When You Believe - Lyrical Content

Lyrical Content

The Prince of Egypt is an adaptation of the Biblical story of the Exodus. "When You Believe" is sung in the film Tzipporah, Miriam, and the Hebrews as they depart their slavery in Egypt for the Red Sea and the Promised Land. The protagonists of this ballad recall tough times that have them questioning their faith: they have prayed for many nights to God but those prayers seem to remain unanswered, and they wonder if they are wasting their time. Nevertheless, they realize that although times may be difficult, "there can be miracles when you believe" in God. Houston used to sing in a church choir growing up, while Carey always connected to her faith and music during difficult times. This became one of the many reasons both singers were so interested in the project, as they felt spreading faith in God was an important and honorable aspect of their career. While describing the song's lyrics and message, Houston said the following in an interview with 'Ebony:

A powerful ballad; Stephen Schwartz is a genius. You have to be a child of God to understand the depth of this song. Mariah and I did it as we felt it. We both felt very connected to the song because of our background. What can I say? Just a beautiful song. What a lyric! I can't talk about it--just listen to it.