All Falls Down

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"All Falls Down"
Single by Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson
from the album The College Dropout
B-side "Get 'Em High"
Released April 2004
Format CD, 12" vinyl
Recorded Sony Music Studios
(New York City)
Larrabee Sound North
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre Hip hop, soul, alt-rock
Length 3:43
Label Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam
Writer(s) Kanye West, Lauryn Hill
Producer Kanye West
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Slow Jamz"
(2003)		 "All Falls Down"
(2004)		 "Jesus Walks"
(2004)

"All Falls Down" is the second single from Kanye West's debut album, The College Dropout. The song was produced by West and features Grammy-nominated singer Syleena Johnson. It was released in April 2004 and entered the UK Singles Chart at number ten and peaked at number seven on the US Hot 100 on May 11, 2004. The song features an interpolation of Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity."

Contents

[edit] Background

Kanye originally attempted to acquire legal clearance to sample the recording but due to various complications, the permission was withheld.[1] West then called upon Johnson to re-sing the relevant vocal portions of "Mystery of Iniquity" which ended up in the final track.[2] Lyrically, "All Falls Down" examines the self-consciousness and insecurity within the black community and their ties to materialism.[3]

[edit] Music video

The music video for "All Falls Down" was directed by Chris Milk and shot at LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.[4] It follows Kanye as he accompanies his girlfriend, played by Stacey Dash, to the airport to catch her flight. The music video is shot in first-person perspective, displaying the journey from their car to the airport terminal through West's eyes. The video also features cameos by Common, Kel Mitchell, and Syleena Johnson who act as a gate agent, passenger, and ticket counter, respectively. In addition, rappers GLC and Consequence can also be seen as Dash is running through the airport in slow motion.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] 12" vinyl #1

A-Side

  1. "All Falls Down" (Clean)
  2. "All Falls Down" (Dirty)
  3. "All Falls Down" (A cappella)

B-Side

  1. "Get 'Em High" (Clean)
  2. "Get 'Em High" (Extended Dirty)
  3. "Get 'Em High" (A cappella)

[edit] 12" vinyl #2

A-Side

  1. "All Falls Down" (Explicit)
  2. "All Falls Down" (Edited)

B-Side

  1. "Heavy Hitters" (Dirty)
  2. "Heavy Hitters" (A cappella)

[edit] CD single #1

  1. "All Falls Down" (Album Version Explicit)
  2. "Heavy Hitters" (Dirty)

[edit] CD single #2

  1. "All Falls Down"
  2. "Get 'Em High"
  3. "Heavy Hitters"
  4. "Through the Wire"

[edit] Personnel

Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes.[5]

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (2004) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 7
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks 2
UK Singles Chart 10
Canadian Singles Chart 9
German Singles Chart 72

[edit] References

  1. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2005-02-09). "Road To The Grammys: The Making Of Kanye West's College Dropout". MTV (MTV Networks). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496766/20050209/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  2. ^ Hall, Rashaun (2005-01-21). "Kanye West Collaborating With Lauryn Hill On New LP". MTV (MTV Networks). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496152/20050121/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  3. ^ Heaton, Dave (2004-03-05). "Kanye West The College Dropout – PopMatters Music Review". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/w/westkanye-college.shtml. 
  4. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2005-08-25). "Kanye Puts It All On The Line — For A Video: VMAs Behind The Camera". MTV (MTV Networks). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1508359/20050825/west_kanye.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  5. ^ (2004) Album notes for The College Dropout by Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records (986 173-9).

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Kanye West singles
The College Dropout
"Through the Wire" • "All Falls Down" • "Jesus Walks" • "The New Workout Plan"
Late Registration
Graduation
808s & Heartbreak
"Love Lockdown" • "Heartless" • "Amazing" • "Paranoid"
Featured artist
"Champions" • "Slow Jamz" • "This Way" • "Down & Out" • "Talk About Our Love" • "Hold On" • "The Food" • "Selfish" • "I Changed My Mind" • "The Corner" • "Go!" • "Number One" • "Brand New" • "Extravaganza" • "Grammy Family" • "Number One" • "Wouldn't Get Far" • "I Still Love H.E.R." • "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)" • "Pro Nails" • "Finer Things" • "American Boy" • "Put On" • "Everybody" • "Stay Up! (Viagra)" • "Swagga Like Us" • "Plastic" • "Go Hard" • "What It Is" • "The Big Screen" • "Knock You Down" • "Kinda Like a Big Deal" • "Walkin' on the Moon" • "Ego" • "Supernova" • "Maybach Music 2" • "Make Her Say" • "Run This Town" • "Forever"  • "Whatever U Want" • "Teriyaking"
Other songs
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