Summertime is for sun, sand, and a So So Def remix. In the 90s, Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri never failed to deliver on the latter, and the “My All/Stay Awhile” remix, is no exception. A sexy summery mash-up of Mariah’s 13th #1 and the R&B classic “Stay a Little While, Child,” the track features Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, a then up-and-coming rap duo from the Bronx, as Carey effortlessly glides between verses from both songs atop the Loose Ends sampled beat. While Carey’s now-classic Latin-inspired ballad was already steamy, this club-ready mix really made it swelter.

Watch the “My All/Stay Awhile” video, stream it, or buy Mariah’s “Butterfly” or “The Remixes” album.

The post 97 Words: “My All/Stay Awhile” by Mariah Carey appeared first on THE 97.

Allow us to consider the content on Butterfly for a moment before delving specifically into “Fourth of July.” For an album from a woman on the brink of divorce, there is not much about heartbreak on Butterfly. The title track is about letting go of someone you know isn’t right, “Breakdown” is about the depression and pain that comes with realizing someone does not love you anymore, and “The Beautiful Ones” is a Prince cover about being hurt. But she didn’t write that, and for Mariah, that’s important. Obviously she chose it for a reason, but it’s not her words.

The majority of the album is about longing for something, or rather, someone… more. “Honey,” “My All,” “The Roof,” “Babydoll,” “Whenever You Call” and “Fourth of July” are all about being in love (or lust) and longing for affection from that someone. With “Fourth of July,” one has to wonder why she chose the theme of America’s Independence Day.

The simple answer could be rather non-eventful: maybe it is a true story that coincidentally happened on the Fourth of July. However, being familiar with Mariah as an artist, as a songwriter, one might see it another way. It is very likely that she chose it as a metaphor for her own freedom. That’s what the album, and its era, was about. The song has frequently been lauded for its beautiful, descriptive writing – abundant with imagery and advanced vocabulary – but perhaps there is more to it.

“Fourth of July” is about a moment of freedom; of independence; of escape. On the first chorus, she sings:

Then you put your hand in mine,
And we wandered away.
I was trembling inside,
But I wanted to stay.
Pressed against you there and leave the world behind
On that Fourth of July.

Wandering away, trembling, and leaving the world behind. The world she was in was confining; stifling. She was trembling out of fear because she knew what she was doing was wrong, she knew that she was potentially being monitored, she was afraid of breaking away. But she went anyway, because it was Independence Day.

On the second chorus, the lyrics change, and so do her feelings:

Then you put your hand in mine,
And we floated away.
Delicately lay entwined,
In an intimate daze.
A crescent moon began to shine,
And I wanted to stay.
Tangled up with you among the fireflies,
On that Fourth of July.

The wandering changes to floating; wandering implies nervousness or being lost, while floating implies being carefree and happy. She adds a couplet about being “entwined, in an intimate daze,” to show how them being cuddled together felt right, inseparable even, and dreamlike. Next, she is no longer trembling inside and there is no “but,” she simply wants to stay. No longer was she simply “pressed against” him, she was “tangled up” in the mess she has made for herself. Yet, she wants to stay.

On the bridge she sings of “ominously hovering” clouds before a storm that threatened their experience. Literally, it is wonderful imagery… but figuratively, it could be her realization that the moment of independence and happiness she was experiencing could not last. In the final chorus, the mood changes again:

Then you put your hand in mine,
And we ran from the rain.
Tentatively kissed goodnight,
And went our separate ways.
And I’ve never truly felt the way that I
Felt that Fourth of July.
Truly I have never felt the same inside,
Like that Fourth of July.
Truly I could never feel the same as I
Felt that Fourth of July.

As they “tentatively” kiss goodbye before going their “separate ways,” it indicates interest in seeing in each other again, but the next few lines seem to indicate that that won’t be a reality. First, she admits she had never felt that way before. Then, she comes to the sad realization that may never get the chance to feel that way again.

Just as America’s “Declaration of Independence” was a statement resulting from a series of influential events and ignited a war for freedom… Mariah Carey’s “Fourth of July” was her own declaration of sorts. She detailed a moment when she truly experienced independence and freedom, while quietly beginning the battle to truly reclaim it. Perhaps, for her, the realization she had on the night described in “Fourth of July,” like America’s own Fourth of July, was the first step in her quest for independence.

The post A Declaration of Independence: Mariah Carey’s “Fourth of July” appeared first on THE 97.

In September 1997, Mariah Carey released Butterfly, her self-described favorite and best album. Among her adoring fans, the #Lambily, it is widely considered the fan-favorite and best album as well, though some do differ in opinion. Still, Butterfly remains a sorely underrated classic in the grander scheme of things. You won’t find Butterfly on most “best albums of all time” lists by music’s most revered and respected publications. Butterfly was not lauded by critics, nor was it showered with Grammy’s. Sure, it received good reviews and praise, but the album is not anywhere near as respected as it should be among other albums by pop stars. It is an injustice.

Butterfly is music’s most underrated album because of this lack of respect. The album contains quite possibly the most poetically beautiful lyrics of any album released by her peers, with vocals equal or arguably better than anyone with the pipes to rival her. Musically, the production is flawless, the sound is subtly innovative, and boasts some groundbreaking collaborations both behind the scenes and with its guest features. The content of the album makes it one of the most personal and honest albums ever recorded. It is by far Mariah’s best work, and Mariah is by far the most successful and talented female singer-songwriter-producer. That alone should catapult Butterfly to the Top 5 or at least Top 10 of every “best albums” list. Below, I’ve outlined 20 reasons why Mariah Carey’s Butterfly music’s most underrated album.

1. The unrivaled introspectiveness

Butterfly is by far Mariah Carey’s most personal album. Free from the control of her looming ex-husband, Mariah was finally able to make an album where she could be 100% true to herself. On Butterfly, she examined her life experiences, both past and present, in songs that sound as though they’re pages from her diary; “Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” “Outside” and the title track, for example.

2. The unabashed honesty

With introspection comes honesty, and on Butterfly, Mariah did not hold back. “Breakdown” is probably one of the most honest songs ever recorded about heartbreak. “My All” and “Babydoll” are painfully frank representations of the word “longing,” while “Outside” and “Close My Eyes” don’t hold back in assessing the adversities in her past.

3. The gut-wrenching emotion

Introspection and honesty are the perfect recipe for a gut-wrenching emotional response. Through both her words and her vocals, Mariah delivers some of the most emotional moments of her career. The ad-libs during the heartbreaking climax “Breakdown,” or the powerful promises of “Whenever You Call” will tug on your heart strings for sure.

4. The meaningful metaphor

As an album title, Butterfly is a metaphor for Mariah’s breaking out of the cocoon to be her true self. However, the masterful use of metaphor doesn’t cease there. Throughout the albums lyrics, she weaves in complex, thought-provoking metaphors. The title track creates an allegory through its use of extended metaphor. Within that, she includes a poignant metaphor, singing “wild horses run unbridled or their spirit dies.” Then of course, there’s the lead single “Honey,” which some believe is a metaphor for something very naughty…

5. The timeless nostalgia

Several tracks on Butterfly have a genuine, nostalgic air that made them feel timeless upon their release in 1997. “Fourth of July” and “The Roof” find Mariah recanting past experiences, longing for a replay. No one else delivers a nostalgic moment quite like Mariah. Alas, over the last 20 years, all of the album’s twelve tracks have become irreplaceable pieces of 90s nostalgia.

6. The subtle sensuality

Never before had a Mariah Carey album been so sensual, yet, Butterfly is still subtle in its sensuality. The sexual innuendo “Honey” is cleverly hidden by wordplay, while songs like “My All,” “Babydoll,” and “The Roof” express a sensual yearning for love and affection in a very intimate way. Never raunchy, Butterfly is a beautiful soundtrack for love-making on a romantic evening.

7. The Mariah Carey vocals

It wouldn’t be a Mariah Carey album without the Mariah Carey vocals. Yes, “Mariah Carey” is an adjective; a very specific one. Her versatile vocal abilities are unparalleled. Not only are her technical abilities on display on this album, but perhaps more significant are the many colors and textures of her voice that she showcases on Butterfly. They’re all unmistakably Mariah Carey yet so diverse in delivery. Mariah creates moods and provides outer-body experiences with those vocals. She will send you straight to your feels with the way she delivers a particular lyric. She takes songs to places only she can for their climaxes. On Butterfly, the most notable examples of this are the bridges of “Outside” and its title track. Her voice soars and will leave you on the floor.

8. The iconic visuals

Without question, Butterfly was Mariah Carey’s visual peak. From the album cover, to the full photoshoot, to her hair and ensemble style choices, and most importantly, the music videos… everything was on point. The free-flowing, golden brown, caramel drizzled hair and the controversial skin-bearing ensembles forever changed the image of Mariah Carey. Buttefly‘s videos were innovative, creative, artistic and thought provoking. Whether it be “Honey” where art seemed to imitate life, the theatrical “Butterfly,” or the painting-come-to-life “My All,” with Butterfly MC delivered visually.

9. The relatable themes

Mariah covers a lot of ground on Butterfly. Running through the album’s 12 tracks, in one word each: Infatuation, growth, yearning, reminiscing, young love, unrequited love, lust, adversity, devotion, liberation, heartbreak, and otherness. All of these are easily relatable, making Butterfly not only a fan-favorite, but a classic.

10. The superb samples

Being the hip-hop artist that she is, Mariah is a big fan of the sample. A lot of music we listen to has an element of sampling within it. From Tupac and Eminem to One Direction, inspiration has been taken from previous artists to create something new. With the use of vocal packs, it is becoming even more possible to sample vocals for an artists’ new track. On Butterfly, only two tracks utilize a sample, but both are superbly done. On “Honey,” she utilized two classic hip-hop samples, The World Famous Supreme Team’s “Hey DJ” and The Treacherous Three’s “The Body Rock.” Meanwhile, on “The Roof,” she sampled a then-recent hit by Mobb Deep, “Shook Ones Part 1.” The way she flipped these samples into completely different new songs while still keeping that hip-hop realness is unreal.

11. The incorporation of Hip-Hop

With the samples, Mariah effortlessly incorporated hip-hop elements into her music on Butterfly; more than ever before. In contrast 1995’s Daydream found most of her hip-hop influences regulated to the remix versions of songs. With Butterfly, she had a bit more freedom. Not only were there the samples, but Mariah even enlisted Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to guest on “Breakdown,” their first collaboration with a singer of Mariah’s stature. It was a big deal for both artists.

12. The inventive Prince cover

Mariah flipped Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones” from an energized rock-and-roll tinged electric ballad into a slower, more subdued yet equally emotional ballad. Not only that, but she turned Prince’s classic from a solo number into a duet with R&B group Dru Hill. Once again, Mariah found herself trading lines and holding her own vocally, alongside an entire group, cascading through her range effortlessly.

13. The thesaurus-opening vocabulary

While listening to Butterfly, you might need to pull out your thesaurus because Mariah Carey’s vocabulary is college level. The album’s twelve tracks are littered with SAT words that’ll leave you with an improved vocabulary by the time you’re done. Unlike most, she actually knows how to use the words properly, too. Here’s a sample of some of those words:

blatant, elusive, abruptly, unbridled, ambiguous, emblazoned, envision, apprehension, splendor, flourish, succumb, resounding, fervid, strewn, entwined, ominously, tentatively, unyielding, nonchalant, guise, wayward, dissipate, inherently.

14. The masterful poetic writing

Part of being a poet is using beautiful language in your writing, and her vocabulary skills alone prove that. However, throughout the album’s lyrics she also uses an array of poetic devices and figurative language that enhance the songs both lyrically and musically. The beautiful lyrics to a song like “Close My Eyes,” on which she sings, “orangey clouds roll by, they burn into your image and you’re still alive,” show not only her rhyme-making skills, but just how beautiful she makes language sound.

15. The style-making rap-singing

In the late 90s, as R&B and Hip-Hop became more and more mainstream in Pop music, singers began displaying a bit of a hip-hop, rap-style singing. Most would credit this trend to the rappers, however, Mariah Carey was one of the first release such rhythmic, rhyme-riddled recordings. The chorus of “Breakdown” is one of the best examples of this. Nearly every other word rhymes, and she emulates Bone Thugs’ signature flow effortlessly.

16. The innovative remixes

Mariah has a penchant for remixes, and the Butterfly era delivered some of her best. The lead single “Honey” had a So So Def remix featuring Da Brat as well as a re-recorded dance mix. For the hip-hop remix of “Honey,” she sampled a different part of the same “Hey DJ” song used in the original to create a whole new track. The club mix, on the other hand, is a vocal tour de force. The title track too had a re-recorded dance mix that really stands alone as its own song. “My All,” like “Honey,” had a So So Def remix and a dance mix. Its hip-hop remix was the first of many to come mash-up remixes by Mariah, where she samples and covers portions of an old song and mixes it with her new song that she is remixing. Meanwhile, “The Roof” was remixed featuring Mobb Deep, and “Breakdown” had a “Mo’ Thugs” version as well.

17. The ingenious adlibs

Certainly, its easy to rave about Mariah’s ad-libs from a vocal standpoint. However, equally impressive is the way she will riff and add new lyrics to a song that were clearly freestyled in the vocal booth. For example, on “Babydoll,” amidst layers of backgrounds at the end, she sings, “still laying up in bed, it’s 3:27, my body’s longing, so why ain’t you calling?” Not only does it flow and rhyme, but continues to add to the theme. Usually, an artist will just repeat the lyrics, sung differently – not Mariah.

18. The captivating storytelling

The nostalgic pair of “The Roof” and “Fourth of July” are amazing examples of Mariah’s profoundly captivating storytelling skills. She details these elaborate memories with vivid details and imagery, that it’s almost like listening to a short story. One could probably take either of these songs and work them into a full stage production for Broadway. That’s how well done they are. She gives you characters, a plot and imagery to bring these sensual, nostalgic stories to life.

19. The poignant outsider’s anthem

“Outside” deserves its own mention because, for Mariah’s biracial, LGBTQ or any fans who feel like the “other,” it is an anthem. The powerful song offers solace for anyone who felt similarly to Mariah growing up, and is the reason for the beautiful bond she has with her fans.

20. The lingering, liberating impact

Butterfly forever changed Mariah’s career and sound due to her newfound freedom. It also helped to change the sound and landscape of R&B and Pop, inspiring other Pop/R&B female artists to work with hip-hop artists. Not only that, but it opened the door for Pop artists, particularly females, to be a bit more introspective in their work.

Want more? Here are 10 more articles we’ve penned about Butterfly over the years:

“Butterfly,” the song, and the album overall:
Butterfly, Fly Away: Mariah Carey’s first emancipation

The debut of “Honey”
Breaking Out of the Cocoon: A look back at the debut of Mariah Carey’s “Honey”

The “Honey” remixes:
The Many Forms of Metamorphosis: A review of Mariah Carey’s “Honey” remixes

The “Honey” and “Butterfly” videos:
Emancipating Visuals: Mariah breaks free with “Butterfly” and “Honey”

“Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” and “Outside”:
The Butterfly Effect: Mariah discovers The Art of Letting Go

“The Roof,” “My All,” and “Fourth of July”:
Reliving the Splendor: Mariah’s nostalgic storytelling on Butterfly

The “My All” and “The Roof” videos:
Liberating Venus: Mariah’s sensuality awakens with “My All” and “The Roof”

“My All,” as a #1:
“I’m thinking of”… Mariah Carey’s 13th #1: “My All”

“Babydoll,” “Whenever You Call” and “The Beautiful Ones”:
I Wanna Be Your Babydoll: The longings of a Butterfly

The Lyrics = The Feels
18 lyrics from Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ that’ll put you in your feelings

The post Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ is Music’s Most Underrated Album appeared first on THE 97.

So, back in April, two days after Lemonade dropped, I wrote a tweet comparing the iconic sixth albums of Mariah, Janet and Beyoncé — Butterfly, The Velvet Rope, and Lemonade. Since then, the comparisons and likeness between those three albums both thematically and within my own life have been running through my mind. One result of that is the brainchild that I happily present to you today, which of course could not have come to fruition without the help of rising indie singer-songwriter, AlanMichael.

Not long after I sent that tweet, Alan and I had a chat about producing a mash-up that combined a song from each of those albums into one, original cover containing elements of each of the three different songs. After deliberating which songs would work best together, we finally settled on Beyoncé’s “Pray You Catch Me” — but you’ll have to listen to the cover to hear the Mariah and Janet choices. Our original plan was to find a singer to sing it… and some weeks (err– two months) went by before anything happened. Last week, Alan surprised me with a demo of the mash-up. He perfected it over the course of the week and finally we are ready to share it with you all:

“Pray You Catch Me (The 1997 Mix)”

I hope that AlanMichael’s cover makes you want to hear more from him, because he is a great artist with an immense amount of talent. He recently released an awesome EP, Honeymoon Motel, via soundcloud – and if you liked his mash-up, you should definitely check out. So that you can learn more about AlanMichael, his EP, and the creative process that went into both that and his cover, I interviewed him for y’all!

Vincent: So for our readers who’ve only listened to our mash-up, describe yourself and your sound in one sentence. Go!

AlanMichael: I can do you one better and use one word: ambitious.

True, indeed, after taking on the challenge I gave you… but more on that later. First – Your EP. Naturally, it’s short, but still manages to have a pretty tight, closely-knit concept. Is that something that is important for you as an artist, to create conceptual works?

Yes and no. I’ve always been a fan of concept albums, so I wanted to try my hand at it. Overall, though, it all just depends on what I’m inspired by at the time or how I’m feeling with the music that I may be recording at the time. The concept for Honeymoon Motel actually happened subconsciously. It wasn’t until after I wrote and recorded each song that I realized it was a bit conceptual. The first song I recorded for the EP was “Paradise”, which was completely freestyled. This actually isn’t my first concept project though. Earlier this year, I gave away a little mini mixtape I originally made for my girlfriend called A.M. Mixtape, which told the story of the very beginning of our relationship. Honeymoon Motel, is kind of the next phase of that. Its the “Honeymoon” phase I guess.

It’s clear that a number of different sounds and inspirations went into the creation of your EP musically – can you tell us about what those were? Was it a conscious effort or something organic?

Each song, except for “Midnight” was produced by a guy named Matt ‘Nastyjazz” Mathie. I was on soundcloud and came across his music and he had the instrumentals up. I sent him a message asking him if I could use them and he was cool with it. He was very pleased and surprised by how it turned out.

Lyrically, there is a lot of storytelling going on here, and it seems like it all comes from a personal place. Is that important to you, to tell personal stories in your music?

YES! I absolutely love storytelling within songs. With this EP, each song is definitely from a very personal place. I usually tend to write songs with double meaning, so you’re getting a story, but if you listen closely there’s something much deeper in there. For instance, “RM. 15” on the surface, sounds like the song is about having wild sex in a hotel room, when its really about the beauty of getting to know and exploring someone mentally; listening to their deepest thoughts and wanting to know their secrets and dreams.

Do you have a favorite song on the EP?

Lyrically, I would have to say that my favorite is “Morning Sex & Macarons”. I love that song for various reasons. It’s not your typical format for a song. Its an intro, one long verse, and then the hook. Its one of theist songs I’ve written so far.

The French, or American (coconut) kind? We must know…

The French kind.

Good answer! Another obvious talking point from your EP (for us) — the “Midnight” interlude is actually a cover of Janet’s “That’s the Way Love Goes”? Why did you choose that song for the interlude, and why title it “Midnight”? Was it a nod to Janet’s “Morning” interlude that precedes the song on her janet. album?

I knew you would pick up on that! Absolutely! Anyone that knows me, knows that I am one of the biggest Janet Jackson fans ever. Her janet. album was a big influence on this EP. I almost went with “Go Deep” from her Velvet Rope album, but something just felt right about “That’s The Way Love Goes”. The janet. album is such a sexy record, and it just fit. I tweeted it to Jimmy Jam and he favorited it nearly causing me to pass out. I hope he liked what heard. Just the thought of Janet hearing it makes me nervous.

I’m sure she’ll love it. So, ultimately, what do you hope the takeaway will be from your EP, for listeners? Is it a preview of what’s next? What is next for you?

I just want people to enjoy it honestly. It’s just a little something for the summer time. I’m actually planning on doing a few shows. I can’t wait to perform these songs! I’ve been in rehearsals with my band and its sounding so damn good. The EP live is gonna be a completely different vibe. It will still have the same elements and feel, but amplified. I’m also working on new music. I don’t like to stick with one sound so it will be different from Honeymoon Motel. More uptempo. We’re gonna dance with the new stuff.

Can you tell us more about the new sound? Any collaborators in mind?

I have one collaboration in the works but I can’t say who just yet. I’m playing around with different sounds but it’s gonna feel good I can tell you that.

I can’t wait! So, when I approached you with the idea of this mash-up and once we settled upon which songs would be used in it, how did you go about melding these three songs together? What was the hardest part? What was the easiest part?

I wanted to keep the instrumentation simple and not to over powering so I could focus more so on the melody. I really wanted to have a good base for it, so I figured I would use “Pray You Catch Me” as the foundation. The way it goes into the second verse fit so effortlessly with Janet’s “I Get Lonely”. It took me a minute to figure out how to fit Mariah’s “Breakdown” in there, but once I did, it worked.

What would you say to any member of the Beyhive, Lambily or JanFam that listens to your mash-up? How would you persuade them to listen to your music and hopefully become a fan of yours?

All three of those groups don’t play when it comes to their faves. At all. I just want them to enjoy the mash-up for what it is. A lot of people like to pick apart things instead of enjoying music for what it is. So yeah, enjoy it and if you like what you hear, then please feel free to listen to Honeymoon Motel! You won’t be disappointed.

Finally — and, I’ll leave this entirely up to you and not feed you anything to jog your memory — but when you think of 1997 in music, what songs, albums, or artists come to mind as being the most essential?

I was 7 in 1997. To me, that was just it for music. I remember still playing TLC’s CrazySexyCool album… a group of girls performed Destiny’s Child’s “No, No, No” at the talent show during summer camp and that’s when I became a fan. My mom would blast Brandy every morning with the sunroof down on her red Nissan. I would instantly dance to Michael Jackson. I was introduced to Missy, Aaliyah, Timbaland, and the Bad Boy family. I got in trouble for playing a Lil’ Kim song. It was also right on the cusp of the big pop outbreak with Britney, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys….so it was cool to see all of the unfold and really set the mold for most artists today.

It was definitely a great time for music indeed. Thanks, Alan, for the awesome mash-up! We hope our readers take a listen to your EP and whatever else is to come! Head over to ItsAlanMichael.com for more information, and follow him on Twitter.

The post Spotlight: “Pray You Catch Me (The 1997 Mix)” by AlanMichael appeared first on THE 97.

1. “Honey, I can’t describe… how good it feels inside,” from “Honey”

On the surface, this line could be interpreted as Mariah feeling so much glee inside when she’s with her beau, but I think we all know the true, double entendré Mariah intended here. It’ll certainly leave you feeling a different sort of h-word-and-bothered. Oop!

2. “I truly feel your heart will lead you back to me when you’re ready to land,” from “Butterfly”

This heartbreaking moment of hopeful letting go epitomizes the feeling of being in love when it just isn’t mutual.

3. “I’m thinking of you… in my sleepless solitude tonight,” from “My All”

If you weren’t already feeling lonely, abandoned and perhaps sexually frustrated, well… here comes Mariah to really make it sink in on “My All.”

4. “I only wanted you to taste my sadness as you kissed me in the dark,” from “The Roof”

Surely, this lyric will spark up feelings of sadness, lust and nostalgia for a love long lost. The metaphor of tasting sadness is a damn powerful one.

5. “Then you put your hand in mine, and we wandered away; I was trembling inside, but I wanted to stay,” from “Fourth of July”

Recalling intimate moments from an innocent and seemingly youthful romance, Mariah instills the feeling of that new-love-butterflies with this lyric.

6. “You called yesterday to basically say that you care for me but that you’re just not in love,” from “Breakdown”

A self-explanatorily heartbreaking, send-you-right-through-it lyric to open up one of the most honest and saddest songs ever written. This list could’ve been made up entirely of lyrics from “Breakdown.”

7. “Zoning out thinking about you and me between the sheets, I wanna get intimate but you’re not within my reach” from “Babydoll”

For sure, this song and some wine will have you picking up your phone and making a not-so-innocent phone call or text that you’ll probably regret the next day. Or not

8. “I left the worst unsaid, let it all dissipate, and I try to forget,” from “Close My Eyes”

We all have “skeletons” in our closets, and bad experiences we try to bury, and forget. Hearing Mariah deal with the effects of hers so openly, your mind is bound to wander and think of your own issues, too. Feels.

9. “Love, wandered inside; Stronger than you, stronger than I; And now, that it has begun, we cannot turn back, we can only turn into one,” from “Whenever You Call”

For everyone who’s happily in love with their soulmate and things of that gooey, romantic nature, this one is for you. Wonderful, weepy wedding song material. For the single ladies, this is another one that will have you in your feels because you feel #foreveralone.

10. “Always somewhat out of place everywhere; ambiguous, without a sense of belonging to touch,” from “Outside”

Anyone who has ever felt like an “outsider” for any reason will connect with this line, and the song overall.

11. “I can’t pretend these tears aren’t overflowing steadily; I can’t prevent this hurt from almost overtaking me,” from “Butterfly”

Here, she perfectly describes the pain one feels when you have to let go of someone you love, who just doesn’t love you back. You can hear the pain in her voice and it’ll break your heart all over again.

12. “Baby can you feel me? Imagining I’m looking in your eyes; I can see you clearly, vividly emblazoned in my mind,” from “My All”

This line drips with passionate lust and longing, sure to enhance any momentary feelings of desire.

13. “Every time I feel the need I envision you caressing me, and go back in time…” from “The Roof”

Yet another moment of lustful longing, Mariah will make you think about that damn ex lover you thought you forgot. #InYourFeelings

14. “Delicately lay entwined, in an intimate daze,” from “Fourth of July”

If this lyric doesn’t make you want to cuddle and gaze at bae, I don’t know what will.

15. “How do I feel?! What do you mean, you’ve gotta know I’m suffering,” from “Breakdown”

The delivery here is equally crucial to what she actually says: this ad-lib from “Breakdown” perfectly exudes her feeling of suffering in light of recent rejection.

16. “Do you care for me, beyond idolization?” from “Babydoll”

This lyric is a bit more Mariah-specific than most, but she is questioning if her love interest really cares for her, or just idolizes her – perhaps for her celebrity, or maybe just her beauty.

17. “Still I feel like a child as I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon,” from “Close My Eyes”

For anyone whose childhood was cut short due to unfortunate circumstances, this line certainly hits home.

18. “Standing alone, blind and unguided, into a world divided, you’re thrown, where you’re never quite the same,” from “Outside”

This lyric has certainly struck a cord through the years for many of Mariah’s fans; specifically those of mixed race, and her allegiance of gay fans.

The post 18 lyrics from Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ that’ll put you in your feelings appeared first on THE 97.

In the meantime, we’ll be doing a contest, giving away one copy of Butterfly to a random winner. We imagine that if you’re voting in the contest, you own the album, and encourage you to win a copy to give to someone who has never heard Butterfly before. It makes a great gift! Fill out the form below to enter. Unfortunately, we can only ship within the United States, but please feel free to vote, still. The deadline for the contest is Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015.

1. “Butterfly,” the song, and the album overall:
   Butterfly, Fly Away: Mariah Carey’s first emancipation
2. The debut of “Honey”:
   Breaking Out of the Cocoon: A look back at the debut of Mariah Carey’s “Honey”
3. The “Honey” remixes:
   The Many Forms of Metamorphosis: A review of Mariah Carey’s “Honey” remixes
4. The “Honey” and “Butterfly” videos:
   Emancipating Visuals: Mariah breaks free with “Butterfly” and “Honey”
5. “Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” and “Outside”:
   The Butterfly Effect: Mariah discovers The Art of Letting Go
6. “The Roof,” “My All,” and “Fourth of July”:
   Reliving the Splendor: Mariah’s nostalgic storytelling on Butterfly
7. The “My All” and “The Roof” videos:
   Liberating Venus: Mariah’s sensuality awakens with “My All” and “The Roof”
8. “My All,” as a #1:
   “I’m thinking of”… Mariah Carey’s 13th #1: “My All”
9. “Babydoll,” “Whenever You Call” and “The Beautiful Ones”:
   I Wanna Be Your Babydoll: The longings of a Butterfly

The post Today, celebrate the 18th Anniversary of Mariah Carey’s ‘Butterfly’ album! appeared first on THE 97.

Despite alienating some of her loyal fans with this move, “Honey” was still a hit single. It debuted at #1 on the Hot 100, giving Mariah the distinction of being the only artist to achieve this feat with more than one single (it was her 3rd time) and continued her streak of Platinum-certified singles for sales of 1 million copies.

As part of our retrospective series on the iconic Butterfly album last year, we’ve already discussed “Honey” in depth in its various aspects: the revamping of Mariah’s musical identity, the symbolic value of the music video and the metamorphosis the original track went through with its remixes.

It’d be redundant for us to propose the same lecture over and over, so we’ll just invite you to check those pieces out to reminisce and celebrate this pivotal moment in Mariah Carey’s career with us in light of the 25th Anniversary of her legendary career.

The post Mariah Carey was always longing for another taste of #1, “Honey!” appeared first on THE 97.

Walter Afanasieff and Mariah created some of her greatest songs, and “My All” marked one of their final collaborations. Due to Carey’s separation from then-husband Tommy Mottola, Afanasieff was stuck in the middle and ended up leaning towards Mottola after the divorce, ending their more than half-decade musical partnership.

The ballad was written at Carey’s upstate New York mansion and recorded both in New York and at Afansieff’s San Francisco studio. He credits a steel acoustic guitar sound on a new keyboard, the Trinity, with helping to spark the creative process for the song. According to Carey:

I had gone to Puerto Rico and was influenced by Latin music at that moment. When I came back, the melody was in my head. It was at a melancholy point in my life and the song reflects the yearning that was going on in me. It was like being in a situation but you want to break free and you can’t, so you’re confined yet you’re releasing those emotions through the lyrics and the actual act of singing. That’s why I think a lot of people felt very strongly about that song, because the emotion is clear when you listen to it.

She sings passionately and longingly of a lost love for which she’d give anything and everything to spend another night with. Structurally, the song was compared to something Toni Braxton might sing at the time, most notably “Unbreak My Heart,” and was declared by Entertainment Weekly “the best Babyface track Babyface never produced.”

The music video was appropriately shot in Puerto Rico. Completely black and white, it was one of the few music videos directed by late famed photographer Herb Ritts (also responsible for Mark Wahlberg’s Calvin Klein campaign and Janet Jackson’s “Love Will Never Do Without You” video). The video caters to Ritts’ love of both black and white and Greek imagery, at times recalling the Botticelli painting The Birth Of Venus. Throughout the video, Mariah sings across a body of water to a lighthouse, which is revealed to be the dwelling of the man she is singing to. Flashbacks show their night of passion in the lighthouse while her pleas become more full-voiced and soulful throughout the song.

“My All” is an example of a classic Mariah song that was then reworked to appeal to her ever-growing range of fans with various spectrums of musical interests. Once the track was released as the 3rd single from Butterfly in the US in the spring of 1998, she went back into the studio to re-record her vocals and craft dance remixes with David Morales, a Hip-Hop remix with Jermaine Dupri, and even a Spanish version of the song, “Mi Todo.” There were also additional remixes that compliment the Spanish feel of the song created by Full Crew, but they were limited to a release outside the US and do not feature any new vocals.

The Morales remixes put Mariah right into the clubs, where she was already established as a queen of the dance floor with her previous dance remixes. The “Def Club Mix” is more house oriented with the synths, while the “‘My’ Mix” is more club oriented with a harder hitting beat and percussion, and also shares many elements with the “Classic Club Mix”. The music video was re-edited to accompany some of the dance remixes, but the only one that is still accessible is the ETV Bonus Mix.

Jermaine Dupri’s Hip-Hop remix, known as “My All/Stay Awhile” features Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz and incorporates Loose Ends’ “Stay A Little While, Child.” It is the first of many remixes Mariah would create by incorporating and interpolating another song into the lyrics and theme of the song (“Thank God I Found You”, “I Still Believe” and “Heartbreaker” all followed in this trend). A new music video was shot to accompany the remix, and directed by frequent Carey director Diane Martel. It features Carey and all affiliated with the remix at a house party, using a grainy effect to create the impression that it’s a home movie.

Over the years “My All” has become a mainstay in Carey’s repertoire. Aside from the barrage of live performances that helped promote the song (including Saturday Night Live, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Pavarotti & Friends, The Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Top of The Pops, and VH1 Divas Live [see bottom]) she has performed it during every tour she has embarked on since it’s release. Even last year (2014), she delivered a show stopping rendition in Manila during The Elusive Chanteuse Show Tour.

On a personal note, “My All” holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first Mariah song I heard with a cognizant understanding that it was Mariah Carey. VH1 Divas Live was one of the first CDs I owned, and the performances Mariah put forth on that album sparked my interest in her 17 years ago. I was also very surprised when I finally heard the studio version years later and the pulsing percussion was nowhere to be found.

The post “I’m thinking of”… Mariah Carey’s 13th #1: “My All” appeared first on THE 97.

Our month long tribute to Mariah Carey’s Butterfly ends with this week’s reflection on three of the album’s most emotional tracks: “Breakdown,” “Close My Eyes,” and “Outside”. These songs, along with the title track, are the most personal and introspective on the album. Like Janet did with The Velvet Rope, Mariah let the public into her innermost feelings like never before via the lyrics to these songs. And, on all three, she deals with the concept of “letting go,” which is a constant in her catalogue. However, aside from 1995’s “Looking In,” never before had Mariah written songs so intensely personal.

First, there is the heartbreaking “Breakdown,” featuring guest verses from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Krazyie Bone and Wish Bone.  Simply, “Breakdown” can be summarized by the first lines of the second verse: the song details what “you do when somebody you’re so devoted to suddenly just stops loving you and it seems they haven’t got a clue of the pain that rejection is putting you through.”   She asks, “do you cling to your pride, and sing ‘I Will Survive’?”  or, “do you lash out and say, how dare you leave this way?” – with “Breakdown,” she infiltrates the mind of the listener by relating to an inner monologue nearly everyone has experienced. It is a song about heartbreak, yes, but its so much more than that.

Without a doubt, “Breakdown” is one of the most honest songs in Carey’s catalogue, but it also may be one of the most honest songs ever written. She deals with every stage of a breakup. First, the bombshell: “You called yesterday to basically say that you care for me but that you’re just not in love.”  He’s hit her with the harsh truth, which is quickly followed by outward denial: “Immediately I pretended to be feeling similarly and led you to believe I was okay to just walk away from the one thing that’s unyielding and sacred to me.”  Of course, her lie of “feeling similarly” is merely a defense mechanism; an falsification of strength in the face of heartbreak.

As if the sheer and undeniably heartbreaking honesty of the lyric isn’t enough, somehow she also manages to rhyme nearly every fifth syllable or so.  The rhyme in this song is inarguably impressive; for its frequency and complexities.  Mariah is not rhyming simple words here, she is weaving rhymes internally by pinpointing particularly syllables, and accentuates each rhyme by stressing said syllables as she sings.  It’s all done very subtly, yet flawlessly.

On the chorus, she illustrates the story of her masquerade to hide her pain, saying how she tries to be “nonchalant about” the breakup and goes to “extremes to prove” she’s “fine without” him.  Lying to friends “convincingly,” to hide her self-described suffering “underneath the guise of a smile.”  She admits that she wears a disguise, however it all comes off eventually: “I go home at night, turn down all the lights, and then I breakdown and cry.”  That, of course, is the crying stage.

It is assumed that with this song she is referencing the end of her marriage to Tommy Mottola, which of course we have talked about before in relation to the Butterfly album.  However, it is interesting that she talks about wearing a disguise – because it is threefold.  The disguise hides her feelings from him, from her friends, and from her fans.  As a public figure she had to feign happiness to avoid the hard questions about her relationship.  It wasn’t until the release of this album that she alluded to any issues in her marriage.  For Mariah, her art – her songwriting – is how she lets go.

Another interesting note about “Breakdown,” is how it is sung.  Partially modeled after the singing style of Bone Thugs, “Breakdown” has a unique melodic flow.  While she perhaps chose this because of the nature of the collaboration, it could have been deeper than that.

On the chorus she sings about “trying to be nonchalant about” the situation.  For most of the song, her vocals fit that very description – she sounds nonchalant.  She sounds, for the most part, subdued – okay, even. It is not until the end of the song that she “breaks down” and lets go of all her emotions in the final ad-libs.

Perhaps symbolic of when she she goes home at night to breakdown and cry at the end of her day, the end of the song finds her doing just that as she ad-libs lines like, “How do I feel?! I’m losing my mind!” and “What do you think? You’ve gotta know I’m suffering.”  In addition to those, she adds numerous impassioned ad-libs where she simply sings, “I cry” to close the song.

“Breakdown” is revered among fans and critics alike as being one of Mariah’s greatest songs, and rightfully so.  A title held that no doubt makes the diva very proud.  As adamant as she is about being respected as a songwriter, “Breakdown” is a true testament to her abilities.  Not only that, but on “Breakdown,” her words are at the forefront – not overshadowed by a bombastic, overstated vocal performance.  With “Breakdown,” her vocals are effectively understated; the focus is in turn placed on what is being stated.

However, “Breakdown” doesn’t encompass all that Mariah had to say on Butterfly.  On “Close My Eyes,” she reaches back into her childhood memories as a lens through which to evaluate her adult-self.

“I was a wayward child, with the weight of the world that I held deep inside.  Life was a winding road and I learned many things that little ones shouldn’t know,” she sings.   Here, she candidly speaks about the pressures of her childhood experiences, perhaps referencing how society’s issues had a negative impact on her life.  She grew up multiracial and impoverished on Long Island, in New York.  She has recalled racial tensions being high in her suburban neighborhood during the 1970s.  Learning about things she didn’t need to know, perhaps calling back to experiences with racism, the effects of her parents’ divorce, or even her older sister’s struggles with drugs and the like.

In the chorus, she admits: “Still I feel like that child as I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon.”  Often, she jokes about being “eternally twelve” but, in all seriousness, the abrupt and untimely end of her childhood has clearly had a lasting effect on Carey. No doubt her parents’ divorce has a direct connection with the loss of her childhood.

She mentions more seemingly unspeakable memories in the second verse, singing, “Funny how one can learn to grow numb to the madness and block it away.  I left the worst unsaid, let it all dissipate, as I tried to forget.”  Here, she talks about a coping mechanism she utilized: ignorance.  She tried her best to “block away” the memories of these seemingly tragic experiences, though clearly her attempts were futile.  Instead, she chose to acknowledge these struggles through song in a final attempt to let go of the negative experiences from her past.

In the bridge, she is more hopeful and optimistic.  She sings about being on “the verge of fading,” but then saying, “thankfully I woke up in time.”  From this point on she sings more triumphantly, perhaps symbolic of her successfully letting go of the pain and being able to move forward.

The album closes with a final moment of introspection: “Outside.”  Here, Mariah addresses the insecurities she faced throughout her life in regards to being multiracial.  With lyrics such as “neither here nor there, and always somewhat out of place everywhere” she aims to connect with others who have experienced similar feelings of isolation.  However, with lines like “ambiguous, without a sense of belonging to touch,” she directly alludes to being multiracial.  Ambiguous of course means that something is open to more than one interpretation.  Not usually used in reference to a person, Mariah very cleverly utilizes the word here.  As someone who isn’t distinctly identifiable as one race or the other, this was a struggle she undoubtedly dealt with growing up: people trying to figure out “what she is.”

“Outside” has very distinct similarities to some of the themes seen on Janet Jackson’s Velvet Rope.  Both ladies deal with this idea of harboring a desire to fit in and belong, or as Janet says, “feel special.”  On “Outside,” Mariah sings about “standing alone, eager to just believe it’s good enough to be what you really are.”  Another interesting choice of words here: she says “what,” not “who.”  Normally, in such a phrase, a person would say “be who you are,” but she instead opts for “what“: another direct reference to her race rather than “who” she is.  With this phrasing, Mariah is making a statement that things such as race, gender, or sexual orientation cannot and should not define “who” a person is, or how they are judged.  It’s no coincidence that “Outside” has also become an anthem for Mariah’s gay fans, who are able to relate to this feeling of inadequacy due to “what” they are.

In the emotionally charged bridge, she passionately declares that, “blind and unguided, into a world divided, you’re thrown.”  A reference that, for her, is most likely referencing her race, but for the listener can be related to any number of situations (male/female, straight/gay, fat/skinny, popular/unpopular, etc.) which truly makes this song universal.

One of the most quotable lines of the song is: “recognize you were born to exist.”   With positive messages like this embedded into the song, it is curious that she ends the song seeming pessimistic, singing, “you’ll always be somewhere on the outside.”  However, all things considered, perhaps she doesn’t mean it in a negative way – perhaps she’s merely acknowledging that fact, but owning it as a positive thing.  After all, why does she need to be on the “inside” if she has been so successful on the “outside”?

One must wonder then, what is she outside of?  Maybe the same Velvet Rope that Janet Jackson speaks of: the imaginary distinction between those who are “important” and those who are “not.”  These two influential divas prove that by being on the outside, they can still prosper.  Letting go of the constructs that produced the expectations that brought them down were the first steps toward fulfillment and emancipation for both Mariah and Janet.

In the years to follow Butterfly, Mariah continued to let go of her various personal experiences and emotions through the release of deeply personal songs.  As our series on Butterfly ends, we begin our next Mariah series: The Art of Letting Go.

The post The Butterfly Effect: Mariah discovers The Art of Letting Go appeared first on THE 97.

On the album, these three songs are sequenced in succession; “My All” comes first.  She opens with the line, “I’m thinking of you in my sleepless solitude tonight.”  Of course, the memorable chorus soon follows, on which she passionate declares: “I’d give my all to have just one more night with you, I’d risk my life to feel your body next to mine.”  

On “My All,” Carey implies a risky rendezvous that perhaps she should not have been partaking in; not too much of a stretch considering her relationship status at the time.  She further elaborates on her memories of this rendezvous: “I can see you clearly, vividly emblazoned in my mind.” This excellent use of her impressive Mariah Ca-bularey makes one point quite clear: this man left quite the impression on her mind.  However, he is, for whatever reason, unattainable.  She comes to that realization, ending the verse by singing, “And yet you’re so far like a distant star I’m wishing on tonight.”  

Some think that this song is a reference to her post-marriage relationship with Derek Jeter, which perhaps began before the release of Butterfly and “My All.”  The use of the racially ambiguous, young handsome men in the videos for “Honey” and “My All” do well to help this theory.  On the climax, the song is enhanced by Mariah’s impassioned vocal performance as she lets all of her feelings of yearning loose in the final repetitions of the chorus on this Latin-inspired ballad.  With this she makes it quite clear that, regardless of who she is talking about, she indeed feels very strongly.

In a genius sequencing choice, “My All” is followed by “The Roof,” which boasts some of Ms. Carey’s most vivid lyrics that truly paint a story with an unparalleled depth.  Perhaps here, Mariah is recounting the specific details of the rendezvous she was pining over on “My All.”  Built over a sample from Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones” the track is hip-hop at its core, with its thumping bass-line and enchanting yet urban atmosphere.  (The “remix” features the rap duo, as well.)

“The Roof” is of course set on a rooftop on a “misty,” “warm November night”; she even mentions that it “wasn’t raining – yet” which foreshadows later events in the (song’s) story.  In the first verse, she shares her inner monologue, confessing “my heart was pounding, my inner voice resounding, begging me to turn away but I just had to see your face to feel alive.”  Here, she characterizes herself as once again having this intense, sensual yearning for the subject of her desires.  Her desires, she so wonderfully describes, had her “twisted in a web” likening her love interest to a spider, thus making herself the entangled prey.

There is also a certain sense of taboo to the lyrics of the song, seen by lines such as “my apprehension blew away, I only wanted you to taste my sadness as you kissed me in the dark.”  The line not only refers to her apprehension, but also gives a wonderful metaphor of him “tasting” her sadness.  Both of which leave the listener with questions: “Why is she so apprehensive?  Why is she so sad?”

Following the first verse, we meet the first incantation of the chorus in which she reveals that, with this song, she is going “back in time, to relive the splendor” that existed between herself and this mysterious man, “on the roof top that rainy night.”  

Mariah takes the masterful storytelling up another notch on the second verse, which opens with the cleverly rhymed line, “And so we finished the Moét, started feeling liberated.” Here, she attributes her surrender to him to the effects of a little champagne, yielding liberation.  She further addresses the taboo of the encounter and the yearning she felt for him, expressively singing, “I threw caution to the wind and started listening to my longing heart.”

Finally, he “softly pressed [his] lips to” hers, which brings light to “feelings [she’d] suppressed for such a long time.”  This moment clearly was therapeutic for her, again evidenced by the following lyric: “For a while I forgot the sorrow and the pain and melted with you as we stood there in the rain.”  It is remarkable and impressive how Carey is able to weave such intricate meaning and emotion into one line, yet still create rhyme.  This, though, is the case for many of the other tracks on Butterfly, “The Roof,” however is one of the best examples.

On its bridge, she admits to being in love.  In one of the final choruses that follow, she provides some interesting, poignant, and telling ad-libs.  Recalling the lyrics of the bridge, she coos, “Last night I had the strangest dream.  It was actually quite symbolic. I whispered that I love you very subtly.”  Almost unnoticeable, this ad-lib seamlessly intertwines itself into the harmonies and melody of the chorus.  This “dream” she references may be the very inspiration behind the song.

The nostalgia continues on “Fourth of July.”  Of course referencing America’s own Independence Day, its title could also be symbolic for Butterfly being her own declaration of professional, creative and romantic independence.  The song, however, tells the story of yet another rendezvous that took place on the summer holiday.

Whereas “The Roof” was filled with inner monologue, a complex plot, and characterization, “Fourth of July” matches it with its descriptive imagery.  Nearly every line paints a mental picture, each as beautiful as the next.  Describing the “Roman Candles soaring above,” she sings about how “sparkling colors were strewn across the sky” during her twilight date.

Next, she describes being “starry eyed on the flowery hillside, breathless and fervid amid the dandelions.”  It almost sounds like a description of a Claude Monet painting.  She goes on to compare the love and happiness she feels to the “wind through the trees” as her lover sighed “with a sweet intensity.”  Again, expressively describing this scenario with unmatched, yet effectively beautiful figurative language.

Truly, the song is filled figurative language; it could be content for a master class in writing poetic imagery.  However, it too has the nostalgic yearning found in “The Roof” and “My All.”  Of course, written in the past tense, she is looking back on this memory with fondness, with hopes of recreating it.  Unfortunately, she implies that the realization of her desire is unlikely.

This implication is best illustrated through this lyric from the final verse: “Tentatively kissed goodbye, and went our separate ways. And I never felt the way that I felt that Fourth of July.”  She says that they tentatively kissed goodbye, indicating an air of nervousness or uncertainty surrounding their last goodbye. Clearly, she was unsure of if the opportunity for them to be together once more would present itself ever again.  Though, the desire is clearly there and seemingly mutual.

If Carey were to never write a song with quality lyrics again; it wouldn’t matter.  These three songs from Butterfly (and really, the whole album) are more than enough proof that Mariah Carey is a capable and masterful songwriter, lyricist and poet.  Her storytelling on these tracks could challenge even the most acclaimed writers.  Unfortunately, because she is considered a pop star, her songwriting is often overlooked.  Hopefully she will receive the respect she deserves in time.

The post Reliving the Splendor: Mariah’s nostalgic storytelling on Butterfly appeared first on THE 97.