Be Careful (song)

"Be Careful"
Single by Sparkle
from the album Sparkle
Released	1998
Format	CD
Genre	R&B
Length	5:17
Label	Interscope, Rockland
Writer(s)	R. Kelly
Producer(s)	R. Kelly
Sparkle singles chronology
"When a Woman's Fed Up" (1998) "Time To Move On" (1999)
R. Kelly singles chronology "Gotham City" (1997) "Be Careful" (1998) "When a Woman's Fed Up" (1998)

"Be Careful" is an R&B song by Sparkle from her 1998 debut album, Sparkle The song reached number 3 on the Billboard Rhythmic Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Singles chart. The video, directed by Kelly, also features Kelly who both wrote, produced and composed this song. The single and the video were released before R. Kelly's single "When a Woman's Fed Up", which is the continuation of the story. Five weeks after the song was released it had already been played on the radio more than 40 million times in the US.^[1]

Due to a Billboard rule the song could not chart on the regular "Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart" in America.

Music video

The music video is directed by R. Kelly.^[2] The video shows a regular African American family in the less fortunate places.

Track listings

Europium CD-single

1. "Be Careful" (LP Version) - 5:16
2. "Be Careful" (Radio Edit No. 1) - 5:18

American 12" Vinyl / CD-single

(A-side)

1. "Be Careful" (Radio Version 1)
2. "Be Careful" (Radio Version 2)

(B-side)

1. "Be Careful" (Album Version)
2. "Be Careful" (Instrumental)

Charts

Chart	Position
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Chart[3]	3
U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Airplay[3]	1
Belgium "Ultratop" Singles Chart[4]	50
Netherlands Hot 100[4]	4
UK Singles Chart[5]	7

References

1. Billboard 6 mar 1999, p. 34, at Google Books
2. http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=26130
3. http://allmusic.com/artist/sparkle-mn0000744199/awards
4. http://hitparad.se/showitem.asp?interpret=Sparkle&titel=Be+Careful&cat=s
5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 518. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.