We Trying to Stay Alive

"We Trying to Stay Alive"
Single by Wyclef Jean featuring John Forté and Pras
from the album The Carnival
B-side	"Anything Can Happen"
Released	May 27, 1997
Format	CD single, 12" single
Recorded	1996
Genre	Rap
Length	3:11
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Jean, N.W./Michel, S.P./Gibb, R./Gibb, B./Gibb, M./Forte, J.
Producer(s)	Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel
Wyclef Jean featuring John Forté and Pras singles chronology
"We Trying to Stay Alive" (1997) "Guantanamera" (1997)

"We Trying to Stay Alive" is the first single released from Wyclef Jean's debut solo album, The Carnival. The song features raps by John Forté and Pras (of The Fugees) and samples the 1977 Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive" and Audio Two's "Top Billin'" (1987). It entered the UK Singles Chart at #13, its highest chart position, and went on to spend five weeks on the chart.^[1] The song was also moderately successful in the USA, where it reached #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally, it reached #3 in the Hot Rap Singles chart and #14 in the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. The track reached #87 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of all time.

Reception

While the sampling of the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive" was green lighted by the Bee Gee's management, the final song was not warmly received by the Bee Gees themselves. "I have to say I do not like anyone sampling our voices." Barry Gibb told MTV News in regards to the song. "Don't like it. Don't approve of it. Don't like it." ^[2]

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Roman Coppola.^[3]

Track listing

UK CD1 (664681 2)

1. "We Trying To Stay Alive" (LP Version)
2. "We Trying To Stay Alive" (Instrumental)
3. "Anything Can Happen" (LP Version)
4. "Anything Can Happen" (Instrumental)

UK CD2 (664681 5)

1. "We Trying To Stay Alive" (LP Version)
2. "We Trying To Stay Alive" (Salaam Remi Remix)
3. "Imagino" (Creole Version)
4. "Flavor From The Carnival" (LP Snippets)

References

1. http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php
2. "Bee Gees Don't Dig Wyclef's Sample". mtv.com. 26 June 1997. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
3. Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Wyclef Jean - "We trying to stay alive"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved December 17, 2014.