We Trying to Stay Alive

"We Trying to Stay Alive" is the first single released from Haitian rapper 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). The video version also contains an interpolation of the main melody of "Trans-Europe Express" by "Kraftwerk".^[1] In the US, it reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally, it reached number three on the Hot Rap Songs chart and number 14 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. The track reached number 87 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".^{[citation needed]}

"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	27 May 1997
Genre	Hip hop
Length	3:11
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(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 singles chronology
"We Trying to Stay Alive" (1997) "Guantanamera" (1997)
Music video
"Wyclef Jean - We Trying To Stay Alive (Official Video) ft. John Forté, Pras" on YouTube

Reception

While the sampling of the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive" was greenlit 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]

Chart performance

We Trying to Stay Alive peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent a total of 12 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number four on the Hot R&B Singles chart and number three on the Hot Rap Songs chart. In the UK, the song peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and spent a total of five weeks on the chart.

Music video

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

Track listings

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)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peak position Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[4] 6 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[5] 12 Germany (GfK)[6] 72 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] 5 Norway (VG-lista)[8] 10 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 18 UK Singles (OCC)[10] 13 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 45 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[12] 2 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] 14 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[14] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position New Zealand (RIANZ)[15] 50 Sweden (Topplistan)[16] 99 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[17] 79 US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[18] 39 US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[19] 15