When it came to R&B, Carey’s more authentic offerings with less commercial gloss and more bluesy introspection were kept from the spotlight. However, the diva-to-be sure did try.

This playlist is a reimagining of “Music Box,” a supposition of what, based on her later work, Carey might have preferred the album to sound like. Some of its singles have been swapped in favor of a remix or a live version. And, perhaps most controversially, a pair of discarded tracks replace album tracks. This is Mariah’s Version.

Music Box (Mariah’s Version)

1. Dreamlover (Bam Jam Soul) Remix

The story goes that Carey crafted a sparsely produced “Dreamlover” with Dave Hall, using the same sample as Big Daddy Kane’s “Ain’t No Half Steppin’.” However, Carey’s then-husband and label head Tommy Mottola called in her frequent, pop-friendly collaborator Walter Afanasieff to give the song the gloss it needed to become a commercial pop confection. Rumor has it that this remix is a little closer to how it would’ve sounded.

2. Hero (Live at Tokyo Dome)

You’ve probably heard the story: Carey wrote “Hero” with Gloria Estefan in mind for a film of the same name. Mottola heard it, and told her to keep it for herself, and the rest is history. “Hero” is one of Carey’s signature songs, but she’s always expressed her reservations about it, saying that she didn’t appreciate the song until she began performing it live and connecting with fans over its sentiment. For that reason, as well as the warmth that the live arrangement adds to it, I selected a live performance to replace the album version.

3. Anytime You Need a Friend (Soul Convention Remix)

While the album version is a gorgeous ballad complete with gospel-inspired background vocals, the Soul Convention Mix has more dreamy, sparse R&B sensibilities and soulful vocals to match. This mix really complements the lyrics and elevates the song beyond its more adult-contemporary-ready album version.

4. Music Box

The gorgeous title track remains; a chilling song that is likely an ode to Carey’s true soulmate: music. It not only gives the album its title, it also sets the tone sonically. Many of the songs on the album echo its enchanting qualities.

5. Do You Think of Me

Originally released as the b-side to “Dreamlover,” this song deserved to be on the album. A sensual track with all the hallmarks of a classic 90s R&B sound, “Do You Think of Me” was probably Carey’s sexiest song to date at that point. “When you feel the touch of another lover, do you think of me?” she asks, possibly to her then-husband’s dismay.

6. Never For You (Radio Edit)

Co-written with Babyface, the album version is pretty perfect, but the Jermaine Dupri-produced remix gives the song an extra thump. Literally; the heavier bass makes the song fall in line with Carey’s later penchant for a ballad with a beat.

7. All I Live For

Fresh out of the vault, Carey found “All I Live For” in 2020 while assembling her compilation of unreleased or obscure tracks, “The Rarities.” Fitting right in with the other, equally dated (but inferior) up-tempos that follow, Carey rightfully referred to “All I Live For” as “soooo 90s” in the “Rarities” liner notes. It’s puzzling that they left this one on the cutting room floor.

8. Now That I Know
9. I’ve Been Thinking About You

This pair of C&C Music Factory collaborations are fun and energetic, offering a hint at Carey’s soon-apparent love for House music. While Carey’s soaring vocals and C&C’s sizzling production succeed at uplifting an otherwise sleepy album, they are a bit substantively generic. For any other artist, they would be standouts, but after 30 years and 12 more albums… the bar is high for Carey.

10. Dreamlover (Def Club Mix Edit)

On 1995’s “Daydream” and 1997’s “Butterfly,” Carey included the shortened edit of one of her house mixes (“Fantasy” and “Butterfly” respectively) on the album itself. While it probably wasn’t recorded in time for the album’s release in 1993, this game-changing remix deserved to be on a Diamond-selling album.

11. Without You

Carey’s cover of Badfinger’s “Without You” has (debatably) become the definitive version, and one of her biggest hits internationally. While she certainly loves R&B and Hip-Hop, Carey has made it well-known that her knowledge of music is pretty limitless, and was choosing to cover Rock songs long after her musical liberation.

12. Everything Fades Away

On the international edition of “Music Box,” Carey’s worldwide fans were treated to “Everything Fades Away.” On Mariah’s Version, it’d be a non-negotiable, following in her oft-practiced tradition of closing an album with a deeply personal ballad. This haunting tale of a heart that’s breaking could’ve been autobiographical or could’ve been one of Carey’s many successful exercises in showcasing her literary prowess. Either way, its lyrics had more depth than the rest of “Music Box” and her first two albums. More of that would certainly follow.

**Just to Hold You Once Again
** All I’ve Ever Wanted

Something had to get cut, dahhlings! While these two songs boast some simply stunning vocals, they are by far the least interesting of the bunch… and the most adult-contemporary leaning. Never fear, “Dreamlover” would still need a b-side, and the album would still need an international bonus track, so do with that what you will. Or, there’s always the vault…

Listen to “Music Box (Mariah’s Version)”

Available on Apple Music, Spotify, and elsewhere.

The post Playlist: Music Box (Mariah’s Version) appeared first on THE 97.

Pop Princess

Mariah had worked on the album over the spring and summer of 1993, while planning her wedding to Tommy Mottola. The diva and the CEO of Sony Music married on June 5, 1993 in a lavish, star-studded ceremony in New York City and went to live in upstate New York in a multi-million dollar mansion. It seemed like Mariah’s fairytale was complete, happy ending and all.

For a “bridal” album, Music Box isn’t exactly a “happily, desperately in love” record. In fact, similarly to Mariah’s other post-marriage album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the songs are quite somber. Heavy on the ballads, Music Box‘s tracks reflect on love from a break-up standpoint or long for a love that was or could be. Only the upbeat “Now That I Know” was potentially dedicated to her then-husband.

The Music Box

Musically, the songs contain some of Mariah’s finest melodies. She paired with Walter Afanasieff for most of the album, while she worked with Dave Hall and David Cole and Robert Clivillés of C&C Music Factory for her uptempos. Mariah’s first collaboration with Babyface was also on this album.

It’s Mariah’s ear for melody that makes this album a classic. Let’s face it, if it weren’t for her, most of these songs would be dated and cheesy, but the arrangements (most importantly, the vocal arrangements) elevate them. That is why even if it’s Mariah’s most Pop/Adult Contemporary album, it holds a particular place in her catalog for her fans.

The title track was perhaps her sweetest, most gentle vocal up until to that point. Walter Afanasieff once recalled in an interview that Mariah wanted a specific keyboard sound that was inspired by George Michael’s Faith album for this track. The impeccable use of her softer register conveys the impression that she’s the ballerina spinning atop the music box, singing instead of doing ballet.

The other ballads are more bombastic, but nonetheless nuanced. “Just to Hold You Once Again” and “All I Ever Wanted” start on the low, but reach the heavens on their climax in an explosion of controlled power and resonance.

She also delivered flawless vocals on the album’s uptempo tracks. “I’ve Been Thinking About You” is a vocal bop that’s worthy of repeated plays if only for Mariah’s rich and full instrument being on display. In the same vein, “Now That I Know” sees Mariah effortlessly glide over synths and a joyful thumping beat. Then, of course, there’s the lead single.

Iconic Singles

Four singles were commercially released from the album. “Dreamlover“ led the campaign in July, with its funky beat and breezy melody. The song was built on a sample of “Blind Alley” by The Emotions with a Hammond organ that adds that sweet touch it needs. The music video, filmed in upstate New York features Mariah’s first recognisable look: the jean shorts and flannel.

David Morales also produced Mariah’s first, iconic re-sung dance remix for this song.

That summer Mariah also recorded a special concert at the Proctors Theatre that became a Thanksgiving TV special on NBC.

During the fall Columbia released “Hero” as the second single. The song was originally written for Gloria Estefan, intended for the soundtrack to the movie of the same name. Upon hearing the track, Tommy Mottola convinced her to keep it for herself and it became one of her biggest hits and signature songs. Its uplifting message of hope has resonated with fans worldwide for 25 years, making it an absolute staple in Mariah’s concert setlists. Yet another iconic image came out of the music video: Mariah looked stunning in her black gown and curls singing this song for the audience at Proctors.

The third single was a cover of Badfinger’s 1970 soft rock single “Without You,” later made popular by Harry Nilsson. Mariah has stated that the song was one of her favorites growing up and that is why she decided to record her own version. The poignance of her low register at the beginning of the song and the dramatic production make it one of her greatest performances. The cover is still today Mariah’s biggest international hit and topped the charts in many countries around the world.

The double A-side included on the “Without You” single was “Never Forget You,” written and produced by Mariah and Babyface. The nostalgic ballad has a slight R&B feel to it, even though a soft Country twang can be detected. The lyrics could be interpreted as either being about someone a lover who’s left or a dearly departed one, which allows for different interpretations.

The fourth and final single was the Gospel-infused “Anytime You Need a Friend.” The song is a Maria fan favorite for its soulful nature. The astonishing background vocals resemble a whole gospel choir, but were in reality arranged by Mariah herself and her background vocalists in the studio. The track is also famous for its two remixes: a dance one by C&C and an R&B one that both feature re-sung vocals by Mariah.

Commercial Breakthrough

There’s much to say about Music Box‘s commercial performance, but the one thing that’s worth acknowledging first and foremost is how this album gave Mariah her first break in many markets around the globe. The success of “Without You” helped the album sell an estimated 26 million copies worldwide. Music Box became, and still is today, her most successful album ever in this sense.

In the US it was certified Diamond by the RIAA for shipments of 10 million copies to retailers. “Dreamlover” and “Hero” were both #1 hits at Top 40 radio and on the Billboard Hot 100 (8 and 4 weeks respectively), “Without You” also reached #3 in early 1994 and continued her streak of consecutive top 5 singles. “Dreamlover” still holds the record for the highest debut at Pop radio (#12).

Elusive Bonuses

Even though they’re not included on the album, we cannot refrain from talking about the two B-sides that came from the Music Box sessions. The first is “Do You Think of Me,” a sultry R&B ballad included on the “Dreamlover” single, where Mariah wonders about a lover’s most secret thoughts. Its sound is probably the reason why it was excluded from the original tracklist as it would feel out of place.

The other is the “Hero” B-side, and international bonus track, “Everything Fades Away.” There’s been speculation about its exclusion because it definitely fits the sound of the album. However, the lyrics are a bit too dark for a newlywed and the vocals more subtle than the rest of the songs. It is plausible that Columbia wanted to steer Mariah towards bombastic balladeer territory, so this track would work against this image.

Our Beloved Hero

Mariah’s fans certainly cherish this album for what it meant to her career. “Hero” is the perfect example of why Mariah has always been able to reach a broad audience and touch people’s hearts. She is the hero to so many of us fans because her voice, her lyrics and melodies are the soundtrack to our lives. We are forever grateful to her for all she’s given to us and we anticipate what’s next with trepidation.

Happy Anniversary!

Stream the Music Box album on Spotify:

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The lead single from her 3rd studio album, “Music Box,” premiered in July 1993. “Dreamlover” was co-written and co-produced with Dave Hall, a young producer from New York who made a name for himself for collaborating with Mary J. Blige on her acclaimed debut album What’s the 411?

In an interview with Billboard’s Fred Bronson, Carey explained that she wanted to “Do something that had a happy feeling, something that was more open and released.” The two of them decided to use a looped sample of The Emotions’ “Blind Alley” atop which Carey created the melody. The song came together very quickly: according to Dave Hall, they had the hook, melody, and instrumental completed in one night. Carey then started to write the lyrics.

When label head Tommy Mottola heard the original “Dreamlover,” he felt something was missing and decided to bring Carey’s frequent collaborator Walter Afanasieff in to tweak the instrumental. Afanasieff is credited as a co-producer on the song and he is responsible for smoothing out the drums and the addition of the Hammond B-3 organ in the instrumental.

“Dreamlover” started the trend for Carey’s lead singles to include samples and it’s a prime example of her balancing her Pop and R&B sensibilities effortlessly. The song was, in fact, seen as a return to the radio-friendly sound that characterized her debut record, but it still retained hints of the old-school influences Carey displayed on the Emotions album, thanks to the sample it incorporates.

Upon its release, “Dreamlover” was met with critical and commercial success, becoming Carey’s most successful single at that point. It debuted at #12 on CHR/Top 40 radio, a record she held on her own for 21 years until it was matched by Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” in 2014. It went on to top the Mainstream Top 40 chart (Carey’s 9th consecutive #1 single) and the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks. The CD single was certified Platinum by the RIAA, the first of her singles to ship 1 million copies to retailers. The song was nominated for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” at the 1994 Grammy Awards as well.

The music video was directed by Diane Martel and filmed in upstate New York. It features Carey having fun swimming with her dog Jack (who made his debut cameo in this video), boarding a hot air balloon, and dancing around in a field. The carefree nature of the visuals matches the vibe of the song perfectly. As Carey sings and fantasizes about her dream lover, she is seen being happy and relaxed in a dreamy atmosphere.

“Dreamlover” was also the first single of Carey’s to be remixed by David Morales. The 10-minute-long house remix, “Def Club Mix” features new and powerful vocals over a thumping house beat. Carey had incorporated new vocals for the intro of the “Emotions” remixes, but this time she gave the remix a second life by re-doing the whole vocal track. This was also the beginning of a trend Carey would later extend to her Urban remixes as well and a tradition that she still likes to revamp occasionally. The remix version became her 3rd #1 hit on the Billboard Dance charts.

The “Dreamlover” CD single also included the smooth and sultry “Do You Think of Me” as a B-side. Carey wrote and produced this R&B-leaning song alongside Walter Afanasieff, Cory Rooney, and Mark Morales. This elusive track became a favorite among fans, who clamored for it to be added to streaming services. Carey finally obliged, adding it to her 2020 The Rarities album.

“Dreamlover” continues to be one of Carey’s most appreciated songs for its lighthearted and upbeat nature and its catchiness. It has been a staple in her concert setlist ever since the Music Box Tour in 1993. On The Adventures of Mimi Tour in 2006, Carey performed a new version of the song that incorporates elements of Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit” (the song Biggie sampled for the classic “Juicy”) into the original instrumental to a largely positive response from the fans.

“Dreamlover” occupies a profound place in Carey’s vast catalog for being a great representation of her legacy as a singer and a songwriter. It marked a creative turning point, laying the groundwork for the pioneering progress she would make with remixing and incorporating House and Hip-Hop into her music during the years that followed. For these reasons, and the song’s overall endearing quality, it has held a special place in the hearts of her fans around the world for decades.

Listen to Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” EP, buy the single, or album “Music Box”

The post No Pretender: Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” Proved Her Passion for Hip-Hop and House appeared first on THE 97.