Let’s get technical for a bit, shall we? Have you ever heard of the literary device called allusion? It is not the same as its more common homophone, illusion; allusion is when a writer refers to another commonly known work of art, literature, person, or historical event. On the ballad “For the Record,” featured on 2008 album, E=MC 2 (which celebrates its 8th anniversary today), Mariah Carey uses this literary device. In the song, sung in the first person, she narrates her feelings to an ex-lover who “let [her] go” during a moment of apparent rekindling. It is an atmospheric, ethereal track and a standout, fan-favorite on its … Continue reading How Mariah Carey proved her literary prowess via lyrical allusions