Mariah Carey was a fan of the 1992 Kriss Kross hit “Jump” and wanted to work with the producer of the track, Jermaine Dupri. Carey got to collaborate with Dupri a few years later on two songs for her Daydream album: “Always Be My Baby” and “Long Ago.” In their sessions, Carey, Dupri, and Manuel Seal started by working on the drum programming, and as Seal started playing the keyboard Carey began singing a melody. Their back-and-forth would result in Carey’s 11th #1, “Always Be My Baby.” At the time it tied her with Madonna and Whitney Houston for the most #1 singles by a female artist, though over the next few years Carey would separate herself from the diva pack.

At first listen “Always Be My Baby” features a beautifully crafted, catchy melody and feels like the perfect song to play on a nice summer evening. Upon closer inspection, though, the song reveals itself to be about the singer mourning a lover she has let go. In naming it one of the best R&B songs on the 1990s, Complex mentioned the contrast between the lyric about a fractured relationship and the “joyous keyboard chords, the snapping beat, and Carey’s conviction that it will all work out.” That conviction helped Carey earn a Grammy nomination for R&B Vocal Performance, Female for the song despite “Always Be My Baby” not having yet been released as a single at the time voting took place.

Released as the third single from Carey’s Daydream album, “Always Be My Baby” debuted at #2 on the Hot 100 and eventually moved into the #1 position for 2 weeks. The song sold 1.2 million copies and was a huge hit at radio. In fact, it ended 1996 as the #1 Hot 100 Airplay song for the year, despite never topping the Hot 100 Airplay or Mainstream Top 40 charts. To this day “Always Be My Baby” consistently receives some of Carey’s best recurrent play.

Carey directed the video for the song, which features a story line of two children at camp escaping in the middle of the night to spend time together. There are also scenes of Carey and her friends having fun around a campfire. The setting perfectly captures the breezy nature of the track, and Bustle calls the video a “classic.” Complex named it one of the best R&B videos of the 1990s and noted that the video made them regret not going to summer camp.

At the time of the song’s release, Larry Flick of Billboard described the jam as a “bright and funky finger-snapper.” In the 20 years since that review, that quality is a large reason why “Always Be My Baby” has proven to be timeless. In a 2015 piece, the staff at Entertainment Weekly wrote Carey, “had us at the first ‘doo-doo-doo-dow” and in a reference to the lyrics of the song stated, “There’s no way we would ever try to shake her.” Jason Lipshutz of Billboard referenced the track’s “iconic vocal hook,” and Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone called the song “ageless.” The strong song construction that weaves those elements together recalls the types of classic songs written in the Brill building and for Motown.

More proof of the timelessness of “Always Be My Baby” can be found in the diverse range of artists who have covered or sampled the song, and in the various ways the song has shown up on social media. Female descendants of Carey like Leona Lewis and Kelly Clarkson have sung the song live, and country singer Sam Hunt performed it on his first tour. Indie rock band Fang Island also performed the song on tour, and Beelzebubs, an a capella group out of Tufts University that has been on The Sing-Off and Glee, included the song as part of their shows in 2011. Current acts like Fifth Harmony and Austin Mahone have sampled the song in their own material. Zola Jesus has said “Always Be My Baby” is her go-to karaoke song because “that song is deep in me.” Former pop starlet Debbie Gibson and Survivor winner Kim Spradlin have posted clips of them singing to it in the car on Instagram.

“Always Be My Baby” may very well be Carey’s catchiest song, so it’s no wonder Vulture named it Carey’s best single and called it “essential, archetypal Mariah.”

Check back in October for more on “Always Be My Baby” and the 20th anniversary of its parent album, Daydream.

The post Time can’t erase a song this strong: “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey lingers on, 20 years later! appeared first on THE 97.

It’s hard to imagine that there was a time in music when Will Smith was one of the hottest rappers on the scene. Well, it actually happened; many years ago… in 1997.

Though, even then, his credibility as a rapper was debatable. Undeniable was the impact of classic songs such as 1991’s “Summertime” and 1988’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, using the moniker The Fresh Prince. However, that success had long since faded and he became best known for his lovable (but, albeit, corny) role on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Following the end of the sitcom in 1996, Will Smith embarked on his solo rap career to compliment his budding film career. With the success of films like Bad Boys (1995) and Independence Day (1996), Smith began to distance himself from his TV role and was about to have his best year yet: 1997.

It began with the release of the film Men In Black and the release of its accompanying single and soundtrack album. “Men In Black,” the song, featured Coko of R&B girl group SWV was released in June of 1997 and became a monster hit. It samples “Forget Me Nots” by Patrice Rushen for its chorus. The subject matter of the song is directly connected to the film, referencing aliens and the like. However, because of how undeniably catchy it is, it was an undeniable hit, peaking at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 airplay chart.

From there, the album yielded a string of successful singles. First, was “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” which shot to the top of the charts, and was the perfect party anthem. It features an inescapable “na-na-na-na-na-na” chant that was annoyingly catchy.

Finally, the singles from Big Willie Style concluded with the international smash party anthem, “Miami.” For anyone alive and breathing in 1997-8, it’s probably impossible to dissaocate the phrase, “welcome to Miami” from the random woman in the song who says it (and then repeats “Bienvendo a Miami” in Spanish).

Otherwise, the album was filled with, in hindsight, lackluster filler tracks. The collaboration with TLC’s Left Eye is passable, as is “It’s All Good” which samples the same track as “Rapper’s Delight,” Chic’s “Good Times.” Perhaps what Smith is most equally praised and criticized for is the fact that his album does not bear explicit lyrics. As a father, Smith made a conscious decision not to make profanity-littered hip-hop music. While some critics (and other parents) praised this positive direction, hip-hop enthusiasts often criticized him for being disingenuous and, well, corny. Be that as it may, Smith still has swag, a respectable flow and a certain musical sensibility. He’s certainly no Nick Cannon.

Indeed, Will Smith’s most successful musical moments were attached to films, such as Big Willie Style’s lead single “Men In Black,” and 1999’s “Wild Wild West” (from the film of the same name, and his 1999 album, Willenium). However, despite Willie Style and “Wild Wild West,” Smith has not been able to reclaim similar success in the music world since the turn of the century. Regardless, it’s hard to look back at 1997 and not remember Big Willie Style with fondness, but Will Smith’s music career quickly became a small footnote, a stepping stone, to his hugely successful, Academy Award nominated acting career.

The post Elicit 1997 … with Will Smith’s ‘Big Willie Style’ appeared first on THE 97.

On May 20, 1997, Michael Jackson released his one and only remix album, Blood on the Dancefloor: HIStory in the Mix in support of his 1995 opus, HIStory. It stands as the best selling remix album ever released, and is most notable for its epic music videos released in support.

The lead single from the project was the unremarkable, but a jam nonetheless, title track which seems to aim to be a recreation of the 1987 classic “Smooth Criminal,” by detailing a narrative about a named but otherwise unidentified woman.

More notable are the other new tracks on the set. First is the all-too-chilling “Morphine,” which in hindsight is utterly frightening to listen to. The song is unabashedly about drug addiction, singing from the point-of-view of the drug itself, demerol, aka morphine. Seeing as he ultimately met his demise at the hands of an incapable doctor and an unfortunate drug dependance, it is quite the haunting track to listen to 18 years later.

Alternatively haunting is the song “Ghosts,” on which the King of Pop sings about the haunting effects of jealousy. On the chorus, he asks, “And who gave you the right to shake my family tree, you put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me, tell me are you the ghost of jealousy?” 

Meanwhile, on “Is It Scary?,” he sings about being demonized by the media for being unapologetically different and “strange”. He disguises the meaning with a Thriller-esque horror film guise, but lyrics such as “Am I amusing you, or just confusing you, am I the beast you visualized,” and “if you came to see, the truth, the purity, it’s here inside a lonely heart, so let the performance start… is that scary for you?” make Jackson’s message clear.

The short film Michael Jackson’s Ghosts reinforces the messages of the pair of songs “Ghosts” and “Is It Scary?,” telling a narrative of a group of people who fear a man living in a big, “haunted” mansion (played by Jackson) because he is different. By the end, the people come to respect and appreciate him – except for the unwavering and closed-minded leader of their group (also played by Jackson, in complete costume), who is undoubtedly representative of the media. Overall, the film is a metaphorical representation of Michael’s relationship with the world. It is an essential viewing in MJ’s videography, so if you haven’t seen it, devote the next 40 minutes of your life to this epic short film:

The remaining new track, “Superfly Sister” is a bit out of place among the other more haunting tracks and isn’t anywhere near as good. There are 8 more dance remixes of the HIStory singles and some album tracks, too.

Overall, Blood on the Dancefloor’s existence is to be respected appreciated for the fact that it yielded the spectacular “Morphine,” “Ghosts,” “Is It Scary?” and the Ghosts short film, if for nothing else. Additionally, it was released in support of Jackson’s 1997 HIStory World Tour, which sadly ended up being his final tour. Be sure to familiarize yourself with Blood on the Dancefloor if you’re not already.

The post Elicit 1997… with Michael Jackson’s ‘Blood on the Dancefloor’ appeared first on THE 97.

Like most superstars of her caliber, Mariah Carey’s career has seen both its highs and lows. This year, however, is a significant one for Carey. First, she is beginning her first Las Vegas residency in May. Second, she is dropping a new single and hits set featuring all 18 of her Hot 100 #1’s. Third, because she is now a single mother. Fourth, because she is celebrating 25 years in the music industry – her debut single “Vision of Love,” was released in May 1990, and her self-titled album in June of the same year. Fifth, because it’s been 20 years since the release of one of her biggest, best, and most successful albums, 1995’s Daydream… and finally, because it’s been 10 years since Mimi came back with a vengeance with 2005’s The Emancipation of Mimi.

While the album was released on April 12, 2005, the era began in January with the release of the lead single, “It’s Like That.” However, it really kicked into full steam when she dropped the second single, “We Belong Together.” Deservedly so, “We Belong Together” needs a moment of its own to be given the proper treatment – and we will do that in the coming months as we walk through Mariah’s #1’s to Infinity as announced yesterday. In the United States alone, The Emancipation of Mimi went on to sell upwards of 6 million copies and was successful worldwide too. She earned 3 Grammy awards for the album, and countless other accolades and achievements – such as her 16th and 17th #1’s, “We Belong Together” and “Don’t Forget About Us.”  However, there is plenty more worth discussing in regards to Mimi than simply its success. 

While “It’s Like That” was the stepping stone and “We Belong Together” was the corner stone of her comeback, it couldn’t have happened if their parent album wasn’t superb in its own right. The Emancipation of Mimi was fresh and modern, yet still had that classic Mariah Carey feel to it. With relatable lyrics, phenomenal vocals, and inescapable melodies, The Emancipation of Mimi was the perfect combination of the perfect formula – yielding massive success. Amidst this perfect formula were several notable gems that sit among the top songs in Carey’s catalog.

The first is the Kanye West co-produced “Stay the Night.” Here, Mariah combines her hip-hop sensibilities with her soulful brand of R&B and big vocals for a song that is unmistakably Mariah Carey. The theme of sensual yearning is a common one throughout her music and the dark, sexy vibe of “Stay the Night” suits that perfectly. The song feels akin to Butterfly’s “The Roof” or Rainbow‘s “Cry Baby,” but vocally it is in a different lane. With “Stay the Night,” it’s clear Carey was on a mission to prove to her naysayers that she still has it vocally – and she certainly delivered.  The song knocks, the vocals slay, and the lyrics paint a relatable and engaging narrative.

Another highlight is “Circles,” a throwback to 70’s soul that once again finds Mariah sanging her face off. Again, the theme is yearning for a lost love and her vocals drip in pure, soulful emotion. If you didn’t know any better, you would think the song actually came out in the 70’s – not on Mariah Carey’s 2005 “comeback” album.

A more subtle gem on the album is “One and Only,” a collaboration with slick-tongued rapper Twista. Here, a much experienced Mariah treads in slow jam waters – slipping and sliding effortlessly over the beat with whispery but crisp vocals and impassioned, heartbreaking lyrics. Like on Butterfly’s “Breakdown,” she aimed to match Twista’s style of lyric delivery and succeeds – dare say, she sounds better doing his trademark style than he does. The pair re-teamed on “So Lonely (One and Only Part 2)” which appeared on Twista’s own album as well as the reissue of Mimi.

With “Fly Like a Bird,” Mariah continued a trend that began with 2002’s Charmbracelet – to include a spiritual song on her albums. Of the several, she has done before and since “Fly Like a Bird” stands out as perhaps her best gospel-tinged moment (Christmas albums excluded). The track boasts live instrumentation and a horn section that really warm up the song and album overall.

In fact, the theme of live instrumentation is strong throughout most of Mimi – “I Wish You Knew,” “Circles,” “Fly Like a Bird” and “Mine Again” all boast soulful, organic production which really helped attribute to the album’s warm, rich atmosphere. It is too bad that the sample on the leaked track “When I Feel It” was not approved in time for the album, because it would have been a standout on the album, as well.

However, Mimi was not an album full of solely soul – it had its more hip-hop inspired up-tempos and mid-tempos, too. The best of those up-tempos are the Jackson 5-inspired “Your Girl” and 80’s-tinged “Get Your Number” (featuring co-producer Jermaine Dupri). Meanwhile, the album’s third, fourth and fifth singles, respectively, “Shake It Off,” “Don’t Forget About Us” and “Say Somethin'” (a Pharrell Williams collaboration, featuring Snoop Dogg) lead the mid-tempo pack.

For the first time in her career, a Mariah Carey album lacked a truly big “power ballad,” in the traditional sense, though. The closest The Emancipation comes to such a ballad, aside from “We Belong Together,” is the soulful and warm R&B love ballad, “Joy Ride.” However, you hardly notice it’s missing, really… because The Emancipation of Mimi was all about showing us the true Mariah – and for the most part, she ain’t really about the power ballad moments.

Mimi’s emancipation was without a doubt the most rewarding era for the singer since, most likely, her debut. It was a rebirth of her career and, at the same time, cementation of her legendary status. Few have pulled off a comeback of its magnitude. In fact, no R&B album has sold as much as The Emancipation of Mimi since its release 10 years ago. Not to mention, she once again spawned the song of the decade: “We Belong Together” – like “One Sweet Day” before it, from 1995’s Daydream.

The post A Cause for Celebration: 10 years since Mimi’s Emancipation! appeared first on THE 97.

You may have also heard the often quoted lyric from one of its singles, “Partition,” on which she sings: “Driver roll up the partition please, I don’t need you seeing Yoncé on her knees.” I don’t believe I need to explain the implication here. For that and other lyrics in “Partition,” like “Oh, he’s so horny, yeah he wants to fuck” (and others on the album, too) Beyoncé has been met with a great deal of criticism from the usual suspects: the critics and public alike who think that she should be some model of purity for young girls around the world to look up to. However, people seem to forget that Beyoncé only has one daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who she is responsible for raising.

That’s not the point, though. The outpour of negative reactions to “Partition” for the song’s lyrical content and the visuals in the music video make one thing clear: people are listening to Beyoncé, people are watching Beyoncé… but they’re not actively engaging with her. The old clichés of “in one ear, out the other” and, “gone with the blink of an eye” hold quite true here. So yes, people are definitely hearing her and seeing her. However, amidst all this listening, watching, and (dramatically) reacting, they are forgetting to do one very important thing: to think about what she’s really saying. There is a deeper meaning behind nearly every song and video on BEYONCÉ, and “Partition” is no different.

First, a few acknowledgments. Yes, on “Partition,” Beyoncé is alluding to oral sex in the back of a limousine. Yes, Beyoncé does mean what you think she means when she says that he “Monica Lewinsky’d all on [her] gown.” And no, the “handprints and footprints” on the glass are not because Blue Ivy threw a tantrum and smacked her hands and feet against the window. And yes, Beyoncé is a grown woman, wife, mother, and creative artist who of course has sexual desires. She had a fantasy and creatively expressed it in the form of a song. While this sort of creative expression indeed has significance because of its liberating qualities, even still, there is more to “Partition” than it being liberating and empowering for Beyoncé as a woman.

Of course, there’s a certain irony to her singing, “Driver roll up the partition please,” when in both the song and video she exposes some very explicit details of (her fantasy of) what goes on in her backseat… to the entire world. Not only explicit, but these details are also very personal.

Immediately, the idea of a “Partition” reminded me of my favorite Janet Jackson album. This site was named in part because of Janet’s 1997 album, The Velvet Rope. The Velvet Rope has a central theme, that we “all have the need to feel special, and it’s this need that can bring out the best in us, yet the worst in us.” Janet says, “This need created the velvet rope.” Of course, the “velvet rope” refers to the literal velvet rope that separates the VIP section of a club from the public. Janet uses this metaphor to symbolize how the album is her letting the world past her own personal velvet rope. Once behind the rope, she welcomed us into her confessions of love, heartbreak, pain, loneliness, depression, sexual desires, and more.

Mrs. Carter, meanwhile, is doing the very same thing on BEYONCÉ, and “Partition” would have been a great alternative album title. On this very sexualized song, there is a very personal confession weaved in-between its more empowering and explicit lines: “Take all of me, I just wanna be the girl you like, the kind of girl you like. The kind of girl you like is right here with me.” With these few, simple lines, she expresses a subtle vulnerability. She is admitting to her own insecurities, that she feels like her husband sometimes can be more impressed with other girls than with her. However, she overpowers that by reminding herself, and him, that she can be that kind of girl too, and “Partition” exists to prove that.

The song, as Beyoncé described in her Self-Titled YouTube documentary, was her creating “whatever world and fantasy that, definitely, at the time, was not happening” during the recording of the album, which occurred following the birth of her daughter. In the video, she describes the song’s inception, explaining how its lyrics are simply a fantasy she created.

About the music video, she explains that she took Jay-Z to see the Crazy Horse dancers at the famous Parisian club for his birthday, and thought how she wanted to perform like that for her husband. So, for the video, she did just that – to be the “kind of girl [he] like[s]” and to prove “the kind of girl [he] like[s]” is actually “right here with” Bey.

While on the surface, “Partition” may seem as though it’s just another raunchy, sexual song from a female pop singer trying to get attention, it really is so much more than that. Not only does it symbolize her sexual liberation and maturation, but it also reveals a certain vulnerability that is experienced in most relationships, even the healthiest ones. Beyoncé’s decision to follow “Partition” with “Jealous” further affirms this interpretation of the track. Embracing imperfection is a running theme on BEYONCÉ as well.

In short, while Beyoncé did indeed command the chauffeur to roll up the partition and chastised him for eavesdropping and nearly crashing… she did, however, invite you, the listener, into her fantasy. Rather, by offering this invitation, Beyoncé was making an effort to embrace her own imperfections and connect to her listeners in a new way because, as carnal as some of it may seem, there is a certain vulnerability to the track that everyone can relate to. Beyoncé clearly knew, though, that some people wouldn’t realize this and perhaps that explains how she chose to end the song.

“Partition” ends with a monologue in French, in which the speaker asks, “Do you like sex? … Are you not interested in sex?” Of course, it is a bit of a rhetorical question, isn’t it? After all, who can honestly say no? Maybe that’s why “Partition” upset so many people, because the undeniable truth behind it may force the prude to realize they’re not so perfect after all. But hey, like Beyoncé said on “Ghost,” “perfection is so… meh.” If you still don’t like it, then, well, she has a song that addresses that too: “I’m a grown woman; I can do whatever I want.”

The post BEYONCÉ’s Velvet Rope: The depth beyond the “Partition” appeared first on THE 97.

“Honey”
The video that introduced pop culture to a post-divorce Mariah was “Honey.” Mariah has said that the concept of the “Honey” video was influenced by the ‘Bond Girls’ from James Bond movies, and she has said the video was just an excuse for her to wear different outfits. A lot of people thought there was more meaning in the video than Mariah let on, though. In the opening of the video, Mariah is being held captive by an Italian mobster, perhaps a reference to the Italian roots of ex-husband Mottola who likened himself to ‘The Don’. One of Mariah’s captors had a look similar to Tommy, and he was holding Mariah captive in a mansion. Tommy and Mariah were living in a mansion in Bedford, NY up until their separation, and Mariah has dubbed the mansion ‘Sing Sing’ because it felt like a prison to her where all she did was “sing sing.”

In the video Mariah escapes her captors, jumps off a balcony into a pool, and shreds her black dress to emerge in a bikini. Mariah has publicly decried how she wore a black dress a lot early in her career, and how she wasn’t allowed to wear what she wanted. The shedding of the black dress when she escapes the mansion is pretty on-the-nose. As Mariah’s frequent co-producer Walter Afanasieff told Entertainment Weekly, “Everything in the video is ‘Fuck you, Tommy.'”

The bikini in the pool scene is modeled after Bond girl Honey Ryder, who emerged from the ocean in a similar biniki in Dr. No. Bond girls are typically thought of as ‘eye candy’ in the James Bond movies, and they are usually victim roles. In the “Honey” video, however, Mariah escapes from her captors and rides away from them on a jet ski. Mariah was assumed to be a victim in her marriage, so just as Mariah broke free from Tommy, perhaps she was breaking free from the Bond girl stereotype.

Tommy spied on Mariah in general, and perhaps wanted more from her physically (Mariah has said there wasn’t a lot of sex in the marriage). Baby Doll and Mariah were both virgins before getting married. In Baby Doll, Archie’s failures as a businessman add to his failure to get intimate with Baby Doll. Archie clings to the notion of the “position” he has, as well as his friends and connections (similar to Tommy being the head of Mariah’s record label). In a story reported by Vanity Fair and other sources, Mariah taunted Tommy after the 1996 Grammys by criticizing his lacking enough power and connections to get her a Grammy. Baby Doll is a woman-child, which Mariah literally describes herself as in the Butterfly song “Close My Eyes” (she also has a song titled “Babydoll” on the album).

At one point in Baby Doll, she and her pursuer run around the house and he taunts her with a chandelier. The “Butterfly” video shows Mariah visiting different parts of the house during the day as the male figure is presumably off at work. At one point a chandelier is shown in the foreground, and we see Mariah on a staircase looking at it. She seems apprehensive about coming downstairs, and the chandelier perhaps offers a reminder of the lucrative life she could be leaving. The one thing that seems to bring Mariah happiness is a horse, which she ultimately runs down the stairs and outside to set free. In the Here Is Mariah Carey TV special, Mariah rides horses at the home she shared with Tommy. Perhaps letting the horse go in “Butterfly” was symbolic of letting Tommy go. Mariah told MTV that the scene in the video where she cuts her hands on a barbed wire fence came from a dream she had. In dreams, barbed wire is known to represent difficulty in breaking through and feeling trapped in a relationship. That description clearly mirrors Mariah’s relationship with Tommy.

The post Emancipating Visuals: Mariah breaks free with “Butterfly” and “Honey” appeared first on THE 97.

September 16, 1997.

Seventeen years ago today, Mariah Carey released what is widely considered to be her most creative, introspective, and best, album to date; her “magnum opus.”  Regardless of whether or not you agree with the those definitive statements, there is no denying that 1997’s Butterfly marked a defining moment in Mariah’s life – personally, professionally, and artistically.

To appropriately analyze and speak about Butterfly, one must first contextualize it; encapsulate the experiences of that particular time in Mariah’s life, if you will.  Released amidst the swirling of rumors of her separation and divorce from then-husband Tommy Mottola, Butterfly, its imagery, and lyrics caused quite the stir and raised many questions.

In my piece about “Honey,” the album’s lead single, I examined how the music video for the song helped sparked some of these rumors.  “Honey,” while lyrically is about sensual yearning, is symbolic for the emancipation Carey experienced by it’s release.  Never before had she been free to sing so sensually, or dress so provocatively.  Even then, it wasn’t exactly approved.  Rather, she no longer allowed herself to be controlled and did it anyway.  With an end result so undeniably infectious, the powers that be couldn’t deny Mariah her moment… to fly.  Of course, the powers that be were mainly her then-husband, Tommy Mottola, who wanted her to look and sound a certain way (a wholesome pop princess).  That of which, she did not agree with.

However, it is not the gossip worthy details of Carey’s love life hidden in the album that make it a defining moment for her.  Rather, it is how she transformed the events of her personal life into such a creative, introspective form of artistic expression.  The lyrics are among her most poetic and honest to date and, as evidenced by how near and dear she holds the album to her heart, some of the most important.

It is not only Butterfly‘s lyrics that render it so important.  Sonically, the album moved in a direction that was distinctively more urban for the “pop diva.”  A transformation that began via baby steps on 1995’s Daydream, was now complete.

While of course there are still some “big Mariah ballads” on Butterfly  (the title track, “Outside,” “My All,” “Whenever You Call”), in comparison to her earlier efforts, the production is more sparse.  On these ballads the focus, rather, is on the very honest lyrics and emotional, yet more subdued vocal performances.  Equal in number to the ballads are the very urban, midtempo tracks (“The Roof,” “Breakdown,” “Babydoll,” “Honey”).  All featuring lush, understated production that fit right into the mid-90s R&B mold, these tracks have become classics in Mariah’s catalogue and created a blueprint still followed by Mariah and those she has inspired.  Finally, there are the tracks that are somewhere in the middle; not quite modern R&B mid-tempos, yet not quite the typical “big Mariah ballad,” but are R&B ballads nonetheless (“Close My Eyes,” “Fourth of July,” the cover of Prince’s “The Beautiful Ones”), and the house reprise of the title track, “Fly Away.”

Similar to how the album can, more or less, be divided into four categories sonically, the same can be said thematically when analyzing its lyrics.  For the purposes of our Butterfly album series on EST. 1997, the tracks will be divided into four thematic categories, titled using some of Mariah’s favorite words and phrases:

• Emancipation
• Yearning For the Nostalgia
• Yearning For the Intangible
• Letting Go

This week’s focus will be the theme of emancipation on Butterfly.  Included in this grouping are the title track, its reprise “Fly Away,” and “Honey” (which has been discussed earlier in the article as well as in two others a few weeks ago).

“Butterfly” is perhaps the most important track on the album.  While “Honey” kicks the album off and is symbolic for her emancipation, the title track is literally about emancipation.  However, it is expressed quite figuratively.

In the song, the narrator is trying to hold onto someone who no longer wants to be kept, and is slowly coming to a realization that her efforts are unsuccessful.  Fearful of losing the person’s love, she sings, “When you love someone so deeply that they become your life, it’s easy to succumb to overwhelming fears inside.”  This lyric highlights how sometimes, in love, people allow their fears to cloud their judgement and avert them from making the best choice for both parties involved.

The song’s metaphor, of course, compares the protagonist to a butterfly.  She sings, “Blindly I imagined I could keep you under glass, now I understand to hold you I must open up my hands and watch you rise.”  Of course, the “glass” refers to the idea of keeping an insect in some sort of glass jar entrapment, while the idea of her opening up her hands and watching him rise symbolizes the butterfly’s flight sung about on the chorus:

“Spread your wings and prepare to fly

For you have become a butterfly

Fly abandonedly into the sun

If you should return to me

We truly were meant to be

So spread your wings and fly

Butterfly”

The chorus harkens back to the cliché but ever so true idea that “if you love someone, let them go and if they come back, they’re yours.”  Simple, yes, but effective.

The second verse perhaps contains one of the song’s best lines: “Wild horses run unbridled or their spirt dies.”  With this line, she acknowledges how wild horses have this innate and essential desire to run freely.  When kept contained by humans, horses lose this freedom, and thus the narrator is essentially the equestrian, while her love interest is the horse.  She expresses gratitude, by admitting, “you have given me the courage to be all that I can” and returns the favor by setting him free, but remaining optimistic: “I truly feel your heart will lead you back to me when you’re ready to land.”  Here, she acknowledges that he is not ready to settle down but believes that when he is, he will return to her.

Finally, the song’s soaring and emotional bridge brings it all full circle.  After the very selfless decision to set him free, she tearfully confesses about how painful that decision is, “I can’t pretend these tears aren’t over flowing steadily, I can’t prevent this hurt from almost overtaking me.”  However, she realizes that it is necessary and unavoidable and finally says goodbye, because she knows that he needs to experience how it feels to live freely at this point in his life: “I will stand and say goodbye for you’ll never be mine until you know the way it feels to fly.”

The song comes to a soaring climax with perhaps the most impressively emotive vocal runs of Mariah’s career as she sings the lyrics to the bridge and the close of the otherwise very subdued track.  But, why was she so emotional about this topic?

In a 2007 interview with Interview magazine, Carey revealed that the song was actually her “wishing that that’s what he [Tommy Motolla] would say to [her].”  So, when she wrote “Butterfly” she was not embodying her own perspective.  Rather, she was speaking to herself.  Essentially, the song is written from (what she wished was) the point of view of her husband.  It was was what she hoped he would have said to her at that point in their relationship, as they were poised to separate.  In the same interview, she admitted that, at the time, she “really believed that [she] was going to go back to the marriage.” She didn’t think the separation would be permanent. However, she explained that circumstances changed and some necessary things just didn’t happen, and ultimately, they never did get back together.

The music video helps to illustrate the truth behind the song, as well.  Mariah was the butterfly.  She was trapped.  He kept her under glass.  She was the horse in captivity, and he the equestrian.  She needed emancipation.  He would not allow it.  However, what differs between real life and this song, is that he was selfish and did not willingly afford her that freedom.  Instead, she had to break through the glass, break out of the stable, and set herself free.

The “Butterfly” reprise, “Fly Away,” opens with these words:

“Don’t be afraid to fly

Spread your wings

Open up the door

So much more inside…

See the light inside…

Don’t let your spirit die…”

Undoubtedly, she is singing to none other than herself.  With these words, she coaxes herself to be courageous, escape her entrapment, and emancipate herself, her heart, and her creativity.  Then she, very admirably, shared it all with the world.

Next week, we look at three more tracks from Butterfly, focusing on the theme of Yearning For the Intangible.

The post Butterfly, Fly Away: Mariah Carey’s first emancipation appeared first on THE 97.

In preparation of the release of her fourth solo album, Journey to Freedom, Michelle Williams is hosting a contest via her official website in which fans must write journal entries about their own personal journey to freedom.  The prize is an all expense paid trip to spend the day with Michelle, discussing each other’s journey to freedom.  Over the next six weeks, Michelle will be posting the “word of the week” that should be the theme of each of the six different journal entries.  The contest ends on September 9th with the release of the album.

This week, the word is freedom and I wrote my own personal entry detailing how the theme has been present in my own life experiences.  However, for the purposes of EST. 1997, I will highlight and discuss some songs that I feel best represent the theme of freedom.  This is a common theme throughout music, and there are many songs and even albums that are centered around it.

Freedom is a heavy word.  It can have so many meanings; it is connected and intertwined with so many parts of life.  It is something we all strive for – personal freedom, professional freedom, civil freedom, sexual freedom – there are many incarnations of the word.  It is ancient, historic, current and intrinsic.  It has shaped the world; created and resolved conflicts in history.  World wars occurred as a direct result of humanity’s desire to protect, or limit, the freedom of others.  However, it also can be very personal.  Specifically, musicians tend to delve into the theme through a very personal lens.  These next six songs do an excellent job of embodying the word “freedom.”

1.  “Free” by P!nk was a b-side to the “Trouble” single, and didn’t make the final cut for the Try This album.  However, in my opinion, it most definitely should have.  The song is a raw, honest rock ballad that soars through emotions with powerful and emotive vocals dripping with soul and a yearning for freedom.  The song is unorthodox in structure, with the only “hook” to be found being the line, “why’s it so hard to be free?”  The introspective nature of this song’s lyrics, combined with P!nk’s impassioned vocals make for a truly emotional experience.  It is close to 7 minutes long, but never feels drawn out.  She leaves vocal imperfections as they are, adding a genuine character to the song.  It is a highlight in P!nk’s catalogue, with some of her best vocals and lyrics.

“I’ve gotta get away, oh

From these conditions

Why can’t I just love myself enough?

Instead of looking outside

For what I should have inside…

…All these shackles that I’ve tied myself down with

They’re weighing me down

I wanna fly away, fly away from here, so far

Just give me wings

Oh, God, why’s it so hard, to be free?”

 

2.  “Free Xone” by Janet Jackson appears on her 1997 opus, The Velvet Rope, which will be discussed in greater detail come its anniversary in October.  On this particular song, Janet asserts that there is “one rule: no rules; one love, free zone,” essentially stating that all love is equal, and people should be free to love no matter what their sexual orientation is.  The song denounces homophobia, while celebrating the freedom to love.  Its lyrics are simple, but poignant, and it’s the overall vibe of the song lends itself to creating this sense of celebration and cathartic embodiment of freedom.

“He was on a airplane

Sittin’ next to this guy

Said he wasn’t too shy

And he seemed real nice

Until he found out he was gay

That’s so not mellow

Let’s get free…”

 

3.  “Free” by Jill Scott is yet another song titled “Free,” and it is more like a poem than a song.  Constructed of a series of similes that Jill utilizes to symbolize the feeling of free, the song is effective in creating imagery to evoke its theme.  Jill compares freedom to a host of different things, mostly related to nature, in this short but concisely crafty and insightful song.  It’s best if you just listen to it for yourself.

“Free like a willow tree

Free like a summer’s eve

Free like the waves are crashing

On the side on a solitary beach”

4.  “Freedom” by Brandy is also a song that, like P!nk’s “Free,” was left off an album.  It was recorded for her 2008 album, Human, but didn’t make the cut.  However, it is a great track that tackles this theme of freedom quite well.  While its lyrics are a bit vague and open to interpretation, it is a moving, full song with an epic sound.  There’s many possibilities as to what Brandy might be talking about.  It could be a personal, political or even love-related statement.  She refers to an “us” that doesn’t seem like simply a “me and you” kind of thing.  It almost feels like the song could be referencing civil rights and possibly even racism, at some points. Take a listen and decide for yourself.

“I see the cloaks on the judges

Flaws in the judgements

Beasts in the dungeon

That don’t scare me

And I’ll say it on a mountain

Say it all in public

Hold a press conference

To speak about my freedom, my freedom”

5.  “I Am Free” by Mariah Carey is a gospel-tinged song from one of her defining albums, 1995’s Daydream.  The song talks about how Mariah had once felt trapped, but it seems she is thanking God for helping to find a certain sense of freedom.  On this same album lies the song “Looking In,” in which she more vulnerably discusses how she felt trapped, as well.  Interestingly enough, the album to follow, 1997’s Butterfly (which, like The Velvet Rope, will be discussed on its anniversary in September) is considered to be Mariah’s first emancipation.  “I Am Free” is kind of a statement of her intentions before actually going for it with Butterfly in 1997.  She even references flight, a metaphor later continued on the song “Butterfly.”   See and hear the breakthrough below:

“Free to live

Free to laugh

Free to soar

Free to shine

Free to give

Free to love

Free enough to fly”

6.  “Free” by Destiny’s Child completes the list, of course… Michelle can’t be left out of an article she inspired!  “Free” is a song that Michelle always referenced as being her favorite song from Destiny’s Child’s final release, 2004’s Destiny Fulfilled.  On this track, the ladies revel in their freedom from a no good man.  It is a therapeutic song, that soulfully celebrates a newfound freedom after dealing with an oppressive relationship.  During the live performance, Beyoncé goes into a tangent, preaching “Ladies! Do you know what this song is about? This song is about truly feeling free.  You know you’re free when you finally find enough strength to tell that trifling, good for nothing man, you don’t want him, you don’t want him no more!”  It’s quite the hilarious little monologue, but it’s oh so empowering.  In July, Michelle performed the song during her set at the Essence Music Festival.  Check out both performances referenced below, as well as the lyrics to Michelle’s verse on the track.

“I gave you everything you wanted 

I gave you everything you needed

But you just didn’t do right

So baby I’m leaving

It feels good to be free”

Bonus:

Check out a clip of “Free,” from Michelle’s Journey to Freedom album in stores September 9th.

Other notable mentions:

The post Journey to Freedom, Week 1: Freedom appeared first on THE 97.

But for the first time ever, she took a “year off” (but not really; she was actually on tour and still promoting Daydream).  In July of 1997, Mariah dropped “Honey” and shocked the music world with a liberating “new” sound, and look.  Really, though, the sound wasn’t all that new for her … but read more on that here.

The song was a collaborative effort, written and produced by Mariah (of course) alongside Puff Daddy, Q-Tip and Stevie J.  For the first time, Mariah’s lead single was undeniably urban.  If you stripped away the vocals on “Honey,” you would think it was a hip-hop track, thanks to its two ’80’s hip-hop samples: “Hey DJ” and “The Body Rock.”   The remix featured guest raps from Ma$e and the LOX, who were fresh to the scene in ’97.  Of course, the guest rappers were relegated to the remix (she only won half the battle with the label this time), but “Honey” was still a defining moment for MC.

A large reason that “Honey” became so iconic was its video.  It was Mariah’s biggest production yet, and with MTV arguably at its height, every artist was trying to make great videos.  “Honey” was no different.  The video had a storyline that began with Mariah tied to a chair in a large, empty mansion, under interrogation by an older Italian man.  This storyline became quite controversial.

Why?  Because it created quite the parallel to her own life.  In real life, Mariah actually lived in a big mansion in upstate New York with her then-husband, Italian-American Tommy Mottolla (head of Sony Music at the time).  She later referred to their home as “Sing Sing,” nicknamed after an infamous prison also in upstate New York, because she was trapped and the only thing she was allowed to do, was sing.  At the time, she denied the comparisons and refuted any claims that it was related to her life.  However, the imagery insinuates otherwise.

After breaking free from her entrapment, Mariah jumps into a pool and strips out of her clothing to reveal a sexy new ensemble before running off to a remote island to be with a new, younger man.  This was compared to her budding relationship with New York Yankees star Derek Jeter.  Not long after the release of “Honey,” Mariah and Tommy announced their split and eventually divorced in 1998.  Shortly thereafter, Mariah and Derek became an item.

“Honey” is a pivotal moment in Carey’s career, not only because she had her third #1 debut on the Hot 100 with it, but because of the symbolic significance of the song.  She broke out of her shell, and experienced a metamorphosis… like a butterfly reborn from her cocoon prison.  She was finally allowed to show the world her true self: musically, visually, and personally.

And she never looked back.

We will explore the Butterfly album in greater depth beginning on September 16th, its 17th anniversary.

Bonus: the remix video!

The post Breaking Out of the Cocoon: A look back at the debut of Mariah Carey’s “Honey” appeared first on THE 97.