Always Be My Baby

"Always Be My Baby"
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Daydream
B-side	"Slipping Away" "Long Ago"
Released	February 20, 1996 (1996-02-20)
Recorded	1994–1995
Genre	Pop[1] R&B[2]
Length	4:18
Label	Columbia
Composer(s)	Jermaine Dupri Mariah Carey Manuel Seal
Lyricist(s)	Mariah Carey
Producer(s)	Mariah Carey Jermaine Dupri
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Open Arms" (1995) "Always Be My Baby" (1996) "Forever" (1996)
Music video
"Always Be My Baby" on YouTube

"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on February 20, 1996, as the third single in the United States and fourth worldwide. Written and produced by Carey, Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal, "Always Be My Baby" is a midtempo song, with lyrics describing the feeling of attachment and unity the singer feels towards her estranged lover, even though they are no longer together, she says he will always be a part of her and will "always be her baby" even after they move on.

"Always Be My Baby" received critical acclaim with reviewers praising its mellow production and Carey's vocals. The song was a commercial success, becoming Carey's eleventh chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100, tying her with Madonna and Whitney Houston for most number-one singles by a female artist at the time. It spent two weeks atop the chart and became Carey's eighth chart-topper on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. The song is certified five-times platinum in the US with 1,254,000 units coming from physical sales, 890,000 coming from digital sales, and 856,000 coming from streaming equivalent units. It is also certified platinum by RIAA for selling 1 million units as master tone in the US by 2007. In other regions, the single performed well, peaking at number three in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand, number 17 in Australia and in the top 20 in most music markets where it charted.

The accompanying music video for "Always Be My Baby" features scenes of Carey frolicking by a campsite in upstate New York, as well as swinging on a Cooper Tire over a lake. Additional inter-cuts include scenes of two children, one male and female, sneaking out at night and spending time together by a campfire similar to Carey's location. Most scenes from the video were filmed at The Fresh Air Fund's Camp Mariah, named after Carey for her generous support and dedication to Fresh Air Fund children. The song was performed live during her Daydream World Tour (1996) and many of her future tours and concerts. "Always Be My Baby" was also featured in Carey's compilation albums: #1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001), The Ballads (2008) and #1 to Infinity (2015). The U.S. and Canadian B-side "Slipping Away" is included in the compilation album The Rarities (2020).