Saturday, April 19, 2008

For the Record...

After more closely listening to the new Mariah album, I have to say that "For the Record" is definitely one of the top tracks("I'm that chick" being the other). The more I listen to it the better it sounds. I will also give Mariah endless bonus points for referencing not just 1,2, 3, or 4 but 5 of my very favorite M.C. songs ever... "Underneath the Stars", "My All", "Always Be My Baby,""Can't Let Go,"and "Honey." Check the lyrics out below...
For the record
You'll always be a part of me
No matter what you do
And for the record
Can't nobody say
I didn't give my all to you

And for the record
I told you underneath the stars
That you belong to me
For the record
It's obvious that
We just can't let go of us, honey.


I think it is totally on purpose, you don't get that many references on accident. I look at it as a little wink to her fans. Madonna is known to self-reference ... but then again there is always the arguement that Mariah has such a large collection of music that it is bound to happen eventually. With that said no one as vain as Mimi would have no idea when she is singing and writing the titles of several of her greatest hits. Also, it is said that "Underneath the Stars" is one of Mariah's favorite songs she has recorded. Either way I'd love to hear what she has to say about it.
If you don't have the new album yet grab a copy here

4 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

This is definitely not the first time Mariah has self-referenced, although it is by far the most obvious. I'm not sure how much of Mariah's music you know but it seems like you're a moderately dedicated listener. Have you heard a track called "Subtle Invitation"? or "Lullaby"? these are just two examples of self-referencing that she's done in the past. Mariah recently talked about "For The Record" and said something very similar to what you mentioned about it being a "wink" to her fans - good call! but she also commented on how the song is about a real-life situation that only "the true fans" would understand. Most of the songs she references in "For The Record" are songs that she wrote FOR the same guy (NOT Tommy), the same guy she's singing to/about in "For the Record". Very interesting stuff that only a small percentage of listeners would pick up on. Love her or hate her, you gotta admit she loves her fans:)

Unknown said...

Here is some of Mariah's comments on the song if you're interested. She's mentioned it in one other interview as well but I can't find the transcript right now:

For The Record
"For The Record" - the song, is one of my favorite songs on this album, it's one of those songs that the people who really are fans of mine, who really know my music really well, tend to gravitate towards because it's not only is it a real-life story, but I've used a lot of my own songs in the bridge to tell the story. Towards the outro I say "For the record, You'll always be a part of me, No matter what you do" - that's "Always Be My Baby" and we kinda go through, you know, "Can't nobody say / I didn't give my all to you", the real fans who listen and then hear: "I told you underneath the stars", they'll know that's for them. I'm really happy that people are feeling the song.

Kettle Cooked said...

hey thanks for the interview and everything. I really wish she would release this.