"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" | ||||
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![]() North American and Japanese single cover | ||||
Single by Mariah Carey | ||||
from the album Rainbow | ||||
Released | April 17, 2000 | |||
Recorded | 1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:32 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Mariah Carey singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" on YouTube |
"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey for her seventh studio album Rainbow (1999). The song was written by Carey and Diane Warren, and produced by Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It was released as the third single from Rainbow and a double A-side with "Crybaby" on April 17, 2000, by Columbia Records. The song is a ballad, blending pop and R&B beats while incorporating its sound from several instruments including the violin, piano and organ. Lyrically, the song speaks of finding inner strength, and not allowing others to tear away your dreams.
The song was well received by critics, many of whom complimented the lyrics, as well as Carey's vocals. The song was not commercially successful due to its limited release and other factors. It was the center of a very public controversy between Carey and her label Sony Music, based on what she perceived to be weak promotion of the single. It peaked at number 40 in Belgium (Wallonia), number 45 in Italy and number 65 in the Netherlands. Stateside, due to Billboard rules at the time, it was not eligible to chart on the Hot 100, though it managed to reach number six on the Dance Club Songs.
Two music videos were filmed for "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)". Both feature personal videos left by five fans, re-telling their stories of pain and emotional abuse and how the song had inspired them. Additionally, a large screen is shown next to Carey throughout the video, playing other inspirational stories from famous athletes. The ending alternates in both videos, with one climaxing on the balcony overlooking the city, while the other by a large indoor window. The song was performed on Today and The View , as well as Carey's Rainbow World Tour (2000) and Charmbracelet World Tour (2002–2003).
According to Carey, writing "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" helped her get through rough emotional moments with her label's management, and even times when she felt overwhelmed by others. [1] During the early stages of the album, Carey said she felt pressured to complete the Rainbow album as quickly as possible, due to the fact that it was the last album under her contract with Columbia. [1] During troubled times for the singer, as well as her divorce from record executive Tommy Mottola, she claimed writing and singing the song helped her get through troubled times and hoped her listeners would get the same message out of it. [1] Carey wrote it to become an anthem for fans and listeners who were going through difficult times in their life and could relate to the song. [1] Additionally, during the taping of the Mariah Carey Homecoming Special, Carey told audience members that after the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, she felt the song would help family members and friends of the victims during the tragedy, and hoped it would give them strength to get by the tragic event. For that reason, Carey included the song on the album, and campaigned for its radio release in mid-2000. [1]
"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" is a slow tempo song that blends pop and R&B beats. Additionally, it incorporates its sound from several instruments including the violin, piano and organ. [2] The ballad is set in the signature of common time, with a slowly tempo of 51 beats per minute. [2] It is written in the key of A major, with Carey's vocals spanning almost three octaves, from the low note of A2 to the high note of F#5. [2] The song was written by Carey and Diane Warren. [2] Although there were no conflicts during the recording process, the pair had minor disagreements during the songwriting stages: Carey said that Warren liked to repeat lyrical phrases often. The second song that Carey and Warren wrote together was "There for Me" which was released as a B-side to the "Never Too Far/Hero Medley" charity single Carey recorded in late 2001. The song's protagonist details the struggles of dealing with people who put you down, and how to overcome these struggles through faith, courage, and the power of God. Carey explains in the song's lyrics how although people can try to make her feel down and depressed, no matter what happens, she can't let them win: "There's a light in me that shines brightly. They can try but they can't take that away from me." [1]
As with Butterfly two years prior, Rainbow became the center of a conflict in between Carey and her label. [3] After Carey's divorce with Sony record official and Columbia CEO Tommy Mottola, the working relationship with Carey and her label deteriorated. After the first two singles from Rainbow were released, Carey was gearing up for a third single to be released. [3] She intended for "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" to be the next single, as it held very personal lyrical content. However, after getting wind of her plan, Sony made it clear that the album needed a more up-beat and urban track to warm airwaves. [3] These different opinions led to a very public feud in between them, as Carey began posting messages on her webpage during early and mid-2000, telling fans inside information on the scandal, as well as instructing them to request "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" on radio stations. [3] One of the messages Carey left on her page read:
"Basically, a lot of you know the political situation in my professional career is not positive. It's been really, really hard. I don't even know if this message is going to get to you because I don't know if they want you to hear this. I'm getting a lot of negative feedback from certain corporate people. But I am not willing to give up." [3]
Carey's actions were given mixed reception, with critics and executives both commending her bold actions towards a song she felt needed to be heard, while others criticized her for publicizing the scandal further. [3] Soon after, Sony involved themselves further, stripping Carey's webpage of any messages and began trying to reach an agreement with her. Fearing the loss of their label's highest seller, and the best-selling artist of the decade, Sony chose to release the song. [3] Carey, initially content with the agreement, soon found out that the song had only been allowed a very limited and low-promotion release, not allowing the song to chart on the official US chart, and making international charting extremely difficult and unlikely. [3]
"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" was generally commended by contemporary music critics. In his review for Rainbow, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic named the song one of the album's top three picks. [4] Danyel Smith from Entertainment Weekly called the song the "emotional center of the album" and wrote "There's a light in me/That shines brightly, she sings. The song (co-written with Diane Warren and co-produced with Jam and Lewis) resonates with new life experience—a kind of truth and uplift." [5] Elysa Gardner, editor from the Los Angeles Times , called the song "earnestly passionate" and felt Carey sounded her "most impressive" on the song. [6] Amy Linden from Vibe also reviewed the song positively, calling Carey's vocal performance in the song "emotional" and "graceful." [7] Additionally, Linden wrote "It could very well be Carey's version of Nas' "Hate Me Now"; she makes it through all the trials and tribulations undaunted." [7]
The release of the song as a single was surrounded by conflict between Carey and Sony Music Entertainment. Due to Billboard rules at the time of the song's release, charting credit was not given to "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" but to "Crybaby", the song it shared a double A-side with. The song managed to chart on the dance single in the United States, reaching the top ten on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. [8] Due to the song's weak promotional release, it was not released together with "Crybaby" outside the United States, where it performed poorly due to its radio-only premiere. It charted for one week in Belgium (Wallonia), where it peaked at number forty on the official singles chart. [9] Similarly in the Netherlands, "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" peaked at number sixty-five on the Dutch Singles Chart, however spending nine weeks fluctuating in the chart. [10]
Two music videos were shot for "Can't Take That Away," both directed by Sanaa Hamri in New York City. [11] The creation of the video involved some of Carey's fans: two weeks prior to filming, they were invited via her website to send in video clips of themselves, telling her of the hardships in their lives and how the song had inspired them to look at life differently, and had given them strength. [11] A contest was held, and video clips from five fans were chosen for inclusion in the video. The clips were featured in the video's introduction, where Carey reacts to her fan's struggles which included personal insecurities, the problems of being part of a racial or social minority, and being victimized by verbal harassment.
The original edit of the music video begins with a message to those fans that sent in their videos; "Thank you to all those who chose to share their stories with the world." Subsequently, a personal message left by Carey is shown, reading "After every storm, if you look hard enough, a rainbow appears..." Five testimonials from fans are shown, each telling of their own personal problems and hardships. In her testimonial, the third girl says "I am fourteen years old, I'm a high school student, there is not one day that goes by that people don't make fun of me about my race. It is about self-confidence, don't be afraid to dream." After the last girl reads her message, Carey is shown lying on pillows on the floor of her sparse living room, watching television. As she tearfully sings, she watches as different empowering messages and events are shown on the screen. Towards the end of the musical bridge, Carey stands up from the floor and exits onto a large balcony overlooking the city. Rain begins to fall as Carey waves her arms and cries out singing the song's climax. Her depression is resolved when the rain stops and a rainbow forms, prompting her to smile.
The video was quickly pulled after its release because it contained technical errors. The clips of the people on Carey's television had their struggles captioned in dark text on a dark background, making it difficult to read. [11] There were also continuity errors during the rainy balcony scene, as Carey's shirt would alternate between being soaking wet and dry. Consequently, a new music video was completed, which retained the clips of Carey's fans at the beginning but fixed the captions and replaced most of the interior shots of Carey with new footage. [11] Carey, now in a new and more furnished apartment, does not go out into the rain but instead stays in her living room. She walks over to a large pair of windows aside a mural of large throw pillows and candles, singing and flailing her arms as she completes the song. As with the previous filming of the video, Carey's pain and sadness is resolved with a rainbow, shown at the end of the video.
Most remixes of "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" were released in the US only, although few were found in certain territories. David Morales produced the Morales club mix, which uses the song's original vocals with similar chord progressions to those of the original, and the Morales Triumphant mix, which contains re-recorded vocals and new lyrics which transform the song into a jazz-like mix with harmonica sections. [11] A spoken introduction was also added, featuring Carey's spoken voice before the first verse. [11]
Although "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" was never fully released as a single, Carey felt very strongly about the song and therefore promoted it through several live television and award show appearances. Carey's first live performance of the song was on The Today Show as part of a mini-concert which aired live on November 2, 1999, from Rockefeller Center in New York. [12] Following the concert on The Today Show, Carey performed the song live at the 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, where she was presented as a featured performer. [3] Carey further promoted "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" with a performance on VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross , where she also performed a mashup of "Heartbreaker" with Ross's "Love Hangover" which was added as a track on the single release. [13] After the release of "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)", the album's final single, Carey sang them both live on The View in mid-2000. [3] On October 30, 1999, Carey filmed a private concert held at her old high school in Huntington, Long Island, where she taped a special for the Fox Broadcasting Company titled Mariah Carey Homecoming Special, which aired in December of that year. [12] Aside from television performances, the song was part of the set-list on both the Rainbow World Tour, which coincided with the release and promotion of Rainbow, as well as the Charmbracelet World Tour in 2002–03. [3] She has performed the song recently in her last two concerts in Marrakech, Morocco, and at the Mawazine Festival, and Monaco. The remix version was the opening number for her concerts in Australia during January 2013. Carey started performing the single for the first time after 5 years on her second concert residency placed in Las Vegas, The Butterfly Returns in 2018. She also performed it at her Caution World Tour in 2019, in its remixed version.
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Credits adapted from the Rainbow liner notes. [20]
Weekly charts
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Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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Canada | April 17, 2000 | CD maxi single (with "Crybaby") | Columbia | |
United States | April 17, 2000 | |||
June 6, 2000 |
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Japan | June 26, 2000 | CD single | Sony Music Japan | |
Various | October 9, 2020 | Legacy |
"Crybaby" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on April 17, 2000 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Can't Take That Away ". It was written by Carey and Snoop Dogg, and produced by the former and Damizza for Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). It serves as the album's third single. It features Snoop Dogg throughout the song's bridge and is built around a sample of the 1988 song "Piece of My Love," originally performed by Guy and written by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, Timmy Gatling and Gene Griffin. Throughout the song, the protagonist reveals the struggles of dealing with insomnia and thoughts of a past relationship during the night, as she spirals out of control and declares "I gotta get me some sleep."
"Thank God I Found You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, featuring guest vocals from R&B singer Joe and American boy band 98 Degrees. It was released on November 15, 1999, through Columbia Records, as the second single from her seventh studio album, Rainbow (1999). Written and produced by Carey alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song is a soulful pop power ballad with lyrics depicting a powerful love relationship in which the protagonist tells her lover "thank God I found you", that was inspired by a relationship Carey was going through at the time.
"Heartbreaker" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey featuring American rapper Jay-Z for her seventh studio album Rainbow (1999). It was released on August 23, 1999, by Columbia Records as the lead single from Rainbow. The song was written by the artists and produced by Carey and DJ Clue, with additional writers being credited for the hook being built around a sample from "Attack of the Name Game" by Stacy Lattisaw. "Heartbreaker" pushed Carey even further into the R&B and hip hop market, becoming her second commercial single to feature a rapper. Lyrically, the song describes lovesickness towards an unfaithful partner.
"Loverboy" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on June 19, 2001, by Virgin Records America as the lead single from her eighth studio album Glitter, the soundtrack to the 2001 film of the same name. Written and produced by Carey, Larry Blackmon, Thomas Jenkins and Clark Kent, "Loverboy" is built around a sample from "Candy" by the funk band Cameo, who are also featured on the track. Lyrically, the song finds Carey fantasizing about her loverboy, a man that will fulfill her physical and sexual desires. The recording was accompanied by an official remix, titled "Loverboy Remix", featuring guest artists Ludacris, Da Brat, Shawnna and Twenty II.
"Never Too Far/Hero Medley" is a medley recorded by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, released as a charity single on December 11, 2001 by Virgin Records in the US. It is also included as a bonus track in the Japanese release of Carey's Greatest Hits (2001). The medley combines the first verse and chorus of "Never Too Far", co-written and co-produced by Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with a re-recorded version of the first verse, chorus and bridge of "Hero", written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. As the latter did not receive co-production credits due to the change in instrumentation, Randy Jackson was named as producer alongside Carey instead. The single was meant to express a message of unity and love in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
"Can't Let Go" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey for her second studio album, Emotions (1991). Columbia Records released it as the album's second single in November 1991. Featuring synthesizers and drum programming, "Can't Let Go" is a breakup song in the form of an R&B and pop slow jam. The lyrics, written by Carey, are about post-breakup sadness. She composed the music and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff, who had previously worked on her 1990 single "Love Takes Time". Carey's vocal range spans more than three octaves; her delivery is predominately breathy and in a low register, with whistle notes in the song's introduction and ending.
"Make It Happen" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey. Written and produced by Carey and C+C Music Factory's David Cole and Robert Clivillés. It was released on April 4, 1992, by Columbia Records as the third and final single from her second studio album, Emotions (1991). The pop-, R&B-, and dance-influenced track incorporates traces of gospel in its bridge and crescendo. Described by author Chris Nickson as Carey's most personal and inspirational song, it tells of her personal struggles prior to her rise to fame, and how her faith in God helped sustain her.
"Emotions" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey for her second studio album of the same name (1991). It was written and produced by Carey, Robert Clivillés, and David Cole of C+C Music Factory and released as the album's lead single on August 13, 1991 by Columbia Records. The song's lyrics has its protagonist going through a variety of emotions from high to low, up to the point where she declares, "You got me feeling emotions." Musically, it is a gospel and R&B song heavily influenced by 1970s disco music and showcases Carey's upper range and extensive use of the whistle register. Jeff Preiss directed the song's music video.
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"Dreamlover" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter and record producer Mariah Carey, released on July 27, 1993 by Columbia Records, as the lead single from the singer's third studio album, Music Box (1993). Its lyrics were written by Carey, with music composed by Carey and Dave Hall, and was produced by Carey, Walter Afanasieff and Hall. The song incorporates a sample of the hook from "Blind Alley" by the Emotions—previously used in "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" (1988) by Big Daddy Kane—into its melody and instrumentation. "Dreamlover" marked a more pronounced attempt on Carey's part to incorporate hip hop into her music, as was seen in her decision to work with Hall, who had previously produced What's the 411? (1992) by Mary J. Blige. This was partly in light of the mixed reception to her previous studio effort Emotions (1991), which featured gospel and 1960s soul influences. Lyrically, the song pictures a protagonist calling for a perfect lover, her "dreamlover," to whisk her away into the night and not "disillusion" her like others in the past.
"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). It was released as the album's fifth single overall and second commercial single on April 21, 1998, by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. "My All" is built around Latin guitar chord melodies, and makes subtle use of Latin percussion throughout the first chorus, before taking on a more conventional R&B-style beat. Carey was inspired to write the song and use Latin inspired melodies after a trip to Puerto Rico, where she was influenced by the culture. The song's lyrics tell of a lonely woman declaring she would give "her all" to have just one more night with her estranged lover. It is the first song Carey wrote for the Butterfly album.
"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey released on October 18, 1993, via Columbia Records as the second single from her third studio album, Music Box (1993). The song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. While writing the song, Carey did not connect to its style or sound, therefore forfeiting it to Gloria Estefan, who was intended to sing it for the soundtrack of the film of the same name (1992). However, after being convinced by Sony executive Tommy Mottola to keep it for herself, she changed some of the lyrics to more precisely fit her personality. Lyrically, the song is regarded as one of Carey's most inspirational and personal ballads, with its protagonist declaring that even though people may feel discouraged or down at times, in reality, they are "heroes" if they look inside themselves and see their own inner strength; in time, it will help them "find the way".
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"Honey" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly (1997). It was released as the lead single from Butterfly on July 29, 1997, by Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Carey, Sean Combs, Kamaal "Q-Tip" Fareed and Steven "Stevie J" Jordan. The song samples "Hey DJ" by World-Famous Supreme Team and "The Body Rock" by the Treacherous Three. "Honey" was a redefining song in Carey's career, pushing her further into the hip hop scene.
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"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (also titled "Against All Odds") is a song by English drummer, singer and songwriter Phil Collins. It was recorded for the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds", but worth the gamble. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, the first of seven US No. 1s for Collins in his solo career. "Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)" also topped the charts in Canada, Ireland, and Norway, while peaking at No. 2 in the United Kingdom.
The Rarities is the eighth compilation album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on October 2, 2020, by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings. It is a part of "#MC30", a promotional campaign marking the 30th anniversary of Carey's self-titled debut studio album, Mariah Carey (1990), and coincides with her memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey (2020). Featuring a mix of b-sides and previously unreleased material "with personal relevance and meaning" to Carey—some of which are discussed in her memoir—the album also includes a second disc consisting of audio from her March 7, 1996, live performance at the Tokyo Dome during her Daydream World Tour. A Blu-ray disc featuring enhanced video footage from the concert was released exclusively in Japan.
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