Journey to the Past

"Journey to the Past"
Song

"Journey to the Past" is a song written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty for the 1997 animated film Anastasia. The song was originally recorded by actress Liz Callaway to be included in the film and was later re-recorded by singer Aaliyah as an R&B/pop single to promote the soundtrack.

The pop single version samples Michael Jackson's "Human Nature". It became a moderately successful pop hit in the UK. Aaliyah performed it at the 1998 Academy Awards. That night Aaliyah became the youngest female recording artist to perform at the ceremony. "Journey to the Past" was also nominated for an award for Best Song at the ceremony that year. The song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released it only received minor Hot Adult Contemporary airplay in the U.S. It stayed on the chart for only 4 weeks.

Aaliyah performed "Journey to the Past" at the 1998 Oscar Academy Awards becoming the youngest singer and first African American to perform in the awards show history.

Music video

The music video begins in a modern day American neighbourhood on a seemingly warm day. Aaliyah is seen singing in the windows of a small grocery store and on the street where children are playing. Tying in to the theme of `going back to the past` Aaliyah goes back and forth from the real modern day world to the animated world of Russia in the 1920s, the time i which Anastasia is set. Anstasia the movie is set. She is then seen in several of the movies iconic scenes such as balancing on a log with Anastasia behind her, out in the snow where the `Journey To The Past` song is feautured in the film, in the ballroom in the `Once upon a december` sequence, ascending o the lift on the Eiffel Tower (a moment feautred Paris Holds the Key to heart scene) and on stage in the Russia ballet scene. The music video ends with her sitting on the rooftop seemingly overlooking the final scene in which Dimitri and Anya kiss and finally on the clouds above the St Petersburg with the children.

Charts

Chart (1997-1998)	Peak position
Eurochart Hot 100	98
UK Top 40 R&B Singles	6
UK Top 75 Singles	22
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks	28