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Duncan Drills Dawson

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Vision Of Love

From New York Daily News:
”It was incredible, like in a movie,” Mariah Carey said the other day. The 20-year-old singer and songwriter from New York City was recalling the moment a year and a half ago when she was discovered by Tommy Mottola”. June, 1990

It was 1986 when Mariah Carey was writing Vision Of Love while she was in high school. Most of people may not know, but this song shows Mariah’s relation with God and it’s about realizing her dreams as a singer. “Right now, music is my boyfriend” was how she put it. After meeting Ben Margulies, the song were finally composed. This was one of the songs which were in the demo that was handed to Tommy Mottola. After this, the song was re-done in the studio, and Mariah agreed with the alterations made by Rhett Lawrence, one of the producers of the song along with Narada Michael Walden.

Facts and Legacy

• Rhett Lawrence took Carey’s vocals from the original demo version, and used them as background vocals for the song’s final version.
• Vision Of Love has been lauded by critics because of the use of melisma and its lyrics.
• Appeared in most of “the best of 90s” lists.
• Mariah doesn’t like the video, she feels awkward and wasn’t that good. She used a live performance on #1’s video album.
• This song influenced lots of singers and musicians throughout the 90s, such as Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera.
• It was nominated for three Grammy Awards categories: record of the year, song of the year and best female pop vocal performance, winning the latter.
• Rhett Lawrence, one of the producers of the track, received a Grammy Award for producing this song.
• Additionaly, the song received the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female and Song of the Year by BMI Pop Awards.

Charts and Sellings

• Vision Of Love topped three countries charts (U.S., Canada and New Zealand). It made top ten on Australia, Netherlands, Ireland and U.K.
• It topped Radio Songs (Airplay), Adult Contemporary and R&B/Hip-Hop charts in U.S.
• It was certified with Gold in U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
• It’s estimated that Vision Of Love sold 1.3 million copies around the world.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube and Mariah Daily Journal

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Love Takes Time

From New York Daily News:
What makes ”Mariah Carey” stand out from similarly formulaic records is the singer’s sheer talent. The commercial core of her album consists of four ballads - ”Vision of Love,” ”Love Takes Time,” ”There’s Got to Be a Way” and ”I Don’t Wanna Cry” - which she belts out with bravura”. July, 1990

Mariah Carey’s debut album was almost finished and she written a song with Marguiles. This was Love Takes Time. The demo was sent to Walter Afanasieff, who would be one of Mariah Carey’s producers that would change her career. Tommy Mottola was impressed with Afanasieff’s work and decided to put him to work with Carey. Mariah said that this would be, in music industry speak, a “career-maker”. They decided to record this as fast as possible. “She did all the backgrounds, practically sang all night,” Afanassief recalls. Then he leapt back on the plane and retraced his steps to the Sausalito studio to remix it. Love Takes Time was born.

Facts and Legacy

• For the release to radio, a second mix was created that muffled Carey’s whistle note in the background of the song, during the song’s bridge. 
• This version of the song appeared in all of the official single releases of “Love Takes Time” in the US and abroad.
• When the album was released, “Love Takes Time” was not listed on some of the cassettes or compact discs.
• Mariah Carey feels ashamed of the music video. She used a version from “Here is Mariah Carey” to put on #1’s video album.
• Love Takes Time received BMI Pop Award.

Charts and Sellings 

• Love Takes Time was a top hit on U.S. and Canada. Made top 10 on New Zealand and top 20 on Australia. 
• It topped every chart on U.S. which it was eligible.
• It was certified with Gold in U.S.
• It’s estimated that Love Takes Time sold something around 800,000 copies around the world.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube and Mariah Daily Journal

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Someday

From New York Daily News:
“Ms. Carey seems to have everything it takes to become successful quickly.” July, 1990

“Someday” was one of the four songs on the demo tape, handed by Brenda K. Starr to record executive Tommy Mottola, that led to Carey being given a recording contract. Sony made alterations to the version on the demo tape because they thought it was too rough. When she was first signed to Columbia, Mariah wanted to produce the album herself with Marguiles. “I wasn’t open to working with a superstar producer,” she said in Rolling Stone. Ben elaborates: “You have your ideas and your creations, and sometimes it’s difficult. You’re seeing your songs come to fruition, but at the same time, you want to have a say in how your babies turn out. These things start out like the nucleus of the embry of an idea. You sit down and start playing, improvising, and it comes to the point where it turns into a good demo; (…) but it’s inevitably what always happens, and you hope that people handle them with care”. Ric Wake produced that track, as Mottola asked him.

Facts and Legacy

• Nick Cannon confirmed that Mariah does not like the final version of the song in a 2011 interview with Perez Hilton. 
• Like her previous singles, Mariah does not like the music video of Someday. She decided to used her perfomance on MTV Unplugged on #1’s video album.
• And she planned the music video…
• It was her first track to go on Dance Club Play chart.
• Someday received BMI Pop Award and a nomination from AMA of Favorite Dance Single.

Charts and Sellings 

• Someday was a top hit on U.S. and Canada. It was a top 20 hit on Finland. 
• It topped U.S Dance Club Play chart.
• It was certified with Gold in U.S.
• It’s estimated that Someday sold 800,000 copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube and Mariah Daily Journal

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

I Don’t Wanna Cry

From Rolling Stones (Emotions review):
“I Don’t Wanna Cry was the best track on Carey’s debut because her downcast whispers animated the song’s luxurious sorrow; at full speed her range is so superhuman that each excessive note erodes the believability of the lyric she is singing.” November, 1991

I Don’t Wanna Cry is reminiscent in both rhythm and arrangement of George Michael’s Careless Whispers. This was the work from Narada Michael Walden. He worked with Michael previously. Mariah Carey had lobbied to co-produce the song, but Columbia Records denied. Mariah stated in a interview for MTV that she dislikes the final version from I Don’t Wanna Cry. She often fought with Walden in the studio concerning the song’s production. Walden became her least favorite producer who worked on her debut album. Walden’s protégé at the time, Walter Afanasieff, later said that he co-wrote and produced the song, and that in return for giving Afanasieff the work, Walden took the credit.

Facts and Legacy

• I Don’t Wanna Cry was the first name of Mariah’s debut album. Later, Sony decided that would be Mariah Carey.
• It was the only video from Carey’s debut album to be included on #1’s, because she was ashamed of the three previous music videos.
• I Don’t Wanna Cry won a BMI Pop Award.

Charts and Sellings 

• I Don’t Wanna Cry was a top hit on U.S. It was a top 10 hit on Canada.
• This was Mariah Carey’s third #1 song on Adult Contemporary chart.
• It’s estimated that I Don’t Wanna Cry sold 400,000 copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube and Mariah Daily Journal

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Emotions

From Style New York Daily News:
“I wanted ‘Emotions’ to be more sparsely produced than the first one,” she continued, “and for the most part it is. I also wanted to use the influences of all the music I loved, like Motown stuff and Stevie Wonder. I felt the uptempo songs were a little over produced on the first record.” September, 1991

It had orignally been Tommy Mottola’s idea to bring in David Cole and Robert Clivilles. It was a given that that the new album would repeat the successful formula of mixing ballads and dance music, and who better for the dance music than the hottest team in the country. Both Mariah and Clivilles came up with separate ideas for “Emotions”. David said that “what was funny was both Robert and Mariah came up with the ‘Emotions’ groove separately. She had an idea for it and so did Robert. They both had mentioned doing something similar to the (group) Emotions. I mean, the Emotions were an inspiration for the song ‘Emotions,’ there’s no way to deny that or get around it. It definitely has the feeling from the Emotions, but we’re not dumb enough to go and steal the damn record.”

Facts and Legacy

• This was the first single Mariah had produced in her career.
• Emotions has two music video versions, one from the original song and a extended mix.
• You’re So Cold would be her first single. But after the second session in the studios, Emotions was created and was selected as the lead single.
• It was her first song in her tours from Music Box Tour till Rainbow World Tour. Later would be replaced by Heartbreaker.
• Mariah Carey won a BMI Pop Award and a nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance at Grammy Awards with Emotions.

Charts and Sellings 

• Emotions was a top hit on U.S. It was a top 5 hit on Canada and New Zealand and a top 20 hit in Australia, U.K. and Netherlands.
• It appeared at the top position of R&B/Hip-hop songs and Dance Club Play charts.
• Emotions was certified with Gold in U.S, Australia and New Zealand.
• It’s estimated Emotions sold 1 million copies in the world.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Can’t Let Go

From Rolling Stones (Emotions review):
”On the other six songs, all ballads, Carey works with Walter Afanasieff, who produced “Love Takes Time” on her debut and also helped create Michael Bolton’s bombastic soul. When the pace slows down, Carey does too, and Afanasieff can be an effective one-man orchestra: The moody grandeur of “And You Don’t Remember” and “Can’t Let Go” will sound great on the radio.“ November, 1991

Walter Afanasieff had previously produced Mariah’s hit “Love Takes Time” and was a natural choice to assist her with the new ballad. She told Billboard magazine, “One of the best things about writing with Walter is that he is such a knowledgeable musician. When I frantically hum out chords to him, he knows how to translate what I am hearing in my mind so accurately. With a lot of other people, it is not quite as easy. Our differences really compliment each other.”

Facts and Legacy

• In 1992, writers Sharon Taber and Ron Gonzalez filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Carey and Afanasieff citing that “Can’t Let Go” was taken from their song, “Right Before My Eyes”. The plaintiffs demanded to obtain copies of the studio recording tapes to see if conversation between Carey and Afanasieff would prove them guilty…
• …however, after being reviewed, the only guilty fear apparent was Mariah Carey quoted as saying “Can’t Let Go” was sounding “too much like our other song.” The lawsuit was later dropped or settled out of court.
• I was Mariah’s first song which didn’t was a #1 hit.
• Can’t Let Go won a BMI Pop Award.

Charts and Sellings 

• Can’t Let Go was #2 on U.S. It was a top 5 hit on Canada and a top 20 hit U.K.
• It appeared at the top position of Adult Contemporary chart.
• Can’t Let Go sold something around 650,000 copies in the world.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Make It Happen

From Rolling Stones (Emotions review):
”On Emotions her eagerness to deploy her immense vocal range results in the overheated growling of “Make It Happen,” a teary tale of how she kept her religious faith despite hard times.“ November, 1991

Carey was well under way writing and recording material for her second studio album, Emotions. During the months spent conceptualizing the album, Carey decided to write a song that would illustrate her lifestyle prior to her success. She felt listeners’ hearing her rags-to-riches story might inspire them to pursue their dreams. For “Make it happen”, Mariah wrote a set of very autobiographical lyrics, dealing with the struggles she went through before being signed by Columbia (even down to the fact that she could only afford that single pair of holey sneakers), and what kept her going through it all: her faith. 

Facts and Legacy

• There’s an interesting fact about Can’t Let Go and Make It Happen. Both received heavy airplay on radios and had weak sales, in comparison with her previous singles.
• Following its commercial release as a single, Make It Happen was the subject of a US$500,000 copyright infringement lawsuit. Carey, Cole, Clivillés and Columbia Records were sued in June 1994 by songwriter Kevin McCord, who accused the party of incorporating significant musical elements from his 1979 song, I Want to Thank You, into Make It Happen.
• This song was included in all Mariah Carey’s tours.
• Make It Happen won a BMI Pop Award.

Charts and Sellings 

• Make It Happen was #5 on U.S. In Canada, was on top 10, while in U.K. was a top 20 hit.
• This song sold 500,000 copies around the world.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

I’ll Be There

From Style:
“My favorite was the long velvet evening dress,” Ms. Carey said, referring to a double-strap black dress that was long and liquid. “Victor’s clothes are fierce.” April, 1992

Two days before the taping of the show, Carey added one remake of an old hit to her repertoire. “I’ve been listening to Michael [Jackson] since I was a baby,” she told Edna Gunderson of USA Today. The way Walter and Mariah had arranged the song, she took the Michael Jackson lead and Trey Lorenz, with his high, sweet voice, took what had originally been Jermaine Jackson’s part, the second lead. After two years of working with Mariah, Trey was getting his chance to shine, and outfitted in a worn black leather motorcycle jacket and a baseball cap, he looked ready for it.

Facts and Legacy

• Columbia always tried to make Mariah Carey sounds more “modern” and less “oldie”. But with I’ll Be There Mariah Carey was very successful.
• Initially I’ll Be There wasn’t planned to be a single. After many requests her label decided to make it a single.
• This is the only #1 song from Mariah Carey that wasn’t written by her.
• I’ll Be There was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo/Group with vocals.

Charts and Sellings 

• I’ll Be There was very successful on charts. It was #1 in U.S., Canada, New Zealand and in Netherlands. It was #2 on U.K, a top 10 hit on Australia, Norway and Ireland and a top 20 hit on France and Swiss.
• It was #1 on Adult Contemporary chart.
• It was certified with Gold on New Zealand.
• I’ll Be There sold 1,3 million copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Dreamlover

From Jet:
“[Jet]: In the beginning of the song Dreamlover, your voice does the vocal gymnastics that you’re known for. Is this kind of a message to people that says you go over the top with your voice?
[Mariah Carey]: I sing from the heart. Whatever the music makes me feel at the time I go into the studio to sing a song, that’s what I’m going to do. Some people like it, some people don’t. But it’s just a part of my voice, and that’s it.” June, 1993

Columbia decided to return Carey to the same genre as her debut album and have her produce a more commercial and radio-friendly record. Their plans were to tone down Carey’s vocals and soften the album’s production to create a contemporary pop record. Carey’s songwriting changed a lot, and this is most notable in Dreamlover, that’s a pop song. Dave Hall was Carey’s choice for produce the track. Hall said that was amazing to work with Mariah. He said “Mariah was always on point” and “she is a perfectionist”. When Carey’s fiancé at the time, Tommy Mottola, came to hear the song in the studio, he had mixed feelings and asked Walter Afanasieff to put some instrumental and flavor, changing the song at production level. Mottola wanted something more commercial. Walter’s solution was to re-arrange the drums and keyboards, to give it more swing, and more drive. “It put a whole different shade of colors to it.”

Facts and Legacy

• Dreamlover incorporates a sample of the hook from Blind Alley by The Emotions into its melody and instrumentation.
• Dreamlover marked the first time Carey was given creative control over remixing her songs. She enlisted David Morales to create the Def Club Mix; it was the first of Carey’s remixes to use re-recorded vocals.
• It has the highest debut on Pop Songs chart of all time, debuting at number 12.
• Like Make It Happen, Dreamlover is presented in every Carey’s tours.
• It was Mariah Carey’s first Platinum certified single.
• Entertainment Weekly listed the song as one of The 100 Greatest Moments in Rock Music: The 90s. It was their top pick for 1993.
• The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Charts and Sellings 

• Dreamlover reached #1 in U.S and Canada, and #2 in New Zealand. It was a top 10 hit in Australia, U.K. and Netherlands. It was a top 20 hit in Ireland and Switzerland.
• It was #1 on Dance Club Play chart.
• It was certified with Platinum in U.S. and Gold in New Zealand and Australia.
• Dreamlover sold more than 1,7 million copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Hero

From New York Times:
”Chatting with an audience that was proud to claim her as a Long Island native, she announced that profits from her current single, “Hero,” would be donated to the families of victims of last week’s rampage on the Long Island Rail Road.” December, 1993

If “Hero” sounds like it was meant to be heard over the end credits of a film, there’s a good reason. Dustin Hoffman and Geena Davis starred in a movie for Columbia Pictures called Hero. Producer Walter Afanasieff recalls, “The people over at Epic Records were going to do the soundtrack for the film. They wanted to have Mariah sing the theme to it, but they didn’t really think they could because at that time you couldn’t get near Mariah to do anything film-wise. So they wanted to try the next best thing, which was to have us write something.” Gloria Estefan would sing the song instead of Mariah Carey. But Mottola said that Mariah Carey would sing this. Initially, Carey was guided by the subject of the film, but Afanasieff acknowledges that the artist made it a very personal song. After she decided not to give the song away, she completed the lyric and made it her own. The producer went back to the soundtrack people and told them, “You know what? I didn’t come up with anything.” Estefan never heard the tune originally meant for her, and the song that ended up in the soundtrack was “Heart Of A Hero,” written, produced and recorded by Luther Vandross.

Facts and Legacy

• Before the song hit number one on the Hot 100, Carey announced that she was donating the proceeds from the sale of the single to the families of the victims of a December 7 shooting rampage on the Long Island Rail Road.
• In 2001, following the September 11 attacks, Carey re-recorded the song as a mash-up single titled Never Too Far/Hero Medley, a medley with her single at the time, Never Too Far.
• Additionally, prior to the release of her compilation album The Ballads, Carey re-recorded “Hero” and filmed a new video featuring behind the scenes footage of the studio.
• Hero was the subject of two copyright plagiarism cases; one by Christopher Selletti and the other by Rhonda Dimmer, filed in 1993 and 1996. In both cases Mariah was considered innocent.
• Hero won BMI Pop Award, 2 ASCAP Awards and it was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at Grammy Awards.

Charts and Sellings 

• Hero reached #1 in U.S, #2 in Norway and New Zealand, it top 10 hit in Canada, Australia, France, Ireland and U.K. and was a top 20 hit in Netherlands.
• It was certified with Silver in France and with Platinum in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and U.S.
• Hero sold more than 2,5 million copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection

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The Memoirs of a Butterfly

Without You

From New York Times:
”When Ms. Carey sang remakes of 1970’s hits, like Without You or I’ll Be There(a duet with Trey Lorenz, who also appeared with her on MTV Unplugged), she mimicked enough of the original to make a connection, then set off her own fireworks.” December, 1993

Mariah’s second-ever cover song was a sweeping, moving version of Without You. In the song Carey dips into her lower register and is accompanied by backup singers magnified to sound like a gospel chorus. Mariah and Walter’s arrangement owed a great deal to Nilsson’s rendition, rather than to the original, although it did strip away some of the massive orchestration that tended to overwhelm the Nilsson cut. Carey said that she decided to cover the song when she heard it in a restaurant (although when performing the song in Tokyo, she said she listened to it when she was a little girl).

Facts and Legacy

• Without You’s B-side Never Forget You charted on R&B/Hip-hop songs, reaching #9.
• Pete Ham and Tommy Evans, the songwriters of Without You, eventually commit suicide due to financial problems.
• In a rather sad, ironic footnote, on the day Mariah’s version of Without You was released, Harry Nilsson, only in his early fifties, died from heart problems. However, the record was not withdrawn, but allowed to stand.
• It was Mariah’s first huge successful single worldwide and Mariah’s first #1 song in many countries, such as U.K. and Germany. 

Charts and Sellings 

• Without You reached #1 in Europe (European Hot 100) U.K., Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden and New Zealand. It reached #2 in Canada and France and #3 in U.S. and Norway.
• It was certified with Gold in U.S., U.K., Switzerland and France. And it was certified with Platinum in Austria, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Netherlands.
• Without You sold more than 3,5 million copies worldwide.

Source: Wikipedia, Heroes of Mariah, MC Archives, YouTube, Mariah Daily Journal and Mariah Carey Collection