I Miss You (Miley Cyrus song)
Encyclopedia
"I Miss You" is pop music
song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
. It was co-written by Cyrus (credited under her birth name Destiny Hope Cyrus), Brian Green, Wendy Foy Green, and produced by Brian Green. "I Miss You" is a homage to Cyrus' late grandfather, Ron Cyrus
, who died in February 28, 2006. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma
, and, seeing her grandparent nearing death, Cyrus wanted to write him a song prior to his decease. It was released to Radio Disney
mid-year 2007 as promotion for the dual disc Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus. The song is a ballad with rock
and country
influences.
The song received received generally positive reviews from music critics; some commented on how it deviated from her usual material at the time and how effective the message was. "I Miss You" appeared on two United States charts: it peaked at number nine on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
, an extension of the Billboard Hot 100
chart, and at number ninety-two on the defunct Pop 100
. Cyrus performed the song on acoustic guitar
as an encore
at several stops on her first headlining concert tour, the Best of Both Worlds Tour
(2007–08).
, a Democratic legislator in the state of Kentucky and public servant, whom she referred to as "Pappy". He was diagnosed with mesothelioma
, a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, and struggled with the illness for several years as result of exposure to asbestos
. Cyrus then relocated from Franklin, Tennessee
to Los Angeles, California
to commence work on the Disney Channel
original series Hannah Montana
. At the sight of her grandfather ailing from afar, Cyrus was inspired to compose "I Miss You". In her autobiography Miles to Go
(2009), she explained, "That's how I ended up writing the song 'I Miss You' for Pappy. He was so sick. I knew he was dying, and slowly so did my heart. I couldn't imagine life without him." She co-wrote the song with her mother's dear friends Wendy Foy Green and Brian Green, and described it as the most difficult song for her write because of the subject matter. Cyrus attempted to halt writing "I Miss You", telling her co-writers she could not bear anymore.
However, Cyrus later desired to resume writing, saying she "knew what [her] heart wanted to say, and whatever is in [her] heart finds its way to [her] fingertips." Moreover, she desired for her grandfather to listen to the song before passing away. Although Cyrus was never able to sing it for him, her father played a quick cut of "I Miss You" for Ron towards the end of his life. The singer said she liked to believe that the song gave her grandfather hope, in a similar fashion which he gave and continues to give hope to her. At the age of 70, Ron Cyrus died on February 28, 2006, two days prior the red carpet premiere
of Hannah Montana. In the episode "She's a Supersneak", Cyrus sang a part of the song as Miley Stewart, in memory of the character's late mother. Cyrus then recorded the song for her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus. The singer believed that, despite having personal significance to her, "I Miss You" could have a variety of meanings for distinct people in divergent situations, including moving away from home, the loss of a parent, or a breakup in a romantic relationship.
song with a length of three minutes and fifty-eight seconds. It is a ballad that maintains low-key with an acoustic
styling. "I Miss You" is influenced by elements of the country music
genre; nevertheless, it has a rock music
-based musical arrangement, relying prominently on a gentle strumming guitar
for instrumentation. Written in the key of B♭ major, "I Miss You" is set in common time
with a tempo of 85 beats per minute. Cyrus' low and throaty vocals span a one octave
, ranging from from G3 to B4. The song has the following chord progression
, B–Gm7–F–F–Fsus.
wrote that "I Miss You" is "as doleful as it gets". Andy Spletzer of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
believed the track had a level a sincerity that was void from the remainder of Cyrus' repertoire at the time. He added, "The songs are more guitar-driven, the outfits more adult, and the lyrics imply a string of bad boyfriends -- but it feels like imaginary drama taken from high school poetry, as if she's pretending to be older than she is." In a similar note, Elysa Gardner of USA Today
stated the song was the exception to the "heavy on flash and fantasy" that characterized Cyrus at the time. Joseph P. Kahn of the Boston Globe mentioned the song while remarking that Cyrus' songs surpass much of the music played on Radio Disney
. Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide
believed the track a was a clear demonstration of how affectionate Cyrus was with her grandfather. Kelly Jane Torrance of The Washington Times
said "I Miss You" was an unpredictable effort, which, according to her, was both empathetic and executed properly, from Cyrus.
charts. It entered at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100
extension, the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart, and at number ninety-two in its only week on the discontinued Pop 100
chart. The following week, the song fell to number twenty-five in its second and final appearance on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
, which extended from October 2007 to January 2008. The tour's concert film
uses the performance within the set, although it was not performed as such. The performance had Cyrus dressed in a white tank top, blue cardigan, and denim pants, and sole on the stage. She sat on a stool that placed towards the end of the runaway, performing with an acoustic guitar
, as images and home footage of Ron Cyrus appeared on the screens. Chris William of Entertainment Weekly
attended the November 8, 2007 concert at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California
, and wrote, "So it was especially sweet when, for the encore, she ditched the dancers and enhancers and strummed an acoustic guitar on 'I Miss You,' vulnerably serenading her late grandpappy — and, for once, really looking and sounding 14. Not everyone noticed because, when she finished, half the seats were empty." Alison Bonaguro Dressed of the Chicago Tribune
stated that, despite its simplicity, the performance on December 8, 2007 at the Allstate Arena
in Rosemont, Illinois
felt like as though it was the largest production of all. in a gray shirt and black pants, Cyrus performed the song, along with "Ready, Set, Don't Go
" and "The Best of Both Worlds", on The Oprah Winfrey Show
on December 20, 2007, as a screen displayed a light-blue background.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
. It was co-written by Cyrus (credited under her birth name Destiny Hope Cyrus), Brian Green, Wendy Foy Green, and produced by Brian Green. "I Miss You" is a homage to Cyrus' late grandfather, Ron Cyrus
Ron Cyrus
Ronald Ray "Ron" Cyrus was a Democrat politician and public servant in Greenup County, Kentucky. He was the father of American country music singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus and the grandfather of Christopher Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Braison Cyrus and Noah Cyrus.- Early life :Cyrus was born in Flatwoods,...
, who died in February 28, 2006. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium...
, and, seeing her grandparent nearing death, Cyrus wanted to write him a song prior to his decease. It was released to Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
mid-year 2007 as promotion for the dual disc Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus. The song is a ballad with rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
influences.
The song received received generally positive reviews from music critics; some commented on how it deviated from her usual material at the time and how effective the message was. "I Miss You" appeared on two United States charts: it peaked at number nine on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
, an extension of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and at number ninety-two on the defunct Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
. Cyrus performed the song on acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
as an encore
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
at several stops on her first headlining concert tour, the Best of Both Worlds Tour
Best of Both Worlds Tour
The Best of Both Worlds Tour was the first concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote the double-disc album Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus , which consisted of the soundtrack to Hannah Montanas second season and her debut studio album...
(2007–08).
Background
The singer had a very close relationship with her paternal grandfather, Ron CyrusRon Cyrus
Ronald Ray "Ron" Cyrus was a Democrat politician and public servant in Greenup County, Kentucky. He was the father of American country music singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus and the grandfather of Christopher Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Braison Cyrus and Noah Cyrus.- Early life :Cyrus was born in Flatwoods,...
, a Democratic legislator in the state of Kentucky and public servant, whom she referred to as "Pappy". He was diagnosed with mesothelioma
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium...
, a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, and struggled with the illness for several years as result of exposure to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
. Cyrus then relocated from Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to commence work on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
original series Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real...
. At the sight of her grandfather ailing from afar, Cyrus was inspired to compose "I Miss You". In her autobiography Miles to Go
Miles to Go
Miles to Go is an autobiography by Miley Cyrus, co-written by Hilary Liftin and published by Disney Hyperion in March 2009. The memoir discusses Cyrus' relationship with her parents, her thoughts on the media, her love life, her future ambitions and milestones she still has to reach in her life....
(2009), she explained, "That's how I ended up writing the song 'I Miss You' for Pappy. He was so sick. I knew he was dying, and slowly so did my heart. I couldn't imagine life without him." She co-wrote the song with her mother's dear friends Wendy Foy Green and Brian Green, and described it as the most difficult song for her write because of the subject matter. Cyrus attempted to halt writing "I Miss You", telling her co-writers she could not bear anymore.
However, Cyrus later desired to resume writing, saying she "knew what [her] heart wanted to say, and whatever is in [her] heart finds its way to [her] fingertips." Moreover, she desired for her grandfather to listen to the song before passing away. Although Cyrus was never able to sing it for him, her father played a quick cut of "I Miss You" for Ron towards the end of his life. The singer said she liked to believe that the song gave her grandfather hope, in a similar fashion which he gave and continues to give hope to her. At the age of 70, Ron Cyrus died on February 28, 2006, two days prior the red carpet premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
of Hannah Montana. In the episode "She's a Supersneak", Cyrus sang a part of the song as Miley Stewart, in memory of the character's late mother. Cyrus then recorded the song for her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus. The singer believed that, despite having personal significance to her, "I Miss You" could have a variety of meanings for distinct people in divergent situations, including moving away from home, the loss of a parent, or a breakup in a romantic relationship.
Composition
"I Miss You" is a pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song with a length of three minutes and fifty-eight seconds. It is a ballad that maintains low-key with an acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
styling. "I Miss You" is influenced by elements of the country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
genre; nevertheless, it has a rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-based musical arrangement, relying prominently on a gentle strumming guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
for instrumentation. Written in the key of B♭ major, "I Miss You" is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a tempo of 85 beats per minute. Cyrus' low and throaty vocals span a one octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
, ranging from from G3 to B4. The song has the following chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
, B–Gm7–F–F–Fsus.
Critical reception
"I Miss You" has received generally positive reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of Allmusic complimented "I Miss You", and categorized it as a one of the tracks on Meet Miley Cyrus that bared much resemblance to Hannah Montana songs. Andy Webster of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote that "I Miss You" is "as doleful as it gets". Andy Spletzer of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
believed the track had a level a sincerity that was void from the remainder of Cyrus' repertoire at the time. He added, "The songs are more guitar-driven, the outfits more adult, and the lyrics imply a string of bad boyfriends -- but it feels like imaginary drama taken from high school poetry, as if she's pretending to be older than she is." In a similar note, Elysa Gardner of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
stated the song was the exception to the "heavy on flash and fantasy" that characterized Cyrus at the time. Joseph P. Kahn of the Boston Globe mentioned the song while remarking that Cyrus' songs surpass much of the music played on Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
. Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
believed the track a was a clear demonstration of how affectionate Cyrus was with her grandfather. Kelly Jane Torrance of The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
said "I Miss You" was an unpredictable effort, which, according to her, was both empathetic and executed properly, from Cyrus.
Chart performance
On the week ending July 14, 2007, "I Miss You" debuted on two US BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts. It entered at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
extension, the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart, and at number ninety-two in its only week on the discontinued Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart. The following week, the song fell to number twenty-five in its second and final appearance on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
Live performances
Cyrus performed "I Miss You" as an encore on sporadic dates of her first headlining tour, the Best of Both Worlds TourBest of Both Worlds Tour
The Best of Both Worlds Tour was the first concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote the double-disc album Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus , which consisted of the soundtrack to Hannah Montanas second season and her debut studio album...
, which extended from October 2007 to January 2008. The tour's concert film
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert is a 2008 American concert film from Walt Disney Pictures presented in Disney Digital 3-D. Released in the United States and Canada originally for one week, February 1–7, 2008, with release in other countries later on...
uses the performance within the set, although it was not performed as such. The performance had Cyrus dressed in a white tank top, blue cardigan, and denim pants, and sole on the stage. She sat on a stool that placed towards the end of the runaway, performing with an acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, as images and home footage of Ron Cyrus appeared on the screens. Chris William of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
attended the November 8, 2007 concert at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, and wrote, "So it was especially sweet when, for the encore, she ditched the dancers and enhancers and strummed an acoustic guitar on 'I Miss You,' vulnerably serenading her late grandpappy — and, for once, really looking and sounding 14. Not everyone noticed because, when she finished, half the seats were empty." Alison Bonaguro Dressed of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
stated that, despite its simplicity, the performance on December 8, 2007 at the Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and...
in Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
felt like as though it was the largest production of all. in a gray shirt and black pants, Cyrus performed the song, along with "Ready, Set, Don't Go
Ready, Set, Don't Go
"Ready, Set, Don't Go" is a country song performed by American recording artists Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus. It was released as the lead single from Home at Last, Cyrus' tenth studio album. It was sent to country radio stations on July 11, 2007 with a radio edit as a B-side. The song is a soft...
" and "The Best of Both Worlds", on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
on December 20, 2007, as a screen displayed a light-blue background.
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
9 |
| US Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
92 |