|title=To Be with You|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|access-date=September 25, 2019|refname="riaa"}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United States |November 22, 1991 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|cassette}} |rowspan="3"|Atlantic |<ref name="riaa"/> |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |February 24, 1992 |{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=23|date=February 22, 1992}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|Australia |March 9, 1992 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Release Summary – Product Available from : 09/03/92: Singles|magazine=The ARIA Report|issue=110|page=18|date=March 8, 1992}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.mrbigsite.com/ Official Website]
{{Mr. Big}} {{Westlife songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1991 songs Category:1991 singles Category:1990s ballads Category:American soft rock songs Category:Atlantic Records singles Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Black-and-white music videos Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles Category:Glam metal ballads Category:Mr. Big (American band) songs Category:Music videos directed by Nancy Bennett Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:Number-one singles in Austria Category:Number-one singles in Belgium Category:Number-one singles in Denmark Category:Number-one singles in Germany Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand Category:Number-one singles in Norway Category:Number-one singles in Sweden Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles Category:Westlife songs