Mariah Carey: A Retrospective

Mariah Carey A Retrospective

Overview: Pop singer born 3/27/1970 in Huntington, Long Island, NY. Irish-American and Black-Venezuelan parentage. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by the Guinness World Records, the 1990 Best New Artist Grammy winner is known for her five-octave vocal range. She is the only artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and is second only to the Beatles with 19 total chart-toppers. Her songs "One Sweet Day " (1995) and "We Belong Together" (2005) rank in the top 10 biggest #1 songs in the history of the Billboard charts. Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Mariah Carey Top 40 Songs MariahCarey.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia

Awards:

Studio Albums:

Compilations: NO #1’s (covers 1990-98, released 1998) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Top 40 Songs These are the top Mariah Carey songs as ranked by the DMDB. The codes beside the songs indicate which of the above albums the songs appear on. In addition, you can scroll farther down the page to see a snapshot of the individual albums with the singles from each indicated. The songs are again followed by the codes, but also for those songs that charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. 1. We Belong Together (2005) 2. One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men, 1995) 3. Vision of Love (1990) 4. Fantasy (1995) 5. Hero (1993) 6. Dreamlover (1993) 7. Without You (1993) 8. Always Be My Baby (1995) 9. Love Takes Time (1990) 10. Someday (1990) 11. Emotions (1991) 12. I’ll Be There (live, 1992) 13. When You Believe (with Whitney Houston, 1998) 14. Anytime You Need a Friend (1994) 15. Make It Happen (1991) 16. I Don’t Wanna Cry (1990) 17. Can’t Let Go (1991) 18. Touch My Body (2008) 19. My All (1998) 20. All I Want for Christmas Is You (1994) 21. I Still Believe (1999) 22. Endless Love (with Luther Vandross, (1994) 23. Honey (1997) 24. Shake It Off (2005) 25. Heartbreaker (with Jay-Z, 1999) 26. Don’t Forget about Us (2005) 27. Thank God I Found You (with Joe & 98 Degrees, 1999) 28. Butterfly (1997) 29. It’s Like That (with Fatman Scoop, 2005) 30. Loverboy (with Cameo, 2001) 31. I Know What You Want (with Busta Rhymes & the Flipmode Squad, 2003) 32. I Want to Know What Love Is (2009) 33. Breakdown (with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, 1997) 34. Obsessed (2009) 35. Through the Rain (2002) 36. Forever (1995) 37. Bye Bye (2008) 38. Crybaby (with Snoop Dogg, 1999) 39. U Make Me Wanna (with Jadakiss, 2004) 40. Never Too Far (2001)

Mariah Carey (1990): Vision of Love (6/2/90, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 1 RB, 9 UK, 1 CN, 9 AU, 4 DF, sales: 1.2 million, airplay: 2 million) NO Love Takes Time (9/14/90, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 1 RB, 37 UK, 2 CN, 14 AU, 25 DF, sales: ½ million, airplay: 2 million) NO Someday (1/11/91, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 5 AC, 3 RB, 38 UK, 1 CN, 44 AU, 21 DF, ½ million, airplay: 1 million) NO I Don’t Wanna Cry (4/5/91, 1 BB, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 2 RB, 54 UK, 2 CN, 49 AU, 33 DF, airplay: 1 million) NO

About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Emotions (1991): Emotions (8/13/91, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 3 AC, 1 RB, 17 UK, 1 CN, 11 AU, 24 DF, sales: ½ million, airplay: 1 million) NO

About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Music Box (1993): Dreamlover (7/27/93, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 2 AC, 2 RB, 9 UK, 1 CN, 7 AU, 21 DF, sales: 1.5 million, airplay: 2 million) NO Hero (10/15/93, 1 BB, 1 BA, 2 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 2 AC, 5 RB, 7 UK, 3 CN, 7 AU, 7 DF, sales: 3 million, airplay: 2 million) NO

About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Daydream (1995): Fantasy (9/8/95, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 8 AC, 1 RB, 4 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, 20 DF, sales: 3.5 million, airplay: 1 million) NO One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) (11/3/95, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 1 A40, 2 RB, 6 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU, 6 DF, sales: 3.75 million, airplay: 1 million) NO Always Be My Baby (2/23/96, 1 BB, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 2 AC, 2 A40, 1 RB, 3 UK, 1 CN, 17 AU, 34 DF, sales: 5 million, airplay: 1 million) NO

About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Butterfly (1997): Honey (8/8/97, 1 BB, 6 GR, 10 RR, 3 UK, 1 CN, 8 AU, sales: 2 million) NO My All (4/3/98, 1 BB, 12 GR, 15 RR, 18 AC, 4 RB, 4 UK, 28 CN, 39 AU, sales: 2 million) NO Whenever You Call (with Brian McKnight) NO

About the Album: Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

#1’s Mariah Carey

Recorded: 1990-1998 Released: November 16, 1998 Peak: 4 US, 10 UK, 6 CN, 6 AU Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, 0.77 UK, 20.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: pop Rating: 4.373 out of 5.00 (average of 19 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Sweetheart (with Jermaine Dupri) (2) When You Believe (with Whitney Houston) (3) Whenever You Call (with Brian McKnight) (4) My All (5) Honey (6) Always Be My Baby (7) One Sweet Day (with Boyz II Men) (8) Fantasy (9) Hero (10) Dreamlover (11) I’ll Be There (live with Trey Lorenz) (12) Emotions (13) I Don’t Wanna Cry (14) Someday (15) Love Takes Time (16) Vision of Love (17) I Still Believe Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: I’ll Be There (live with Trey Lorenz) (5/15/92, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 11 RB, 2 UK, 1 CN, 9 AU, 8 DF, sales: 0.9 million) NO Sweetheart (9/19/98, 45a RB) NO When You Believe (11/2/98, 15 BB, 28 RR, 3 AC, 37 A40, 33 RB, 4 UK, 20 CN, 13 AU, 31 DF, sales: 1.4 million) NO I Still Believe (1/22/99, 4 BB, 19 RR, 8 AC, 3 RB, 16 UK, 9 CN, 54 AU, 32 DF, sales: 1 million) NO About the Album: Apparently, Mariah Carey doesn’t understand the term ‘greatest hits,’ witnessed by her claim “in the liner notes that #1’s is ‘not a greatest hits album! It’s too soon, I haven’t been recording long enough for that!’” AMG Huh? “Between 1990’s Vision of Love and 1998’s My All, all but four commercially released singles (‘Anytime You Need a Friend,’ ‘Can't Let Go,’ ‘Make It Happen,’ ‘Without You’) hit number one, with only a handful of radio-only singles (‘Butterfly,’ ‘Breakdown’) making the airwaves, not the charts. That leaves 12 big hits on #1’s, all number ones.” AMG That seems as close to the definition of ‘greatest hits’ as one can get. “Since Carey’s singles always dominated her albums, it comes as no surprise that #1’s is her best, most consistent album, filled with songs that represent state-of-the-art ‘90s adult contemporary and pop-oriented urban soul.” AMG “That said, it isn’t a perfect overview – a couple of good singles are missing because of the self-imposed ‘#1 rule’; plus, the Ol’ Dirty Bastard mix of Fantasy is strong, but fans familiar with the radio single will be disappointed that the chorus is completely missing on this version.” AMG “The album is also padded with a personal favorite (her Brian McKnight duet Whenever You Call, taken from Butterfly) and three new songs – the Jermaine Dupri-produced Sweetheart, the Whitney Houston duet When You Believe (taken from The Prince of Egypt soundtrack), and I Still Believe, a remake of a Brenda K. Starr tune – which are all fine, but not particularly memorable.” AMG “Still, that’s hardly enough to bring down a thoroughly entertaining compilation that will stand as her best record until the ‘official’ hits collection is released.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Mariah Carey Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists AMG All Music Guide review of #1’s by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Wikipedia page for #1’s First posted 3/26/2008; last updated 5/13/2024.

Mariah Carey “Hero” hit #1

Hero Mariah Carey

Writer(s): Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff (see lyrics here) Released: August 31, 1993 (album cut on Music Box) First Charted: Octobrer 15, 1993 Peak: 14 US, 2 CB, 16 GR, 15 RR, 2 AC, 5 RB, 7 UK, 3 CN, 7 AU, 8 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.27 UK, 3.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 359.9 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The second single from Music Box, Mariah Carey’s biggest-selling album, wasn’t originally supposed to be a Mariah Carey song. She and collaborator Walter Afanasieff wrote “the big, grandiose ballad” SG “Hero” for the soundtrack of Stephen Frears’ 1992 movie of the same name. It starred Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, and Andy Garcia. Gloria Estefan was slated to sing the song. SG The song is “a big, arm-swishing ballad about finding your own sense of internal strength.” SG It’s “pure Hallmark material.” SG Carey considered it “fairly generic” and “a bit schmaltzy.” SG However, when label chief Tommy Mottola (Carey’s future husband) came into the studio while she was working on the demo, he said the song “was great and that Mariah would absolutely not give it away to another singer.” SG Carey worked to “to find the right vocal tone,” SG wanting to “show off her vocal firepower” SG but striking “a balance between her pyrotechnic vocal runs and a more restrained style.” SG “She also manages to convey a certain level of emotional catharsis, even though she didn’t actually care about the song very much.” SG She came to love the song, saying “’Hero’ belonged to my fans and I was going to deliver it to them with all I had.” SG After the song was released, Carey decided to donate the proceeds to the families of the victims of a December 7 shooting on the Long Island Rail Road. Carey had frequently ridden the route out of Penn Station. FB When she performed the song live, a stage light landed on a grown man with tears streaming down his face. As Afanasieff said, “I saw so many people crying and realized the power of the song.” FB Resources: FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 823. SG Stereogum (2/21/2022). “The Number Ones” by Tom Breihan WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 4/10/2023.

Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” hit #1

Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler

Writer(s): Jeff Silbar, Larry Henley (see lyrics here) Released: November 22, 1988 (on Beaches soundtrack) First Charted: February 18, 1989 Peak: 11 BB, 12 CB, 4 GR, 3 RR, 2 AC, 5 UK, 3 CN, 12 AU, 5 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.1 UK, 3.58 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 6.0 radio, 99.55 video, 96.87 streaming

Awards (Gary Morris): Click on award for more details. Awards (Bette Midler):

About the Song: Larry Henley first found success as the lead singer of the Newbeats, who had a #2 hit in 1964 with “Bread and Butter.” After that group broke up, he formed a songwriting team with composer Jeff Silbar. They found success with “He’s a Heartache Lookin’ for a Place to Happen,” a #1 country hit for Janie Fricke. While working on a song for Bob Seger, WK Silbar was taken with the title “Wind Beneath My Wings,” a poem Henley had written for his wife. Silbar said, “We ended up using none of the poem” FB but used the basic concept, although they changed it from “a regular romantic love song” SG into a “sort of hymn to friendship.” SG They kept the title of the poem, but none of the original words. They created a demo of it in 1982. Bob Montgomery, the duo’s publisher, SG recorded the song, slowing it down from a mid-tempo song to a ballad. RC They struggled for a year to get someone to record the song, FB getting turned down by Kenny Rogers and Barry Manilow. SG Australian singer Kamahl recorded the song, but his version was never released because he didn’t think it fit his country and western style. WK Eventually it was recorded by a slew of artists including Perry Como, Sheena Easton, Lee Greenwood, Gladys Knight & the Pips (as “Hero”) (1983, 64 RB, 23 AC), Gary Morris (1983, #4 CW), Lou Rawls (1983, 65 BB, 60 RB, #10 AC), B.J. Thomas, and Roger Whittaker. Whittaker was the first to release the song commercially on his 1982 studio album, also called The Wind Beneath My Wings. WK Australian artist Colleen Hewett was the first to release the song as a single (1982, #52 AU). It was the Bette Midler version, however, which became a classic. At this point, Midler was 43 years old who’d already been around two decades as “an all-around entertainer” SG who’d been nominated for an Oscar and won two Grammys, a couple of Golden Globes, a Tony, and an Emmy. She first reached the top ten with a cover of the Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” in 1972 (#10 BB). She reached the top ten again in 1980 with “The Rose” (#3 BB). Midler recorded “Wind Beneath My Wings” as “a grand, sincere show-stopper” SG for the movie Beaches in which she starred alongside Barbara Hershey. The song is featured at the end of the movie after the death of Hershey’s character. A UK poll in 2002 ranked the “tearjerker melodrama” SG as the most-played song at British funerals. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bette Midler FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 731. RC Rod Couch (2015). The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era: 1955-2015. Pages 224-5. SG Stereogum (7/19/2021). “The Number Ones” by Tom Breihan WK Wikipedia First posted 4/18/2024.