It’s been 20 years since Mariah Carey released "The Emancipation of Mimi" - the chart-dominating, career-redefining album that marked one of the most iconic comebacks in pop and R&B history. In this episode, Chris and Chantel Nicole go track by track through the 2005 classic, breaking down the vocals, production, lyrics, and legacy of each song. From "We Belong Together" to underrated deep cuts, we’re giving our brutally honest takes and asking: is this really her best album ever?
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- 0:00 - Intro
- 0:52 - "The Emancipation of Mimi" Album Info
- 2:07 - Album Cover
- 3:55 - "It's Like That"
- 10:30 - "We Belong Together"
- 18:46 - "Shake It Off"
- 23:53 - "Mine Again"
- 28:26 - "Say Somethin'" feat. Snoop Dogg
- 33:30 - "Stay The Night"
- 36:40 - "Get Your Number" feat. Jermaine Dupri
- 43:02 - "One and Only" feat. Twista
- 47:50 - "Circles"52:16 - "Your Girl"
- 46:10 - "I Wish You Knew"
- 1:00:40 - "To The Floor" feat. Nelly
- 1:03:43 - "Joy Ride"
- 1:07:44 - "Fly Like A Bird"
- 1:11:55 - Cut or Keep
- 1:14:10 - Overall Thoughts & Final Rating
References:
- “It’s Like That” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI2cwfluyNo&pp=ygUYbWFyaWFoIGl0J3MgbGlrZSB0aGF0IG12
- “We Belong Together” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0habxsuXW4g&pp=ygUcbWFyaWFoIHdlIGJlbG9uZyB0b2dldGhlciBtdg%3D%3D
- “Shake It Off” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZVdDl_asYY&pp=ygUWbWFyaWFoIHNoYWtlIGl0IG9mZiBtdg%3D%3D
- Calgon commercial https://youtu.be/WJsFvLBdOi0?si=FHAk30mlmbenq123
- Intel commercial https://youtu.be/gENKrali-6s?si=kMoeHNBgm5SuqpxZ
- “Say Somethin’” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yxHnAXZqhA&pp=ygUWbWFyaWFoIHNheSBzb21ldGhpbiBtdg%3D%3D
- “Get Your Number” MV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvoWWtynalI&pp=ygUZbWFyaWFoIGdldCB5b3VyIG51Ym1lciBtdtIHCQnYCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D
- “We Belong Together” and “Fly Like A Bird” Live at Grammys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aU3G8vTglw&pp=ygUZbWFyaWFoIGZseSBsaWtlIGEgYmlyZCBtdg%3D%3D
00:00:00 --> 00:00:11 She says it's not a comeback album, but let's be for real here. After the literal fallout after the glitter era, the emancipation of Mimi saved Mariah Carey's career. So let's get into it.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:36 We have reached over 4 subscribers on YouTube. Thank you all so much for joining the CCTV crew. And if you're on a podcast platform, make sure to give us that rating and follow. Please share the episode because it really helps us grow and get into the algorithm. And a big special shout out to our Patreon crew members, Emily, George, Lily, Julianne, Jonathan, Jasmine, Janelle, Darius, Ren, Hillary, TKO861, and Joelino.
00:00:36 --> 00:01:03 And if you would like to help us choose episode topics as well and contribute your own comments to our episodes as we go through track by track, come join us at Patreon at patreon.com slash cctvpops. Yeah, let's get into the emancipation of Mimi. So this album was released April 12, 2005 via Island Records and became Carrie's first album since Butterfly in 1997 to debut at number one in the U.S.,
00:01:03 --> 00:01:25 And this was the best-selling album of 2005 in the U.S., selling 4.8 million units in sales by the end of the year. And this sparked a major commercial and critical resurgence for Mariah after lower-performing releases. And Mariah saw it as a really personal project, wanting to connect more closely with the fans, hence the usage of her nickname Mimi in the title.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:50 And this album is primarily R&B with elements of hip-hop, soul, and gospel. And it features production and songwriting by Jermaine Dupri, the Neptunes, Kanye West, among others. And to celebrate Emancipation's 20th anniversary, it is time for a track-by-track where we will give our in-depth thoughts on the production, the vocals, highlight any standout performances, talk about the bass.
00:01:50 --> 00:02:06 visuals and of course drop our ratings as well and we want to learn about your thoughts too so drop those in the comments and rate the tracks along with us but be warned your discretion is advised your fave will be criticized
00:02:06 --> 00:02:31 Okay, so before we get into the album, we are going to talk about the album cover itself. I mean, coming from that glitter, her hair flying in the wind and the pink, now we have this dark album cover. And it was shot by the duo Marcus Klink and Intrani. And the team were known for their high-gloss photography. And they provide Mariah with visuals that showcased her standing tall and glowing face.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:41 Fully in her element, looking like the diva that she was reclaiming to be. What do you mean she's not a diva? What are you talking about? No, this is the perfect...
00:02:42 --> 00:03:02 like female pop star album cover. It's so glamorous. It's so goddess-like. She seems an otherworldly person. You know what I mean? Yeah. She's like this angel that has come down to grace us with her voice. I don't know. It's such an impactful and timeless album cover. It's so good.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:20 Yes, indeed. I think it's really nice. He looks really long. I know it's not so strange, but looking tall is very important to a lot of us ladies. It's like, I just want to look, you know, model-esque. It reminded me of one of those, like, America Next Top Model photo shoots where they edit it and the girls are standing. And the music goes...
00:03:20 --> 00:03:38 and they fade out and it's like you are America's Next Top Model. She's the winner. Alternatively, I think she looks great. I think it's a Roberto Cavalli dress, but I think alternatively in the ultra deluxe platinum. Lord, what a name. Yeah.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:55 It's a similar pose. It's just a dress is like kind of iridescent as opposed to that gold. But I think that gold was absolutely perfect. I love the gold. Yeah, it's great. But yes, let's hop into it because she looks very free is giving emancipation. So let's see what Mimi's all about.
00:03:55 --> 00:04:15 And we're going to start with the first track, It's Like That. And it's done by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel, CL, Jonta Austin, Joseph Simmons, Daryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. And all those names are because It's Like That samples Hollis Crew and Here We Go by Run DMC. And this was released as the lead single in...
00:04:15 --> 00:04:31 January 2005 and peaked at number 16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. And this actually features a music video directed by Brat Ratner. And it's part one of a two-part storyline continued in We Belong Together, where Mariah is the belle of the ball being surveyed by her lover.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:48 this man we'll say who is being played by eric roberts who was fine back in the day before she ran to her ex or some man played by wentworth miller and she uh i guess she has to choose one at the end but you don't really know what's happening until the next video
00:04:50 --> 00:05:05 This song, yeah. How do I love this one? Yeah, it's awesome. I mean, the production itself already is so good. Like the claps, the heavy bass, it just has a great groove to it all. I do think the pre-chorus is my favorite part of this song.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:31 Mm-hmm.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:55 it doesn't feel cheesy in any way like it actually feels quite i don't know like it kind of everyone can kind of get into it i think yeah um but yeah i think this has that kind of there's this element of a lot of like these kind of like hip-hop infused songs at that time yeah where it's like the hook is really catchy but it can get mildly annoying because it's so repetitive and
00:05:57 --> 00:06:06 You know what I mean? It's like, I really like it. It's like, yeah. But it's like, yeah, it's kind of right on that cusp.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:28 Really? That's so... For me. I don't think I've ever noticed. I don't think I've ever noticed. Like, even the end. Let's go now. What? Let's go now. Like, it's just like, Oh, let's go now. What? Let's go now. What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What? And it's like the same thing over and over again. It's like, they end it just as it's like, Okay, I'm good. What?
00:06:28 --> 00:06:57 Oh, you know what I mean? Fat Man Scoop yelling at the end. Yeah, I can understand that being... Oh, my God. Also, if you guys don't know who Fat Man Scoop is, he is kind of, like, known for his shouty things. Like, the Faith Evans, I never knew there was a love like this before. You guys heard it, you know? You got a $20 deal with your hands up. Like, he's the one yelling on the track. So, I get, like, why he's there to kind of raise the whole party vibe of it all. But I also understand your frustration with the repetitiveness of it. Right.
00:06:57 --> 00:07:25 I don't think it's a frustration. I think they managed it well. I think it really was on the borderline. Fatigue. It's literally like if they went another eight count, I'd be like over it. Okay, yeah. Wrong F. Definitely wrong F. I would say fatigue maybe. It's just like, okay. The beginning of it pans like the claps. And I love that. Because right off the bat, you're giving something kind of interesting. So shout out to Jermaine for that one. Go off, dude. All right. So this song...
00:07:25 --> 00:07:52 I enjoy it very thoroughly. I do not like the album cover for this one. I know it's kind of random, but like it does not fit the song at all. It looks like Charlie's Angel. Yeah, the single cover for this. I don't like it because it's giving like Charlie's one angel. It's whack. I kind of hate it. Yeah, like I kind of hate it. But like I said, the claps, Pan Left to Right, you know, Mariah's kicking off the Mimi
00:07:52 --> 00:07:56 you know, party. She's just like...
00:07:57 --> 00:08:25 It kind of fits with urban adult contemporary because it feels a little bit like mature, but it's also kind of smexy. I wouldn't say the track is vocally acrobatic, but that's the point. Mimi's using the whole restraint as a flex. This is the Mimi side. This isn't the whole, oh, who's that? I don't know her. It's more just like, I don't care to know her. Why are we talking about her at my party? The lyrics are definitely all vibes. Them chickens is ashen on lotion. I'm not.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:52 When I heard that when I was a kid, I was like, what does that mean? What does that mean? It's provocative. It gets the people going. But like literally instant meme before we had memes. It's a toast to moving on and knowing that you're the moment. And that's what the song's about. The video, though, as beautiful as she looks like in her little black dress. I actually have a similar dress. It's not black, but it's like colorful. It's like kind of like it goes around the chest and it opens in the middle and then flows down. I got the same dress. Yeah.
00:08:52 --> 00:09:08 You know, I love the way she looks. She has the, you know, the middle part with the honey, the honey extensions and stuff. She looks really good and golden. She's rubbing her elbow because she's not ash anymore. I hate that she's being watched the way she was being watched. It was so creepy. Yeah.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:30 I mean, if you think about who she kind of came from and what she kind of was probably trying to portray in the video, her past relationship, it doesn't seem strange. It seems kind of like autobiographical to a certain extent. You know, like, do you like the video? I love the video. I think the whole masquerade situation is fun. That's not what you would...
00:09:30 --> 00:09:55 think of you know yeah this type of song so it kind of adds a classiness to it which is interesting also it's fun to peep harry shum jr as a dancer here with his like braids i thought that was hilarious shout out to him yeah you know we love a little tease a little to be continued at the end that whole like slow-mo wentworth miller reveals oh my god dramatic
00:09:57 --> 00:10:17 I mean, he was one of the it guys at that time. Great choice. I was about to say, he definitely was like the, you know, the man of the hour at the time. So shout out for that. Yeah, I would say, look, this is not my favorite Mariah song. I like it, but I think she has so much more in her discography. So I give this one an eight. Yeah.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:31 Ooh, you know what? I like this one. It's kind of upbeat and it's giving what some other tracks try to do a little bit later. So I'm going to give it the nine and then let the other scores kind of fill the way out.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:50 Next up is We Belong Together, done by Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seyal, Janta Austin. And there are also credits from Babyface, Bobby Womack, Darnell Bristle, Sidney Dwayne, Patrick Moten, and Sandra Sully. And this is due to the interpolations of the deals, two occasions, and Bobby Womack's If You Think You're Lonely Now.
00:10:50 --> 00:11:19 And this was the second single from the album released in March 2005. And it spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. And it was named Billboard's Song of the Decade. And the music video was directed by Brett Ratner and continues that love triangle from the It's Like That music video where Mariah is preparing to marry Eric Roberts' character that is whisked away by her true love. Well, hopefully true love. New love. Other love. Played by Wentworth Miller.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:53 What do you think of the song of the decade? Song of the decade is hilarious. You know what? This isn't just a ballad. It's a thesis statement. We belong together. We should be together. I think the whole minimalist piano and barely there beat allowed Mariah to do what she could only do. It's like belt of breakup like it's an Olympic sport. I think this isn't a good amalgamation of what she's good at. She's good at finding...
00:11:53 --> 00:12:09 She and her team, people she work with, they are good at finding melodies or words or productions from yesteryear and tying it in very brilliantly into tracks where you can see her influences.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:31 And you can kind of see where she is drawing a vocal inspiration and lyrical inspiration as well. Like lyrically, it is soap opera level melodrama, like melodrama. It's like, when you left, I lost a part of me. And then you have those references with Bobby Womack and Babyface's songwriting with The Deal.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:52 Where Bobby's song, If You Think You're Lonely Now, it's like one of the saddest songs. If you think you're lonely now, wait until tonight. It's like, I'm not coming home. It's really sad. The song is so like, this man is sped up with this woman. But yeah, this is the kind of R&B that influenced a decade's worth of singing competition auditions, like for better or worse.
00:12:53 --> 00:13:14 It is what it is. But if you're attempting to sing this song, if you see this on the list of any kind of wedding or TV show, it's like you better sing the crap out of it or the audition is going to be so bad. It's hilarious. Either way, this song is really hard. And even me, like when I tried to sing it in my car, belting it, I can't do. But like singing that last song,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:41 When you left the last chorus, it's so hard. Like, diaphragmatically speaking, I felt my—I was like, oh, my God, this hurts. Like, my throat didn't hurt. It's the constant—it's the consistent pressure and making sure you're belting out the proper notes, not going flat. Like, that part is really tough to sing. Like, when she does it live, honey, it is so difficult. Like, her singing it live at the Good Morning America show.
00:13:41 --> 00:14:02 It's iconic because it's too, her face is giving, it's too early for this ish. But it's hard. It's, you have to have that consistent pressure when you're breathing, trying to strain your, you're not trying to make your voice, your throat too tight and keep your mouth wide open. It's a lot going on. And then she has a nerve to belt at the end. Like you're sick.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:29 Yeah, I mean, she does tend to now lip that last chorus, but understandably. Yeah. Because you're right. It is extremely difficult. And I've heard many a horrific karaoke rendition of this. That's so funny. Yeah. But, you know, of course, everyone talks about that last chorus, but even the rest of it, the breath control that you need, like in that second verse and stuff, it's so hard. It's actually a really difficult song to sing. Yeah.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:43 It is. Oh, my God. And while we're talking about the live versions, I do love, though, that she's now switched up the too deep, too deep, too deep. Yeah. Instead of the, you know, no more changing the station. She's just more too deeps. I'm here for it.
00:14:43 --> 00:15:01 um yeah this is a genuinely perfect song like this being referred to as I guess the best song of that entire decade yeah yeah not bad I can't disagree with that honestly I can't think of what came out that year yeah
00:15:01 --> 00:15:17 I mean, the decade, though. Not even the year, the decade, you know? Yeah. That's insane. But yeah, the production is so beautifully done. Like, it doesn't have too many elements. You get that clap beat. You get the heavy bass drum. It's kind of a simple...
00:15:17 --> 00:15:45 or not I won't say simple because it's quite a beautiful melody actually but oh yes I think because there's so few elements with like then you have then the piano and the guitar and stuff it really stands out and it all feels very intimate yeah and it it also doesn't really build in any way it's really Mariah's vocal that's the one building it and kind of keeping the structure of it uh and then the way the background vocals are mixed as well with the kind of ethereal effect on them that's kind of all the multi-layering and stuff yeah
00:15:45 --> 00:16:10 Just the production is beautiful. Yeah. And yeah, her vocal delivery, I mean, it's Mariah Carey, so I feel like you can kind of say this for every single song. Yeah. But you can really hear the emotion and the thought and how every single word is executed. And in this case, you can really hear the longing. You can hear the regret. It sounds vulnerable. Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:31 everything's enunciated well, you know. Yeah, articulation. Yeah, because, you know, we talk about a lot of this now with a newer artist. There's a lot of mumbling and stuff going on now. I feel like a lot of the artists now, just stylistically, that's just like what it is. And with this, it's like, oh my God, you can understand every single word, you know. Yeah. And you can feel the emotion behind it.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:54 Um, so yeah, I think this, this deserves the title. You know, sometimes people get accolades and you're like, really? But this one is not that. Like, this one fully deserves it. And the music video is also iconic as well. Oh my god, yes. Apparently she was wearing her wedding dress when she got married to Tommy in that video. So she was like, well...
00:16:54 --> 00:17:09 Yeah. She was wearing her wedding dress in the mirror. I know. So I'm going to, she said it like this. She was like, well, basically I feel like we should just get like double, you know, multiple uses out of it. She didn't say like that, but I was pretending to sound like her. But you guys know how she talks when she's just like,
00:17:09 --> 00:17:31 It wasn't like I was trying to, you know, be pointed. But yeah. So basically, she kind of gave us an Easter egg and was like, I'm running away from this man that I'm marrying. Wearing the dress that I ran away from a man that I married. And you know what's so funny? I think at the time, like, rumored have it. I could be. Listen, this is just chisme. I'm just being kind of like chismosa. But listen, isn't Derek Jeter like the guy that she dated after Tommy? Yeah.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:52 Right? It was Derek Jeter. I don't remember the whole timeline, so maybe, yeah. I think it was Derek Jeter, because, like, the whole, like, my all. People were like, oh, my God, he inspired this song. So Derek Jeter is biracial, y'all. I'm not sure if y'all know this, but his name is biracial. Wentworth Miller is also biracial. So I think it's so funny that she was like, oh, yeah, let me just get...
00:17:53 --> 00:18:13 Let me get another biracial to play this biracial boyfriend of mine. But yeah, I think the whole Mariah running away with the dress with the man that was just younger and cared about her and saved her from that whole disaster of a wedding is amazing. I love the drama. I'm here for it.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:43 Yeah. I mean, look, I'm one of those people who sings a terrible version at karaoke. And this one usually has the real music video. So I've seen this music video so many times. And every time, like that whole moment when Wentworth comes to like, whisker away. It's so beautiful. Yeah. So yeah. You're right. What an iconic song. It is. So that being said, the scores are pretty obvious here. I think it's a 10 for...
00:18:43 --> 00:19:04 the both of us. Oh yeah. Definitely a 10. Up next is Shake It Off. And this was done by Mariah, Jermaine Dupri, Brian Michael Cox, and Jonta Austin. And this was the third single released in July 2005. And it peaked at number two on the Hot 100 coming after We Belong Together. So basically, she blocked herself from hitting number one. What a problem to have. What a problem to have.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:27 she secured both spots um and this music video was directed by jake nava and features mariah walking away from a relationship in glam fashion you know just leaving the situation that she's in um and this video is actually nominated for best r&b music video at the 2006 mtv video music award
00:19:28 --> 00:19:45 Oh, I love Shake It Off. Like, the groove of this is so good. I feel like this whole style of production, I guess that Jermaine was kind of heading at this time, where it is quite minimal. And that's why every element is... But then every element is perfect.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:58 So even though there's only a few main elements throughout it, every element is so well thought out. I love how subtle the beat is here. I think the chord progression is cool. It's quite simple here.
00:19:58 --> 00:20:26 And yeah, I think this again has that kind of nonchalant vibe that it's like that had. But the melody is a bit warmer. There's more of an energy to it. This was a bit more chill. And the way Mariah used the different tones in her voice, it's such a masterclass in this song. She knows when to push it a bit, when to go into the blend, when to go into the head voice a little bit, when to crack a little bit. It's always fun listening to her choices because you know that there was thought put behind it.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:39 Yes. Oh my gosh. You know, I did have to look up what the Calgon commercial was as I was not alive at the time. But now that I know what it is, what a reference.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:58 Dude, can I tell you something? I thought she was saying, like a cab on commission, I really gotta... I thought she was saying, like a cab on commission. It makes sense. That works too. To have... I really need to get up out of here and go somewhere. So I thought the cab was like, come on, the meter's running. But when she said like a Calgon commercial...
00:20:58 --> 00:21:26 Yes. Apparently, they were looking for a line, and I think one of the producers, either Jermaine Dupri or something like that, suggested, like, we need something to take me away. The Calgon phrase for, like, their tagline was, take me away. Calgon, like, my mom knows what Calgon is, you know? So it was, like, take me away. So it makes sense, but it is a little bit of an older reference. And then on top of that, I heard, like, a cab on commission. So...
00:21:27 --> 00:21:49 think i was never gonna get it right yeah oh yeah for sure if you don't know what she's talking about like you would never get that word right for sure oh absolutely yeah but um yeah i think this is um if we belong together is like crying in the bathroom shake it off is like texting your girls and going out but like leaving the breakup on the voicemail because when she says i'm gonna call the machine right back
00:21:50 --> 00:22:16 I respect that. She said, listen, I don't care if you didn't hear the phone. I'm going to leave this long-winded message. But yeah, I think Jermaine brings this breezy bounce. And she gives the most, I'm really like dating the song. Because it was made like in the 2000s, right? Where AIM was king. So like, it's like an AIM away message worthy line. It's like, I got to shake you off because the love ain't the same. Keep on playing games. Like, you know, I'm here to stay.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:34 But yeah, her vocals, she sounds very unbothered, even though she's listing everything at the pool, at the beach. You know, I think that's so just like, OK, whatever, you're doing it like whatever. And at the end is like, who? Who?
00:22:34 --> 00:23:04 It just kind of ends really chill. The one time she raises her voice is at the end, where she's like, I'm actually really done. Yes. But that's, again, like you said, a testament to her dynamics in the song. Love the video. I think because the beat sounds so much like lip gloss, it's kind of, it's smooth. It's shiny. It's a little bit sparkly. It's early 2000s perfection in that sense. But then the video also looks glossy. She sparkles here and there, like,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:28 The Mimi signs Barkles. She's with Chris Tucker of all people. It's so funny to me in that car. Um, you know, I just, yeah, she's taking a shower. She looks really glossy. She looks exactly the way she does in the album cover. Very airbrush. And honestly, easy breezy, beautiful colored girl. Give it to me. Yes, it does read kind of like an extended, yeah, beauty commercial. But I'm not mad at it.
00:23:28 --> 00:23:53 like all the scenes are pretty great right like you have the bathtub and nothing lasts too long either yeah she's only in the bathtub for like a couple lines and then you kind of move on and you're kind of like going through her day with her a little bit yeah uh so yeah i'm here for this video it's great i get the nomination i understand yes indeed indeed okay so i give this one a nine same i give it annoying as well okay
00:23:54 --> 00:24:11 Now we have Mine Again, done by Mariah Carey and James Poyser. And this peaked at number 73 on Billboard's R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2006. And the song was also used in an Intel commercial.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:36 This is such a classic R&B song. And I know, like, if you're a Mariah fan and you're, like, retrospectively listening to this album, you're like, oh, my God. Like, she's always loved R&B. But if you think about where she came from, she kind of didn't get a chance to really show much of that. So, like...
00:24:36 --> 00:24:51 you know, after the breakup, thank goodness, um, and the divorce. She was able to do that so much more. And then this one is very simple, very minimal. It's just Mariah doing Mariah, no gimmicks. It's just her, some churchy piano, and vocals that climb Mount Everest. Mm-hmm.
00:24:51 --> 00:25:11 It builds a house there, and then it belts from the rooftop even still. Like, if you ever doubted that the Whistle Note Queen could still deliver vocally, this shuts it down. It's like, I've never left. And the other three tracks, they were cute. I mean, we belong together somewhere near a queue. But the other ones, I'm kind of laid back. But this one is just the straight up buzz.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:24 Belting in the chorus. Belting over here. Belting over there. Like this song is like classic R&B. Where the vocalist would be singing down. Okay. It sounds like almost like 90s.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:54 It sounds a little bit like 90s. It doesn't sound too 2000s. Like, I think 2000s after where I started kind of incorporating a little bit more neo-soul and this didn't hit that just then. And I think with the, it sounds so classic because it even has like flute trills here and there and other instruments that make it sound a little bit more vintage. And I think that's what makes me appreciate it even more. And even the way it's mixed, it doesn't sound like a pop mix. You know, it sounds like a warmer vocal. So I appreciate that too. So yeah, I think,
00:25:54 --> 00:26:07 Whew. Gosh. The emotions in this track is very well articulated. And when I heard this, I was like, oh my God, right? This is so good. She's so good.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:25 Yeah, honestly, listening to this alone makes my vocal cords hurt. Makes my mouth and throat tired. This song is crazy. Obviously, I could see why it was nominated for a Grammy. I don't even know what else was nominated that year, but this should have won.
00:26:26 --> 00:26:55 Oh my God. Yeah. If it was her best R&B, traditional R&B performance, who the hell performed better than this? That's what I'm saying. Like, it's so good. Like, it's so good. And yeah, I agree with you. I love the kind of retro production of it with the horns, the orchestral elements. There's that kind of crackle in the beginning too. So that kind of sounds like you're listening to an old record. So yeah, I love that they chose a more kind of organic approach to this one because it really then...
00:26:55 --> 00:27:17 Yeah, the vocal delivery. Oh, my God. That is just insane. And the bridge, too. It's so satisfying. It sounds so desperate. This is a great song. By the way, I looked it up at the 2006 Grammy Awards. The award for best traditional R&B vocal performance went to none other than Aretha Franklin for her rendition of A House Is Not Old.
00:27:17 --> 00:27:47 Oh. Okay, suddenly. Okay, fine. Okay. What else was nominated that year? Yeah, right. Oh, okay. Let me eat my words then. That is so funny. But you know what? Honestly. Never mind. This is why I love our show because like in real time, we're like, why is this like this? Oh, wait. That's why. Anita Baker, Meredith Blige, Sam Moore. Okay. Strong list. Who gets nominated in that category now? Oh.
00:27:50 --> 00:28:06 Okay, so it was really hard for me to score this because there's other... Oh, stop. No, don't say that. Please don't. It's hard because We Belong Together is like a 10, obviously. And there are other 10s for me on this album. Yeah. So I'm going to put this right under and do 9.5.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:25 I hate that you provided that perspective. How would you do that? Oh, no. That's just how I'm thinking about it. That's valid. I did give it a 10. So I feel like in terms of it being like a classic R&B, valid on the track without like any kind of samples and stuff like that, like a pure kind of situation. I'll give it the 10. I'll give it the 10.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:52 Up next is Say Something featuring Snoop Dogg. And this was done by Mariah Carey, The Neptunes, and Snoop Dogg. And this was a single released in April 2006 and peaked at number 79 on the Hot 100. And the music video directed by Paul Hunter was shot in Paris. And the video portrays Mariah and Pharrell enjoying the high-life, complete with flirting, shopping, and evading paparazzi with a little cameo with Snoop Dogg in there, you know, doing his thing.
00:28:56 --> 00:29:24 It really is amazing how signature the Neptune's production is. You can hear it the second it starts. It's kind of crazy. Four beats, right? How signature it is. Yeah. It's all the snare hits. And even just the way they incorporate the different electronic moments throughout it. It's just so... Yeah, it's so signature. It's so cool, actually. Absolutely. Yeah, this one's a fun one. The energy's good. Even though it's like... The energy of the track is good, but then it's all kind of chill, too. Yeah.
00:29:24 --> 00:29:44 Yes. With the delivery of it. Like, you already know you're attracted to someone, and it's mutual. So you don't need to try that hard to seduce or convince them of anything. It's just confident. You know, if you want something, say something. Like, you know I'm going to say yes already, so let's just go for it kind of thing. So it's flirty without being...
00:29:44 --> 00:30:05 like too pushy yeah i don't yeah just it's not doing the most it's kind of just like yeah yeah yeah i think that's cool as a concept um and yeah snoops versus fun you know he's kind of matching the energy there too where he's also kind of like not trying too hard so i think it works um yeah i like this one what do you think
00:30:05 --> 00:30:24 you know what? I've always liked this song. And to find out that it peaked at number 79 is bananas. I think it's still like, I am so mad. But then again, like by that time, the album was already out. So if you think about it, people are just like, okay, we belong together. It was still dominating. Apparently,
00:30:24 --> 00:30:53 Oh my gosh. Like, this, I get it. The Neptunes has a certain kind of sound, and this song specifically is kind of in line with the whole chill, loosey-goosey Mimi, you know, where I'm just like, I'm just having fun Mimi, right? Because it sounds like a little bit of a detour that sounds more like a runway in Paris than like, it fits perfectly on R&B radio. Like, could it have gone on it? Yeah, sure. But in terms of the sonic, it's almost like...
00:30:54 --> 00:31:19 I don't know. I don't, even now, like, listening to it, I don't even hear it on the radio. Like, someone's just trying to do, like, a throwback Mariah track, right? Like, you know, Thrill's had, like, this icy synth. And then, you know, Mariah's fluttering, as she usually does. And then you have Snoop's low draw. It just all equals a vibe over the structure. Like, not that the structure is completely, like, all over the place and amorphous. It's just, it's not a single that's going to hit.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:43 Really, it's cute if you're like in a luxury boutique or like maybe if you're at a lounge or maybe if you're watching like an American Next Top Model kind of like photoshoot moment. It's not a big single compared to like the quote unquote club-ish tracks that like I like that. You know what I'm saying? I do love the lyrics like you and me screams organic like the stars and planets. Yeah, we are.
00:31:43 --> 00:32:02 You know, I know the words. And then Snoop Dogg with Lady follows me to the restroom. Like, there's something so fun. Like, there's something fun about this mild situationship that's being explained in the song where both parties are kind of like, yeah. And even in the music video, it's giving very much Louis Vuitton ad
00:32:02 --> 00:32:24 you know and it's so crazy now pharrell is like one of their career directors but um it's giving the ad because she's the trunks are in the video they're decked out in levy thon uh they're in paris you know her and pharrell are kind of flirting and she's flipping her hair looking at her like everything was just so ooey gooey yeah because of that i think it wasn't like smacking your face it's a little too ooey gooey i still love this song though
00:32:24 --> 00:32:47 I still love you. I still love you. Yeah, I get what you mean. Like, it's not the most memorable compared to a lot of her other stuff. So, yeah. Yeah. Not the most impactful. But yeah, I also still really enjoy it. And the music video is fun. Like, her and Pharrell are pretty hot together, actually. Yes. The actual video, like, in terms of what the setting and stuff is, it's like not the most interesting. But I like the dynamic between the two of them, at least.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:59 Yes, absolutely. I think it feels natural. It didn't feel like she was like, don't touch me. Thanks. Okay, so what score do you give this track? I think mine's kind of obvious at this point.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:29 I'll give it a nine. I'll give it a nine too. We haven't really mentioned a lot of the 20th anniversary remixes, but did you hear the Solange remix with us? I did. I did. It's cool. Yeah, it's not like Beyonce was on it for a second. I was like, y'all voices sound so similar. And the drum track is really kind of funky. So I think that's really interesting. But yeah, I'm excited to keep going and reveal my higher scores, but this one didn't get it. Okay. Okay.
00:33:29 --> 00:33:41 Now we have Stay the Night done by Mariah Jermaine Dupri, Kanye West, Tom Bell, and Linda Creed. And this sample is Betcha by Golly Wow by Ramsey Lewis and Who's in the House by The45King.
00:33:45 --> 00:34:00 Yes. Can I tell you, I love Betcha by Golly. Wow. It's such a good song. It's so romantic. But yeah, taking this Betcha by Golly. Wow. And like flipping it into a smoky, slightly chaotic slow jam.
00:34:02 --> 00:34:29 Mariah's vocals are passionate but frayed and it's purposeful, which I appreciate because it's like she's kind of whacking her brain over reliving something with someone. But it seems like the reason she's having a hard time with it is because they only want to be with her for the purpose of physical intimacy instead of rekindling. Yeah. So I do appreciate the realness of the track and I do wonder who it was about because
00:34:29 --> 00:34:52 Not that Mariah Carey has to tell us anything, but I do enjoy the, you know, when you date me, everything is copy versions of her songs. I love it. Oh, my girl. Who are you talking about? I want to know. Yes. Yeah, I did listen to her audio book, which is amazing. I would highly recommend. Lucky. But I don't remember. Yeah, the whole timeline of it is fuzzy for me. So I guess I just need to listen to it again.
00:34:52 --> 00:35:11 But yeah, I think the production on this is cool, right? Because you have that sample and the way that it's looped and everything. It's kind of both retro, but also modern. And yeah, it's cool. Who's in the house sample is a little bit more random. I'm not mad at it, but it's just an interesting choice there.
00:35:11 --> 00:35:38 I actually love the backing vocals and harmonies in this one like some really delicate ones and yeah they're fun to listen to for me there's like that harmonized whistle note in there which is interesting which is very impressive but yeah this one is vocally tough like it's high it's a lot of melting yeah and the ad libs at the end too are like they just keep getting harder and harder yeah
00:35:39 --> 00:36:00 Yeah, yeah. I like the acapella ending. Yeah, I think it's always kind of interesting with her songs where the lyrics are, you know, there's definitely a conflict there, but then the vibe is kind of chill and there's still kind of a sexiness there. So, yeah, I think that whole dynamic is interesting.
00:36:00 --> 00:36:30 um yeah i like this one it's not a favorite for me on this album but i like it yeah what do you think yeah i think the same same i think because it's like kind of till then suddenly she starts like kind of you know going off uh i'm gonna give it a seven playing five because it's just okay like don't get me wrong i will never rate her vocals anything below 100 out of 10 you know but like yeah she exceeds expectations she exceeds in the studio off so let's not like oh my god you
00:36:30 --> 00:36:52 we're talking about the song itself. It's okay for me. It's not too bad, but for me, it's just like, eh, eh, eh. Okay. Yeah, I'll give it an eight. Up next is Get Your Number featuring Jermaine Dupri. And this was done by Mariah Jermaine, Brian Michael Cox, John to Austin, Elle Rock, Ashley Ingram, Lee John, Toey Swain, and Steve Jolly. And,
00:36:52 --> 00:37:20 And because of the samples from Just an Illusion by Imagination and We Got the Knees by Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame, there are those extra names that you guys may not be familiar with. And this was a single released in October 2005, and it peaked at number nine on the UK singles chart. So it was released internationally and in the US as well. And Nelly is not featured, although Jermaine is doing his best impression. Oh, my gosh. I'm not sure it was his best impression. Yes. But I thought it was him. And I was like, boy, Machu, can you sue for that? Yeah.
00:37:25 --> 00:37:44 I know, I was like, dang, you really just stole his style completely. His whole flow. Yeah. And then we'll get to Nelly's feature later, but like, he literally sounds like Jermaine sounds more like Nelly in this song than Nelly sounds like Nelly into the floor. Yes. The music video is directed by Jake Nava and it features Mariah and the D.
00:37:44 --> 00:38:05 dance heavy neon lit nightclub setting she's not dancing but everyone's kind of getting their groove on and michael ely is the quintessential love interest during this time yeah we did talk about him and our uh bead not b day our i am sasha fierce album review so make sure you check that out in our comments about him in this video yeah
00:38:05 --> 00:38:30 Yeah, I really like the production on this. It is so funky. And yes, while Jermaine is doing his best impression, I mean, it's a good, I mean, I think it's a pretty good impression. It's super catchy. I love the structure of it. And the way they did the whole structure of the song, you know, it's kind of like the rap songs where the feature is singing the chorus, right? So I think that's cool.
00:38:30 --> 00:38:43 And yeah, the whole story of the song is fun. You know, oh, crap, the club is about to close. Let me get your number. Like that just as a concept is fun, right? And now you get a little bit more overtly flirty.
00:38:43 --> 00:39:09 Oh, yeah. And again, Mariah just sounds so confident. Like, good for, like, she, I mean, I guess it makes sense because she's Mariah Carey. Yeah. But it's the little things, like that little talkie bit before the chorus. Oh, my God, yes. You know, where it's something different from the album, from the rest of the album. And yeah, like, she, again, just sounds so confident there. I don't love, the bridge feels like a little lazy here, I will admit. Yeah.
00:39:10 --> 00:39:37 Yeah, I was like, oh, you couldn't think of something here. But I like the song as a whole. That's so funny. The Virgis is giving, like, minimal. Yeah. I think maybe they're kind of giving, like, that whole, like, whispering in your ear kind of, like, just trying to, like, have it be a little bit laid back. You know? It's just like, I'm luring you in. I don't know. I'm trying to make an excuse for a very lazy Virg. Yeah.
00:39:37 --> 00:40:07 I think sampling imagination was done well here. It makes it sound funky and kind of groovy and almost a little bit like, what time is this from? I think the other parts of the production kind of make it more current as well, so it doesn't feel super retro. And I feel like with Mariah and Janet, they have like the best flip samples. I mean, if you think about Janet with, you know, Someone to Call My Lover or even Son of a Gun, like the samples there, like, wow, that's great. I didn't think about flipping the song like that.
00:40:07 --> 00:40:25 This song is again gloss popping sun kick. This song is very like gloss popping sidekick phone in ham. Like you know you flip it up and go let me text you real quick. It's disco light meets so so dev and Mariah is almost shouting.
00:40:25 --> 00:40:54 But it's less shouting and she's more just like confidently approaching the guy, you know, in a way that doesn't feel super coy and is not lazy. Like she kind of goes anywhere where she's kind of giving you something, something. But yeah, Jermaine on this track cracks me up because he, boy, you really did try that Nelly thing. And the way he comes in just reminds me so much of MySpace. Like when the song just plays when you're on the page. Like I could hear someone using this as their sound. Yeah.
00:40:54 --> 00:41:10 That's funny. Think about it. Like, it's just... It sounds... I hate that he really did sit here and was like, yo, let me try to sound like Nelly. It's effective. But yeah, her lyrics...
00:41:10 --> 00:41:38 You are so confident. Like she says, how many times in your life will you get an opportunity like this? Like word. You're so lucky. Like I live my life with this. I should have this on my theme song. I wish I could. I wish I could have this confidence. It's impressive. For sure. You know what? Let me know if you want a little bit of it. Because me, when I'm out, I'm like, yeah, no, I would hurt you. I would break your heart. I was like, what? I'm like, yeah, no, stop. You get my Instagram. Never the number now.
00:41:39 --> 00:42:01 that or i'm just like um no no thank you you know i got a theme song okay so what did you think of the music video i think the whole like card the cards being revealed to be the whole phone number by the end i thought that was like a fun through line um i did also love the giant phone sculpture as well
00:42:01 --> 00:42:23 Yes. Yeah. Otherwise, it's fine. Works. It is fine. It's okay. The little, you know, what's called? Scavenger hunt from the number? Yeah. Cute. Real cute. The giant phone? Love that. Yeah. Budget. I will say there was definitely a lot. What happens to these giant sculptures after these music videos? Destruction or auctions? Yeah.
00:42:24 --> 00:42:32 I think there should be like a pop music museum that buys all these music video props and then you can recreate these sets.
00:42:32 --> 00:42:58 Oh my, honey! Y'all heard it here first. If you see it happening. How is that not in LA? You know what I mean? How is that not there? They do that for the movie studios. You're so right. Because everyone acts like music's not important. And then they realize like when there's no music in a restaurant or when there's no music during your workout, everything sucks. So remember this, when you guys don't have this museum and you throw this giant phone in the garbage. Oh, no. Okay, so I give this one an eight.
00:42:59 --> 00:43:16 Yes, I'll match you. I'll give it an 8. Okay, next up is One and Only featuring Twista. This was done by Mariah Carey, Twista, and the legendary trackster. And this collaboration came about due to a discussion Mariah and Twista had about the beat and how it actually was supposed to be for him.
00:43:20 --> 00:43:49 Yes. Yeah. Also, we have to shout out that our patron, Darius, mentioned that this whole album really helped and shaped him through his teen years. But one and only, both parts one and two, were his most played songs on the album. So, yes. And if you'd like to hear us talk about part two, you got to join us on Patreon because we're doing an exclusive bonus episode where we talk about all the bonus tracks on this album. And that actually includes a huge hit single in this case, too.
00:43:49 --> 00:44:08 Oh my god, that's so true. Come join us over there for part two of this review. Yes. But what do you think of one and only? You know what? Mariah and Twista make a surprisingly smooth duo. And I don't like that I'm using the word surprisingly because I feel like Mariah is very calculated in terms of
00:44:08 --> 00:44:26 what she wants when she has a feature, right? It's very rare that she does a rap feature and it was just like, you know, oh, we're both on the same label. Let's just do it. The production is like syrupy and slow and it gives her space to like build these runs while she's,
00:44:26 --> 00:44:44 You know, just kind of doing her little... Her little vocal trills. And then you have Twisted sprinting across the beat, and then he slows down. And he sprints some more, and he slows down. But even with their fast rap, fast singing situation, it's still sultry. It really does feel like...
00:44:44 --> 00:45:01 a track that you may not actually pay attention to and then you come back to when you're like hang on actually it's not bad um i do love the vocal doubles in this song um i think the way she layers her um her high and her low vocals are great i think um
00:45:01 --> 00:45:21 I appreciate that she adopted Twista's flow so that when he did come on, it didn't feel so jarring that he was kind of doing this rapid fire rapping that he's known for. I think in terms of like her discography, this song and the way she mimics his flow reminds me of Breakdown with the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Because like she kind of...
00:45:21 --> 00:45:37 Followed their melodic structure. And they're known for being very melodic as a rap group as well. I think I like the back and forth that Shane Twista have here a little bit more. Because it feels like an actual collab. Because nowadays, honey...
00:45:37 --> 00:45:57 it is just it doesn't most collabs don't even feel like you know they talked about it and it was like let's play with the production after you hop on it it's just this feels good it feels organic and like i said it does remind me of breakdown i think i do like that song a little bit more this is not bad i will say that but breakdown is so damn good yeah
00:45:58 --> 00:46:18 Yeah, I love that you called out how Mariah really thinks about her features. And it's a true collaboration. I think now she gets more credit for it, you know, but she really was, you know, one of the key or was the key kind of artist that was trying to really unite these two worlds. Yeah.
00:46:18 --> 00:46:34 And so, yeah, I think I think it's you're right, like the way that she thinks about it and how she tries to really combine kind of the best of both people or both, you know, types of music, I guess. I think that's cool.
00:46:34 --> 00:46:59 And yeah, I think the whole dynamic is fun, you know, like with Mariah saying she wants the genuine love, but Twista, he kind of acknowledges he's open to change, but he's also kind of defensive and frustrated by the whole situation as well. Like, I think that whole dynamic is interesting and it's fun to listen to the lyrics, actually. And yeah, my main callout was kind of the same as yours, that doubling the octave for Mariah. Yeah.
00:46:59 --> 00:47:29 is awesome. I actually do love Mariah's lower tone. I think especially with the earlier stuff, she's known for the big belts and stuff. Her lower tone is beautiful. It's so raspy and it has such a has so much body to it. It's great. And yeah, the actual track as well is nice. It's got a nice groove to it. I think this is another one where I wouldn't say it's a huge highlight from this album, but I like it when it comes on. So because of that, I will give it an 8.
00:47:29 --> 00:47:57 you know i think i i don't want to unfairly um match it up to breakdown because breakdowns it is breakdowns breakdown and it wasn't single for a reason um so yeah i will match you i did give it a 7.5 originally but i i can meet you where you are because i don't think it deserves that quote unquote low of a score at all so moving right along we're going into circles and this was done by james big jim wright and mariah oh circles
00:48:03 --> 00:48:21 how i love thee i okay so this was kind of one of the reasons this song was one of the reasons i did not give um mine again oh a 10 yeah because i'm gonna spoil it now i have to give this a 10
00:48:21 --> 00:48:48 Yeah, it's okay. I think I'm getting like, not including the singles. There's more spoiling. I think this is my favorite song on this album. Stop. Yeah, I love it. Like every single aspect of it, the production. It's all live musicians here and you can feel it. Like it's so warm. It's so, it's just so beautifully done. And the melody. Oh, it's just, it's so soulful.
00:48:49 --> 00:49:13 I don't even know how else to describe it. Like, it's just such a perfect melody. And it, like, really, like, I feel it, like, in my body, like, whenever I hear this song. Like, that's how good it is. And every good song, I feel like, like, you want it to affect you, you know? Yes. And this one totally has that. And then when you listen to the vocal performance as well,
00:49:14 --> 00:49:34 like the way the intensity builds like every chorus has different nuances and the way she's delivering it there's like little extra runs and little changes that she makes throughout it um oh like this is such an amazing song it deserves it should have been a single like it deserves all the attention possible
00:49:34 --> 00:49:55 Yeah. You know what, dude? You know what? I agree. Like, this is the heartbreak with the side of piano. You know? I think she's always been very good at, like, a ballad. Like, I don't think I have a song in my mind that I can, like, readily identify, like, oh, yeah, she tried it. And, like, yeah, you can sing, girl, but saying it, she knows how to just...
00:49:55 --> 00:50:20 just do the bare minimum like again and there's no samples in this one it's just she knows what she's good at she incorporates a lot of her influences as well um and i think as i'm as i'm as i'm getting older and kind of like listening back to some of her older stuff because like if you think about pop songwriting there's a couple names you think you think of um linda perry diane warren it's very rarely that you go the song the singer is also the songwriter
00:50:20 --> 00:50:43 Because, like, Whitney could sing, but she wasn't really writing her tracks. Mariah was writing a lot. And it's like, you're in it. Here it is. It hits hard if you are in what she's singing about. If you've experienced what she's singing about. And even if you don't know what, like, haven't experienced it. She's almost like a writer that you can empathize with because she articulates the thoughts so well. Yes.
00:50:43 --> 00:50:58 And spells it out in a way where it's like H-U-R-T-S. It hurts. Oh my God, it does hurt. The lyrics literally spiral and the melody loops around your thoughts. And it just feels like something that you're thinking about at 3 a.m. and you can't go to sleep. Yeah.
00:50:58 --> 00:51:27 It is emotionally raw. And I think it's so traditional in terms of R&B sonics for sure. And I love the background vocals because it makes me feel like it's Diana Ross and the Supremes. Or even the Three Degrees. If you guys listen to the Three Degrees. It's hard to say all that. The Three Degrees. When Will I See You Again? They have a longing and they're like, shoot, shoot, doo-wing. Yeah.
00:51:27 --> 00:51:47 The background vocals are just really tight there. Same thing here. But it also feels like the 90s. Like the atmosphere for this song is great. And it does, it did deserve to be a single. It is definitely a gem on this album. The atmosphere around this whole song is like really good. So I get why you didn't give the other song your 10.
00:51:47 --> 00:52:12 Yeah, I was like, oh, God, I need to save it because this is so amazing. And she finally has started actually performing it more like it was included in that little, you know, acoustic Mimi celebration performance. And she did do it in the Vegas shows for the celebration of this album as well. So, yeah, this deserves all the attention. As I said earlier, this gets a 10. Yeah.
00:52:12 --> 00:52:39 Yeah. So up next is Your Girl. And it was done by Mariah and Scram Jones. And Your Girl samples A Life With You by Addy's, which is a group from Australia, if I'm not mistaken. Which I thought was so rant. Again, it's one of those things where it's like, you don't know who's listening to what and how it comes back into your life. Oh my gosh, it's so crazy.
00:52:43 --> 00:53:07 Even though I love a good sample flip. I don't know how I feel about this one. Like the chipmunk flip soul situation. I get it. I understand. But it's not really like the strongest example of either one of these people's, you know, talents, I would say. Like, yeah, she can sing her butt off. Yeah, he can produce. But this one. Honestly, I could actually hear a Shauncey singing this or even maybe Amory. Oh, yeah.
00:53:07 --> 00:53:34 right you know i'm saying because of how high it is and like certain like notes she was hitting like some of the belts were in her mixed voice and i was like oh amory could would probably sing it like this um and this is not an insult by the way i don't think amory is a bad vocalist but she has a certain tone that i felt matched some of mariah's vocals here and in the shanti she's also not a bad vocalist she can also write a really good song uh so the whole like very like kind of
00:53:35 --> 00:53:48 tight, soft palate nasal singing that was present in some parts of the song, I do believe would fit with either one of those singers. Not a bad thing. It's not a bad track, though. It feels a little bit more soulful.
00:53:49 --> 00:54:08 I think overall, though, in terms of the vocal delivery, we all know you can sing, but maybe she could have chilled out a little bit more and gave it more of a neo-soul, kind of like a Jill Scott kind of vibe where she's kind of maybe just grooving along with the vocals as opposed to attacking every, like, note. Because she didn't have to be the soaring songbird. She could have been, you know...
00:54:08 --> 00:54:31 you know kind of over here a little bit doing a little bit of a trill she could have been a little bit lower or something i don't know but it just needed more of grooves and and swing and not so much like attack like bam bam bam here it is i can sing i can belt you know so it's for me it's kind of it got to be a little bit too much after a while and then you have that chipmunk flip soul sample oh my god i hated that
00:54:32 --> 00:55:01 I really didn't like that. Like, it's kind of grating when you listen to it with headphones. It's like almost, it's like so front and center in the mix too. It's like, oh God, it's like a little, it's a little much there. Yeah. I feel like the whole thing should have just been lowered a couple. I'm blanking on the word. Should have been a little lower in the keys? Yeah. You know? Yeah. I feel like the whole, yeah. The whole thing could have lowered it a few keys, you know? Yeah. Uh.
00:55:02 --> 00:55:26 Because, yeah, it's just a bit shouty. That's what it is. A little shouty, yeah. Yeah, it doesn't mean she can't sing. It's just the tone, the dynamic itself it's giving, like. Yeah, and the melody isn't dynamic enough. I think that's what it is. It's all just kind of up there. Yeah. And there's, yeah, there's not really a ride that you get put on really with it. So, yeah, I get that. I think it's supposed to just sound very assertive, right? Oh, yes. If you look at the lyrics, it's quite, like.
00:55:26 --> 00:55:56 Listen to me. Like, you know? So I think that's kind of the vibe throughout it, that it's like, oh, it's like this big proclamation. It's like this whole shouty situation, loud situation. But yeah, I think melodically, it's just, it's not my favorite. And yet I think, I do think if it just, if it was lowered a few keys, I might like it more. But I agree with you that by the end, you're kind of like over it because it's just like a lot. A little ear fatigue. Yeah, a little ear fatigue. It doesn't mean she can't sing. She didn't have to sing so much.
00:55:56 --> 00:56:20 yeah like you don't need to prove yourself this much it's at this point yeah you got it girl yeah okay so what do you rate this one i gave this one a six in terms of the song i will match you actually with that six yeah up next we have i wish you knew this was done by big jim and mariah
00:56:22 --> 00:56:47 oh oh sorry guys y'all didn't ask for that this song makes me feel um okay so this song it's definitely made to sound like a live recording complete with the i don't want to call it fake crowd right but like yeah it's fake crowd um it's it does feel like motown nostalgia
00:56:47 --> 00:57:07 um feel like diary entries i will also say if you are like a fan of like old soul like r&b soul music there's a song called tonight is the night by betty wright and i'm telling you guys if you haven't heard it listen to it because literally betty comes in there's a live audience they're cheering for her and she's like guys she's giving everyone this kind of speech about how she wrote the song
00:57:07 --> 00:57:31 Making love for the first time. And she's making jokes a little bit. And she's singing. And then she stops even in the middle of it to talk again. So I think she does her homework, whatever her influences are. I said it already like two times prior to this. She knows them. She studies them. And then she articulates it in a way where it feels...
00:57:31 --> 00:57:56 fresh and new to people because i'm pretty sure a couple people listening to us especially if you are listening from like a pop fan standpoint you don't know the betty wright song um but yeah i like that her whispery vocals are kind of fluttering and she sounds really sweet and she's almost playing small in comparison to this bigger sounding production um the lyric i'm wishing on stars i've got to reveal what's inside of my heart i was like oh my
00:57:57 --> 00:58:16 Because like, listen, y'all, even though I don't play hard again because I am hard again, but once you get me, I'm very sentimental. I'm very much the song. She eats up these slower songs and the background vocals are truly a highlight on this because it's like a masterclass on how you layer and texture your background vocals.
00:58:16 --> 00:58:28 Oh my God, I love it. And then we got a throwback whistle note. Woo, yay, that makes sense. It just feels so much like, yay, we have a moment here where it feels like a sweet treat and not like, I can sing y'all. Like the previous trupe.
00:58:29 --> 00:58:54 Yeah, when I was reading about this one, I do believe she was in the studio with a live band, actually, for this. And I think she knew she wanted it to be a moment live as well, which is why she kind of just included the live audience noises. And she said she did call it specifically Diana Ross when it came to the inspiration about that whole spoken word moment in the middle of the song. Nice. And having seen Diana Ross recently, she does do that.
00:58:55 --> 00:59:21 So good reference. Yes. I do have to also shout out that our patron Ren specifically called out this song as well and just said that it was stunning, which I agree with. Yeah, I love how pretty it all is. Like, it's very vulnerable. Again, you really feel the frustration and longing and the delivery there. I do think it's funny that she added the extra cheers after the whistle note.
00:59:21 --> 00:59:32 Oh my gosh. She was like, I know people are going to cheer for that, so I'm just going to put it in here. Like, I think that's funny. Self-indulgent. Yeah, a little self-indulgent. But, you know, again, it's Mariah, so deserved.
00:59:34 --> 01:00:03 I will say, because of the whole kind of live feel, though, I wish it didn't fade out. Like, I wish they gave us a proper live band ending. Ending, yeah. It was a dramatic, you know, symbol situation. Yeah, shimmering. Yeah. But yeah, no, I love this one. I agree with you. Like, the ballads on this album are all so strong. And it took me a few listens to kind of figure out kind of how to grade them all. Because I do enjoy them. But I'll give this one a 9.
01:00:04 --> 01:00:31 I'm joking. I'll give it a 9.5. I didn't give it a 10. I was like, okay, where's the 10 then? Okay. Okay. My thing is the talking parts I can do without like, whatever. I like my time to do that. My how the turntables have turntables. Not you calling out what I think is one of the most cool parts of the song. I'm teasing, but also I'm like, I wonder what the song sounds like just straight through. Yeah.
01:00:32 --> 01:00:57 So yeah, I didn't dock the points because of that, guys. I think the song is great. But to being silly. Oh my God, that's funny. Okay, moving on to a song that actually does feature Nelly to the floor. And this was done by Nelly, the Neptunes, and Mariah. And this was actually Nelly's first time working with Mariah Carey. And she cited that his musicality was impressive. So that's why she worked with him on this one. And it makes sense because Nelly, let's be real here.
01:00:58 --> 01:01:15 He is good at a good melody. He had hits back in the day just because no one really checked for him now. Doesn't mean he wasn't out here doing his thing. I think people still do, right? I saw Nelly open for Janet. Oh, yeah. And the crowd was hype.
01:01:15 --> 01:01:29 This is true. I'm talking about, like, you know, like, what current did. Like, I feel like he hasn't had his, like, resurgent yet. You know, the viral resurgence. I feel like people don't realize, like, this man had hits. Okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, that's fair. Summertime King. Summertime King. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:01:34 --> 01:01:51 So this song, okay, so you know how I said with, it's like that, that it's, it's super, super catchy and I like it, but it's kind of that borderline annoying. This has that too. This has that too. So I kind of just have to be in the mood for this song.
01:01:51 --> 01:02:09 Interesting. Sometimes I'm like, not here for it. Sometimes I'm like, okay, I'm feeling this. So that's kind of where I'm at with this one. It is the Neptunes again. You get those affected guitars. You get that kind of metallic percussion. Yeah, just very signature them again. And it does have a great groove to it.
01:02:10 --> 01:02:28 yeah I think the whole dynamic between Mariah and Nellie is playful and fun I appreciate it but even like the things like tonight, tonight, tonight that's where I'm kind of like oh god okay like I get it but it's those little moments where I'm like it's like just on the cusp of annoying for me
01:02:28 --> 01:02:53 yeah that's valid you know for me i don't think there's like a strong neptune production like yeah it's nelly like let's be real here during this time they were kind of like the the go-to guys neptune chad and um nelly sorry chad and uh pharrell they were like the go-to guys um but for me this feels like a coco coca cabana after dark version of boys um because of the drums um
01:02:54 --> 01:03:22 The guitars are there. Yay. You might as well have gotten Nelly on Kitchen Number. It's not bad. I will say it's a bad song. It's just okay for me. It's very like bare bones. And it doesn't stand up to the other like club inspired tracks on this album. And even on Say Something. Say Something is laid back. Super laid back. Super smooth. And this one is kind of okay. Okay.
01:03:22 --> 01:03:43 It's okay. It's a paler version of what Neptunes are really good at. Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't mean anybody involved is not talented, but something about it just feels like it's missing a little something. I get that. To kick it up a notch. Yeah. I get that. Okay, so what do you rate it? A seven. I'll match you with a seven. A seven.
01:03:44 --> 01:04:12 All right, next up we have Joyride, which was done by Mariah Carey and Young Genius, who was only 15 at the time, which is wild. And this was actually a last minute track. So this was not supposed to be on the album. There was another song called When I Feel It that had a sample that was denied clearance. So Mariah and her team decided to use this song instead. Way up high, a joyride, a joyride.
01:04:13 --> 01:04:31 Okay, and I must say it's not a bad replacement. Even though I would say... Again, bonus episode in our Patreon. We will talk about this track. The track that was quote-unquote supposed to be there. But yeah, this is actually not bad. I think this is...
01:04:31 --> 01:04:58 It's soft, it's dreamy, it's rich with vocal harmonies. It's very slow dance at the reception music, I can't lie. It's like, you know, everyone's getting a little bit tired right before the DJ plays like a line song like Cupid Shuffle or something. It is sweet and sultry, but maybe I think it's a little too subtle to stand out. It's not bad, though. Mariah's voice glides like butter on this one, honey. Oh my gosh. And this is definitely peak also, peak bass.
01:04:58 --> 01:05:09 backseat of a limo with champagne energy like you're kind of with your boo and you're kind of like touching and stuff um the Brit goes off I think for all of the laid back
01:05:10 --> 01:05:36 almost understatedness of the production. Ooh, that bridge, honey. It goes somewhere. It's passionate. Mariah's singing in a way that Dynamics makes sense. Like, they didn't phone in this bridge. Again, the producer, being 15 at the time, really impressive, dude. I think it's solid. And it's, again, it's super smooth. And it's like, okay, you wish your boo. This is like some, I would say it's Davey Macon. It's kind of like maybe...
01:05:36 --> 01:05:58 like precursor you know you can take me home to this one um but yeah it's not baby make it completely but she's there maybe like kissing and touching and stuff and you know yeah so what happened to young genius like has he done anything else or did he just like make his life like money from this one song and he was he's just like living his best life right now like
01:05:58 --> 01:06:10 You know what? He's worked on some other stuff, but nothing like huge. I don't see like, I mean, genius doesn't say much else, like extraordinary level. He's a fair of Franklin. It's crazy.
01:06:10 --> 01:06:29 And, yeah. You know why? He passed away in 2017. That's why he hasn't actually... Oh, my gosh. Yeah, okay. I just looked it up just now. But, guys, oh, my... I didn't know that. What a shame. Because, literally, he's very talented. Very talented production. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah, he passed away. And to have the Farrah Franklin credit, that means...
01:06:29 --> 01:06:51 Honestly, who would have known what would have happened? Maybe he could have helped her with her own career. But, yeah. Very short-lived career, unfortunately. Interesting. Well, he contributed a beautiful song. Absolutely. Yeah, and I actually started off the bridge as well. Love the drama of it. The strings are doing the absolute most, but I love it. Yes. And, yeah, the whole production of it is very lush. Yeah.
01:06:52 --> 01:07:10 And compared to the other ballads on this album, yes, a lot more chill, more gentle, more of a baby-making song, as you were kind of alluding to earlier. I will be honest, though, in that the melody is not my favorite, not the most memorable here. No.
01:07:10 --> 01:07:32 Like if I were to stack this against the other ballads on this album, which we've been praising, this wouldn't really add up to that. Can I tell you, I agree. Like the production is literally the star of the dish. Yeah. Yeah. It's the star of the dish. Yeah. So yeah, because of that, I'll give it a seven. Yeah.
01:07:33 --> 01:07:55 Oh, you know what? I appreciate the hesitation to give it the low score. I gave it a 7.5 because the production and the bridge, the bridge saves it a little bit. But the production is definitely the star of this. Yeah. The final track on the standard edition of the album is Fly Like a Bird. And it was done by Big Jim and Mariah with a spoken sermon by Pastor Clarence Heaton.
01:07:55 --> 01:08:07 And Fight Like a Bird topped Billboard's Bubbling Under 100 Singles chart and Adult R&B Songs chart. And it also peaked at number 19 on Billboard's R&B chart. And this has been signed as Mariah's favorite song.
01:08:10 --> 01:08:34 And, uh, Chris, you concur? Is this song worth... Mmm. Her favorite song ever, right? Like, by herself. I think so, yeah. Yeah, I think that's right, too. Lambs, please be free to correct us if we're wrong here. Um, yeah, you know, honestly, whenever I hear this song, I just think of the Grammy's performance. Mmm. You know, where she did this and We Belong Together. Yeah. Um, because, yeah, I remember watching that, and, like, it was just, like...
01:08:35 --> 01:09:00 It was a moment, you know, it was like, whoa. And that was such an iconic performance with the whole choir and everything. And yeah, this is a great closer to this album. You know, the whole kind of spiritual-ness of it. It feels super genuine. It feels really heartfelt. Again, this is another song where it kind of pulses through you because that's just the way it climaxes. It's just so powerful there.
01:09:00 --> 01:09:17 And the instrumentation is great as well Like with the organ And everything And then the choir doesn't show up to those final choruses So it really builds to that So I understand it feels very personal Like you can feel how passionate she is When she's singing this But
01:09:17 --> 01:09:47 And so I understand why she loves it so much. Yeah. And yeah, I kind of also like that, you know, we've been talking about her vocals this whole time and how well thought out a lot of it is. And while this may also have been very well thought out, the ending feels a little bit more spontaneous and just kind of like she's just letting her feelings out. Yeah. The spirit took a hold, y'all. A lack of a better expression, but yeah. Yeah. The spirit.
01:09:48 --> 01:10:10 Yeah, that's interesting that it didn't chart very well. I don't think I actually knew that until we did this episode. Because I think she, this is one of those songs, maybe she just loves it so much that, and maybe the fans love it so much that it's kind of just become a hit without the number accolades to it. Yeah, it's a great song too, because what the hell? It is. Mm-hmm.
01:10:11 --> 01:10:40 you know, I think a lot of people don't realize that a lot of pop rock singers are influenced by like gospel and. I mean, a lot of old soul and R&B singers kind of did sing, grow up singing in the church. Like they were clocking, like the girls aren't singing anymore. And it's because like they were getting their 10 hours as children in the church. But yeah, you can totally hear her influences. Like if you listen to even, if you don't listen to gospel, I always tell people, if you get a chance to listen to like the Clark sisters,
01:10:40 --> 01:10:55 my god the clark sisters are absolutely amazing and you're talking about harmonies even beyonce has cited them as like an influence but the clark sisters they will be belting their harmonies and belting everything and doing their runs and like seriously it's so good um
01:10:55 --> 01:11:22 But you can hear it here as well. And it's kind of a throwback to like what Mariah is known for. So it's like, even though she's releasing the inner Mimi, she's still going to be Mariah. She's still going to be her influencer. She's still going to be that girl who just wants to sing. Right. And this is a good closure for an album. So, yeah, I think it's solid. I'm really surprised that the song did not, you know,
01:11:22 --> 01:11:48 get the recognition it deserves but again if you're a fan you know it even if you're not a fan you probably have heard it um the gospel flourishes live choir spoken scripture again it's great and it's like she remembered that she was raised in the church and was like i'm gonna snack some souls um because i last days like you said it was amazing like it's a master class she's great dude i have to give this song a 10
01:11:48 --> 01:12:17 What? A 10? Me too. Yeah. What? Yeah. Okay. So as we mentioned, of course, there are a lot of bonus tracks actually from this album. And one of those was a number one single. So if you'd like to hear us talk about those songs, come join us over at patreon.com slash CCTV pops. But until then, let's do our cut or keep section. Okay. This is hard. Oh. If I had to cut a song.
01:12:17 --> 01:12:40 on this album what would i cut yeah i mean i have mine in my mind okay go for it okay i know usually i don't i usually don't y'all y'all don't if you're new here i usually have the hardest time deciding yeah i have to cut all the thinking yeah i'm a thinker um because once i'll be cutting the right wrong song right because we were like i would cut your girl
01:12:40 --> 01:12:55 she's okay she's not great she has better flipped samples and this one just doesn't feel like much to me she sounds good I will never clock her vocals oh my god she can sing you don't know what you're talking about I do I like the song
01:12:56 --> 01:13:23 Yeah, that's fair. That would have been one of my choices as well. I guess if you choose that one, I'll choose To The Floor. Ooh, okay. Yeah. I think it also... I feel like the others saw... I mean, it's my least favorite feature on here. Yeah, I feel like other songs give the same vibe. So, yeah, I don't think this one was necessary, unfortunately. Yeah. Keep...
01:13:23 --> 01:13:28 Circles. No question. Oh. Yeah.
01:13:29 --> 01:13:55 Okay, if I had to keep a track and it wasn't like a well-known single, I would say Get Your Name because it's not a bad song. And it's actually kind of in the vein of what she's doing with Type Dangerous now. And I don't think people realize that she actually does. She does sit in the pocket of a lot of hip-hop flip tracks anyway. So it may not be her best vocal performance, but Type Dangerous kind of leans in this not as fun. But in terms of having a hip-hop swing, yeah, I feel like this kind of is like a,
01:13:55 --> 01:14:16 A better, a way better precursor. But yeah, get your number, I would keep. Okay, I mean, that technically was a single, but fine. I thought you were going to go with mine again, actually. One of them! Yeah, you know it. Yeah. Okay, so, 20 years on. What do we think of this album?
01:14:16 --> 01:14:41 You know what? It's a solid stinking album. And it's so weird to me. Again, I think I am a casual fan of Mariah, even though I know certain influences in her voice. And like, I think it's only because I'll hear something and I go, OK, she wrote the song that she might have this kind of influence. Right. And in some interviews here and there. But in terms of listening to full catalog, I can honestly say I've never sat here and listened to albums of hers. I listen to songs.
01:14:41 --> 01:15:05 And then maybe remembered here and there certain tracks. But I can't honestly say that I know her full discography. Do I know her influences? Yeah. Do I hear them? Yeah. Do I respect her whole story? Heck yeah. And her songwriting? Yes. And this album, considering what Glitter... Justice for Glitter, I will say that, though. Because Glitter, I do know. And I think Glitter... The circumstances around that whole era was just so...
01:15:05 --> 01:15:26 Ooh, it was like glitter caught in your throat as opposed to being all over your body and like in her shine. It was just a lot of moments of just choking and bad timing and not her faultness of any of it. But yeah, I think this album is really solid. It's good. And even listening to some of the 20th anniversary tracks like the K Trinado remixes here and there.
01:15:27 --> 01:15:46 The song, the melodies of those tracks are really stinking good. If you can make a remix to a song and then the melody still holds up, it's a good song. Yeah. It's a good song. You know? Yeah. So I love this album, I think. I would use the L word for this. I really do like this album. Yeah. It would be like a latter half of her career album, kind of, like Pastor, quote unquote, Prime.
01:15:46 --> 01:16:09 I think it's good. How dare you? I know, quote unquote, past. I'm just saying. Yeah. This album has aged really well. Yeah. It's hard. Actually, it's hard to believe listening to it that it's 20 years old. I think certain songs maybe didn't age as well. But overall, as a project, it's kind of it's still holds up, you know. And yeah, I think.
01:16:09 --> 01:16:25 I'm kind of the same as you. I would say I'm a casual Mariah Carey fan. Like, I know all the singles really well. I have seen her show before. I've also actually met her before. Yeah, you have been kind of like there. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:16:25 --> 01:16:42 But yeah, I have only more recently, kind of I would say in the past five-ish years, actually delved more into her discography. And it's been really great. Like I have a ton of like random album tracks from across every era kind of in my playlists now. Mm-hmm.
01:16:42 --> 01:17:08 And so I'm excited to keep going through her discography, actually, in the show. Because it's great. This is like an excuse for us to learn more about such awesome music. And yeah, the album is strong. Like, honestly, yes, we've given some critique. But honestly, every song, again, you can just hear the artistry in it. You know, there was love put into every single one of these songs. And you can really feel that. So...
01:17:08 --> 01:17:23 that's solid album i'll give it a nine oh i was gonna give it a nine too i'll give it a nine too yeah because i don't think it's like 10 like i don't you know yeah yeah for it to be the quote-unquote comeback album solid work sister yeah mm-hmm
01:17:24 --> 01:17:47 All right, Lambs. Keep it civil in the comments, okay? Because you know what? She's richer than all of us combined. So don't worry about it. It's not that serious, not that deep. Because some fans, I get it, you know, legacy, but it's okay. You know, come on. All right. Let us know in the comments what you think about this album, what your favorite tracks were, what your least favorite tracks were. And it's okay if I like the songs. You can still like Mariah.
01:17:47 --> 01:18:13 And also let us know what other albums you'd like to hear us review. And don't forget, you can hang out with us and the crew on Patreon. And you can message us at CCTV Pops on all social media. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on those notifications for our YouTube channel. And if you are enjoying the show on a podcast platform, please give us a follow, rating, and a review. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Chantel. And you're tuning in to CCTV, the nonstop pop show.