Sportsong of the Week #8
"I Believe I Can Fly"
R Kelly
1996
Zomba Recording LLC
Music video directed by Hype Williams & R Kelly
Sportsong of the Week #8 is from the classic sportsmovie Space Jam. The Looney Tunes, Michael Jordan, Bill Murray and the Monstars who stole the talent of Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues, Patrick Ewing and Shawn Bradley. More than enough ingredients for an epic movie!
The soundtrack features a lot of great songs, but the best and most succesfull is without a doubt I Believe I Can Fly by American singer, songwriter, record producer, rapper R Kelly. R Kelly wrote, produced and performed the song especially for the soundtrack in 1996, but also appeared on his own album R. in 1998. It was a massive success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (only because of Tony Braxton's smash hit Un-Break My Heart), and it remains R Kelly's biggest hit of his career. It even won three Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
It's a song about dreaming, trying to reach the seemingly unreachable and that's exactly what every young basketball player does: wanting to fly (like Mike), thinking about this night and day and just wanting to spread their wings and fly away. Something you should try to do all you life maybe! Enjoy this absolute sportsong classic and remember: if you can see it, then you can be it!
(Below a version with game footage of the GOAT Micheal Jordan.)
Full lyrics "I Believe I Can Fly" - R Kelly
I used to think that I could not go on And life was nothing but an awful song But now I know the meaning of true love I'm leaning on the everlasting arms If I can see it, then I can do it If I just believe it, there's nothing to it [Chorus] I believe I can fly I believe I can touch the sky I think about it every night and day Spread my wings and fly away I believe I can soar I see me running through that open door I believe I can fly I believe I can fly I believe I can fly See I was on the verge of breaking down Sometimes silence can seem so loud There are miracles in life I must achieve But first I know it starts inside of me, oh If I can see it, then I can be it If I just believe it, there's nothing to it [Chorus] Hey, cause I believe in me, oh If I can see it, then I can do it (I can do it) If I just believe it, there's nothing to it [Chorus] Hey, if I just spread my wings I can fly I can fly I can fly, hey If I just spread my wings I can fly-eye-eye-eye Hum, fly-eye-eye