Vanishing (song)
"Vanishing" | |
---|---|
Song by Mariah Carey | |
from the album Mariah Carey | |
A-side | "Love Takes Time"
|
Studio | Power Station
|
Genre | |
Length | 4:11 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) | Mariah Carey |
Audio | |
"Vanishing" on YouTube |
"Vanishing" is a torch song recorded and produced by the American singer Mariah Carey for her debut studio album Mariah Carey (1990). She wrote the ballad with the drummer Ben Margulies before signing a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1988. Its lyrics are about the demise of a romantic relationship and they describe how a lover is slowly disappearing from the other's life. Situated in the gospel and traditional pop music genres, "Vanishing" contains a blues-inspired composition in which Carey's vocals are accompanied solely by an acoustic piano played by Richard Tee.
Columbia did not release "Vanishing" as a single from Mariah Carey. Music critics compared it to other tracks upon the album's release; several named it the best song. "Vanishing" has received a positive reception in retrospective album reviews and has been considered one of Carey's best works throughout her career. She performed "Vanishing" live at Club Tatou in New York City and on the American television program Saturday Night Live in 1990. In 1993, Carey included it in the set list of her Music Box Tour. American singers Syesha Mercado and Kelly Clarkson later performed cover versions.
Background and release
[edit]American singer Mariah Carey began a songwriting partnership with the drummer Ben Margulies as a teenager in the mid- to late 1980s.[2] One of their songs, "Vanishing",[3] was present on Carey's demo tape that prompted Columbia Records to sign her to a recording contract in 1988.[4] The pair wrote most of the songs on her debut studio album Mariah Carey,[5] which Columbia released in 1990.[3] Situated as the fifth track, following the production-heavy "Someday", "Vanishing" has a sparer sound compared to the rest of the album.[6] It was the first song Carey produced by herself[7] and the only one she did so for the album.[8]
Carey described "Vanishing" as her favorite track on the album: "I enjoyed doing that because it gave me more freedom to sing and it was the most personal song to me."[9] Columbia did not release it as a single.[10] Issued as the B-side to 1991 releases of "Love Takes Time"[11] and "Emotions",[12] "Vanishing" was also present on the 1992 "I'll Be There" maxi single.[13] Columbia and Legacy Recordings later included it on the 2010 compilation albums The Essential Mariah Carey and Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey.[14] Relatively unknown among the general public,[15] "Vanishing" is a deep cut favored by Carey's fans.[16]
Composition
[edit]Four minutes and eleven seconds in length,[12] "Vanishing" is a torch song in the form of a ballad.[17] It is a gospel[18] and traditional pop record[17] influenced by blues.[19] The music, composed by Carey and Margulies,[3] has a slow tempo[20] and a melody that oscillates.[7] "Vanishing" has a straightforward composition;[21] an acoustic piano played by Richard Tee is the sole instrumentation.[22] Carey considered bolstering it with other sounds such as drums to make it more commercially viable but opted to "preserve the integrity of the song – leave it really simple".[23] Pat Dillett performed engineering and mixing for the track at Power Station and The Hit Factory studios in New York City. It was mastered by Bob Ludwig at New York's Masterdisk.[3] Jill Warren of The Indianapolis Star described the composition as haunting[24] and Melissa A. Jacques of the St. Petersburg Times said it evokes "spine-tingling emotion and spirituality".[25]
The lyrics are about one's anguish amid the gradual end of a romantic relationship:[26] "You're vanishing / Drifting away".[3] According to Andrew Chan, author of Why Mariah Carey Matters (2023), the song "conveys romantic loss through metaphors of physical disappearance and occluded perception".[27] Carey evokes a sense of uncertainty through lines such as "If I could recapture all of the memories / and bring them to life surely I would".[28]
Carey's voice ranges from muted whispering[29] to high-pitched whistle tones.[17] She does not use her full vocal range in the first two verses; the vocal styles of melisma and riffing appear during the song's latter half. The first use of belting, a full-throated sound, occurs during the bridge.[30] Carey concludes with a crescendo for the last word of the song.[31] Her background vocals are present and layered throughout.[8] Edward Hill of The Plain Dealer described Carey's vocal performance as "complete with staccato phrasing, anguished wails and vibrant note extensions".[32] It received comparisons to those by the American singers Aretha Franklin,[33] Tramaine Hawkins,[20] and Suzanne Vega.[32]
Critical reception
[edit]"Vanishing" received limited critical commentary upon the release of Mariah Carey.[8] Music writers contrasted it with other songs on the album. Several named it the best track.[34] Chuck Campbell likened it to a trump card in the Knoxville News-Sentinel.[35] The Record's Barbara Jaeger felt her voice sounded better on "Vanishing" because the arrangement forgoes overproduction.[36] Unlike "Vision of Love", Richard T. Ryan of the Staten Island Advance said "Vanishing" demonstrated Carey could limit the use of her vocal range.[19] Rick Mason cited the song in the St. Paul Pioneer Press as one in which she exercised commendable discipline with her voice.[37] Stephen Holden of The New York Times said it exhibited Carey's reverence for gospel music more than other tracks.[38]
Carey's vocal performance and artistry on the song have received a positive reception in retrospective album reviews. In 2015, Billboard's Trevor Anderson said "Vanishing" served as "a reminder that Carey possesses a world-class voice".[39] Writing for the same magazine in 2020, Glenn Rowley stated it is arguably the best showcase of her vocal abilities on Mariah Carey.[7] Hugh Gregory gauged it as the album's "most artistically successful track" in the book Soul Music A–Z.[40] Trent Jones of The Root thought the song helped her stand out as an individual artist on the album.[41] For scholar Vasilios Harisis, it best "announces the voice as the main communicator of an artistic identity".[29]
Critics have considered "Vanishing" a standout track in Carey's discography throughout her career. Courier-Post contributor Jeff Hall considered the song her best work in 1993.[42] Vincent Stephens named "Vanishing" one of Carey's finest album tracks in a 2000 Popular Music and Society review.[43] David T. Farr of the Sturgis Journal and Princess Gabbara in Essence called it underrated in 2015 and 2017, respectively.[44] Writing for Billboard in 2017, Everett Brothers named it her best recorded vocal performance.[45] In the same magazine the following year, Chris Azzopardi called it a career highlight owing to Carey's "stunning display of vocal highs and lows".[46] Billboard staff ranked it as the seventh-best song of her career in 2020.[7] Cliff Joannau of Attitude considered it one of Carey's top twelve B-sides and live renditions up to 2023.[47] According to Chan, "Vanishing" is the most beautiful ballad of Carey's early career and its lyrics are unusually advanced compared to her other songs in this period such as "Can't Let Go" (1991).[17]
Live performances
[edit]Carey performed "Vanishing" while promoting Mariah Carey in 1990. She sang it at Club Tatou in New York City on October 22 that year.[48] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described her delivery as "casually jolting"[49] and Ashley S. Battel of AllMusic said she showcased her vocal abilities effectively.[50] Footage of the performance was included on the 1991 video album The First Vision[51] and its audio was later released on The Live Debut – 1990, a 2020 digital extended play.[48] Carey reprised the song on October 29, 1990, at the American television program Saturday Night Live, following "Vision of Love".[52] She came across as a seasoned professional according to Vulture's Craig Jenkins.[53] Rolling Stone writer Christopher R. Weingarten ranked it at number 19 on a 2017 list of the best musical performances in the show's history.[52]
Carey later sang "Vanishing" during the 1993 Music Box Tour as a dedication to Tee, who died before the tour began.[54] Several critics described it as one of the concert's better performances.[55] Wayne Robins of Newsday said she displayed authentic emotion.[56] In The Boston Globe, Steve Morse felt Carey "showed a softer, equally entrancing side" to her performance ability in comparison with other songs that showcased her full vocal range.[54]
Other artists have performed live cover versions of "Vanishing". American singer Syesha Mercado sang it as a contestant on the 2008 season of the television program American Idol. Several critics praised her vocal performance.[15] Rodney Ho of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution remarked the rendition was "controlled yet emotional, lovely".[57] In 2020, American singer Kelly Clarkson sang "Vanishing" a cappella at her home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Entertainment Weekly writer Sydney Bucksbaum and Billboard's Gil Kaufman considered the rendition impressive.[58]
Credits and personnel
[edit]
|
|
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Chan 2023, p. 26; Columbia Records 1990; Nickson 1998, p. 26.
- ^ Nickson 1998, p. 17–18; Shapiro, p. 34 ; 2y2001 .
- ^ a b c d e f g Columbia Records 1990.
- ^ Chan 2023, p. 26; Nickson 1998, p. 26.
- ^ Shapiro 2001, p. 47.
- ^ Nickson 1998, pp. 37–38.
- ^ a b c d Rowley 2020.
- ^ a b c Nickson 1998, p. 38.
- ^ Lepage 1990, p. D10.
- ^ Shapiro 2001, pp. 153–156.
- ^ Columbia Records 1991a.
- ^ a b Columbia Records 1991b.
- ^ Columbia Records 1992.
- ^ Columbia Records & Legacy Recordings 2010a; Columbia Records & Legacy Recordings 2010b.
- ^ a b Cormier 2008, p. D1; Shrier 2008, p. C2; Sluder 2008, p. D4.
- ^ Brothers 2016; Brothers 2017.
- ^ a b c d Chan 2023, p. 26.
- ^ DeKnock 1990, p. 7.
- ^ a b Ryan 1990, p. E2.
- ^ a b Freedberg 1990, p. 44.
- ^ Shapiro 2001, p. 53.
- ^ Columbia Records 1990; Hill, p. 26 ; 2y1990 .
- ^ Sholin 1991, p. 32.
- ^ Warren 1990, p. D6.
- ^ Jacques 1991, p. 17.
- ^ Chan 2023, pp. 28.
- ^ Chan 2023, pp. 26–28.
- ^ Chan 2023, p. 27.
- ^ a b Harisis 2019, p. 9.
- ^ Chan 2023, pp. 26–27.
- ^ Price 1990, p. 1B.
- ^ a b Hill 1990, p. 26.
- ^ Willistein 1990, p. A67.
- ^ DeKnock 1990, p. 7; Jackson 1990, p. 51; Price 1990, p. 1B.
- ^ Campbell 1990, p. B1.
- ^ Jaeger 1990, p. E6.
- ^ Mason 1990, p. 5D.
- ^ Holden 1990.
- ^ Anderson 2015.
- ^ Gregory 1991, p. 35.
- ^ Jones 2015.
- ^ Hall 1993, p. 8C.
- ^ Stephens 2000, p. 115.
- ^ Farr 2015; Gabbara 2017.
- ^ Brothers 2017.
- ^ Azzopardi 2018.
- ^ Joannou 2023.
- ^ a b Kaufman 2020b.
- ^ Caramanica 2020.
- ^ Battel.
- ^ Nickson 1998, p. 44.
- ^ a b Weingarten 2017.
- ^ Jenkins 2020.
- ^ a b Morse 1993, p. 58.
- ^ Kot 1993; Moon 1993, p. D9; Pitts Jr. 1993, p. 23A.
- ^ Robins 1993, p. 58.
- ^ Ho 2008.
- ^ Bucksbaum 2020; Kaufman 2020a.
Sources
[edit]- Anderson, Trevor (June 12, 2015). "Mariah Carey's Self-Titled Debut at 25: Classic Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023.
- Azzopardi, Chris (July 25, 2018). "10 Songs Mariah Carey Should Add to Her Vegas Set List". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023.
- Battel, Ashley S. "First Vision Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021.
- Brothers, Everett (November 1, 2016). "8 Moments We Need from Mariah Carey's Next Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023.
- Brothers, Everett (March 10, 2017). "Mariah Carey's 10 Most Underappreciated Songs of All Time". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 19, 2023.
- Bucksbaum, Sydney (March 20, 2020). "Watch Kelly Clarkson Sing an Incredible Mariah Carey Cover While in Self-Quarantine". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024.
- Campbell, Chuck (June 27, 1990). "Mariah Carey Album Soars into the Picture". Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B1, B5. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Caramanica, Jon; et al. (July 17, 2020). "Drake Clears His Throat with DJ Khaled, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022.
- Chan, Andrew (2023). Why Mariah Carey Matters. Music Matters 13. Austin: University of Texas Press. doi:10.7560/325070. ISBN 978-1-4773-2507-0.
- Cormier, Brian (April 16, 2008). "Top 7 Take On Mariah". Times & Transcript. p. D1. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- DeKnock, Jan (July 19, 1990). "Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey (Columbia)". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Emotions" (CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1991. 657403 2.
- The Essential Mariah Carey (Media notes). Columbia Records. Legacy Recordings. 2010.
- Farr, David T. (June 18, 2015). "The Farr Side: A Quarter-Century of Mariah Carey". Sturgis Journal. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023.
- Freedberg, Michael (September 7, 1990). "Mariah Carey, Mariah Carey (Columbia)". The Boston Phoenix. p. 44. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- Gabbara, Princess (March 9, 2017). "25 Deep Cuts and Album Tracks That Prove Mariah Carey Has Always Had the Range". Essence. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023.
- Gregory, Hugh (1991). Soul Music A–Z. London: Blandford. ISBN 0-7137-2179-0. OL 1319820M.
- Hall, Jeff (December 4, 1993). "Carey's Concert a Mixed Bag". Courier-Post. p. 8C. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Harisis, Vasilios (2019). Conceptualizing the Diva: Representations of Black Female Music Stars in American Popular Culture (PDF) (PhD thesis). Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2023.
- Hill, Edward (July 20, 1990). "Debut LP Gives Only Glimpse of Carey's Talent". Friday. The Plain Dealer. p. 26. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Ho, Rodney (April 15, 2008). "4/15: Top 7 Idol Performance Night: Mariah Carey!". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on December 25, 2011.
- Holden, Stephen (July 8, 1990). "Three Voices and the Dangers of Compromise". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023.
- "I'll Be There" (CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1992. 658137 2.
- Jackson, Alan (August 12, 1990). "Giving Thanks to God – and CBS". The Observer. p. 51. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Jacques, Melissa A. (October 11, 1991). "An Infusion of Emotion". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Jaeger, Barbara (August 30, 1990). "More Than an Echo of Whitney Houston". The Record. p. E6. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Jenkins, Craig (December 8, 2020). "Mariah Carey Might Be as Close to Pop Perfection as Pop Will Ever Allow". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
- Joannou, Cliff (August 31, 2023). "Mariah Carey's Best B-sides and Live Tracks – from 'Close My Eyes' to 'Vanishing'". Attitude. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024.
- Jones, Trevor (March 27, 2015). "18 Mariah Carey Songs You've Probably Never Heard". The Root. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023.
- Kaufman, Gil (March 20, 2020). "Kelly Clarkson Crushes Mariah Carey's 'Vanishing' in Quarantine Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022.
- Kaufman, Gil (July 17, 2020). "Missed One of Mariah Carey's First Live Performances 30 Years Ago? Time to Catch Up!". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 15, 2023.
- Kot, Greg (November 18, 1993). "Yes, She Can Sing". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023.
- Lepage, Mark (October 4, 1990). "After Meteoric Rise, Mariah Carey Exudes Confidence of a Born Star". The Gazette. p. D10. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Love Takes Time" (CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1991. 656364 2.
- Mariah Carey (CD liner notes). Columbia Records. 1990. 466815 2.
- Mason, Rick (September 9, 1990). "Mariah Carey Rises Above Her Dubious Producers". St. Paul Pioneer Press. p. 5D. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via GenealogyBank.
- Moon, Tom (December 4, 1993). "Mariah Carey Sings at the Spectrum". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D9. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Morse, Steve (November 10, 1993). "Mariah Carey Sheds Shyness in Spectacular Centrum Show". The Boston Globe. p. 58. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Nickson, Chris (1998). Mariah Carey Revisited: Her Story. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-19512-5. OL 363685M.
- Pitts Jr., Leonard (November 4, 1993). "Mariah Carey Show Has All Jigsaw Pieces but No Full Picture". Miami Herald. p. 23A. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey (Media notes). Columbia Records. Legacy Recordings. 2010.
- Price, Karla (July 28, 1990). "Vocalist Has Range, Gospel Inspiration". Tribune-Herald. p. 1B. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Robins, Wayne (December 13, 1993). "Some Heroic Moments for Overnight Star Carey". Newsday. pp. 46, 58. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- Rowley, Glenn; et al. (October 5, 2020). "The 100 Greatest Mariah Carey Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022.
- Ryan, Richard T. (September 23, 1990). "Colourful Reprise, Magnificent Mariah, Mother Marley". Staten Island Advance. p. E2. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Shapiro, Marc (2001). Mariah Carey: The Unauthorized Biography. Toronto: ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-444-3.
- Sholin, Dave (February 8, 1991). "Mariah Carey". The Gavin Report. pp. 30–32.
- Shrier, Genevieve (April 22, 2008). "Broadway Week Could Mean Curtains for Contestants". The Patriot-News. p. C1, C2. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Sluder, Nancy (April 16, 2008). "Final 7 Must Have Made Mariah Carey Proud with Performances". Asheville Citizen-Times. p. D4. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Stephens, Vincent (2000). "Audio Reviews". Popular Music and Society. 24 (4): 115–116. doi:10.1080/03007760008591787. ProQuest 1335061.
- Warren, Jill (August 31, 1990). "Mariah Carey's Tunes Mark Versatility". The Indianapolis Star. p. D6. Archived from the original on October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- Weingarten, Christopher R. (March 9, 2017). "Saturday Night Live Rocks: 25 Greatest Musical Performances". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024.
- Willistein, Paul (August 11, 1990). "Mariah Carey (Columbia)". The Morning Call. p. A67. Archived from the original on October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.