It got some blowback from at least one band member, but through the years, it's garnered some fascinating covers (totaling an exact gross aka 12 dozen aka 144!), some from surprising corners.
Thanks, Paul! I must say it's a gas auditioning all (or most) of these covers! I hope it's duly noted by all that an artist like Wynonna appreciates top-notch musicality, and so many artists, like her, are more than willing (and able) to wander far off their genre acreage to employ the best!
My pleasure....thank the 'Stack's new search feature! I did it with a couple of our fellow music writers, but you were the only one of us who had covered that song! Being a big song by a popular band, I figured one of us must've written something about it/them!
I believe that was your very first article, and I remember reading it (once I noticed it come up on the search)! Of Foreigner's ballads, I actually preferred "Waiting for a Girl Like You." So much so, 'twas another one I did at karaoke....yep, full chest voice with no pitch adjustment, I'm proud to say!! Another song with an incredible story behind its birth and recording! (Pause to check for covers)......hmmmm....would you believe Rick Springfield, Cliff Richard, Jordan Knight (NKOTB) and Paul Anka?!? Uh oh.....I smell another "Inside Tracks"!! Holla for collab, yo!
Great content, as always! I know this song primarily courtesy of Mariahās cover (as you can probably guess), and while I had of course heard the original, what I didnāt know is how many artists had covered it throughout the years. What I didnāt know either was the producerās reaction when he first heard it, which was a pleasure to read. Itās one of those songs that will immediately make you stop whatever it is youāre doing and just... listen. Interestingly, while Mariah saves āthe best for lastā and does a full-on climax with gospel choir, high notes and pyrotechnics (obvs!! š ), I remember what moved me the most (still does to this day) was the first chorus. There is something there, a longing, some sort of āmelancholic hopeā (as contradictory as this may sound) that really spoke to me.
Thanks, Andy.....I hope you noticed I had Mariah's link in the piece. Her cover was seriously considered for inclusion, but with a full gross (144!) of covers from which to choose, she got bumped for the couple of country takes (Wynonna and Chesney) and their unique contributions (Jeff Beck and the double-time pace of Chesney's).
I've always wondered if a serious Mariah fan ever found her stratospheric forays a little overbearing or if they ever approached over-use from song to song. I'd think that might be a vocal "trick" that would be easy to go to the well once (or twice) too often! Thoughts?
In listening to her version, BTW, I was reminded of the late, great Minnie Riperton (gone far too soon at 31 in '79), and wondered if you'd ever waded into the shallow pool of her fab-ness, Andy. She's SNL stalwart, Maya Rudolph's mom (which is where Maya gets her singing chops for her occasional impersonations).
Minnie's best known for her "Lovin' You" hit in '75, but also for her four-octave D3 to FāÆ7 coloratura soprano range (I don't talk like that....that's from her Wiki page!). She is also widely known for her use of the whistle register (or whistle tone), and I wonder if Mariah has ever been identified as having a whistle register at all. It would be revealing, I think, to either find (or make!) a comparison article where a "music expert" discerns such things!
It's interesting to note, too, the move into the Gospel chorus territory many of the covers (including the original, of course) took. But, hearing how Jones came to the song in the first place seems to pinpoint the spiritual lean his songwriting took him for this one.šš
Interesting how Mariah often gets accused of over-singing or over-using certain "tricks" but no one ever says "oh, come on, Hendrix, another guitar solo?" or "Beatles, come on, enough with the harmonies". Or Mick Jagger and his dancing. Like so many other examples.
No, serious Mariah fans like me do not find these "forays" you mention over-bearing, because that's one of the many things we like about her. Interestingly, this misconception often comes from people who only know her #1 hits (19 of them in all, 18 self-penned, a unique feat among solo artists), but are less familiar with her other work (songs like "Looking In", "The Wind", "Petals" or even "Languishing", which, coincidentally, serves as a prelude to her cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is"). Ultimately it is a matter of taste, on which there's nothing written. Don't forget that she grew up as a troubled multiracial kid with an opera singer for a mother and church every Sunday with her black father's family. I guess what fans like me admire the most about her is the technical brilliance, her musicality (she can bring the choir, the jazz and the hood all in one album and blend them all like it's nothing) and her artistry, which comes from a place of always feeling like an outsider (not black enough, not white enough, growing up in 70s Long Island). But her huge success speaks for itself, as well as the unwavering devotion of her fans (something which many artists, even those who achieved similar or higher levels of fame, have always envied).
Yes, I know (and love) Minnie Ripperton, from whom, alongside Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathway (among others) Mariah obviously drew inspiration, as she is always quick to acknowledge. Interesting, though, how she herself managed to channel those inspirations into creating her own, distinctive sound, which is something that every major female pop/R&B vocalist post 90s didn't quite manage to achieve as they all drew inspiration from her but couldn't quite find their own "voice" ;).
Nicely said, Andy! You're so right about the talent of each of our artists. If you love the artist, you love their idiosyncrasies (or those one or two things that make them unique), and too much is never enough! I love your "enough with the harmonies, Beatles"!!!š(You can tell we're buds, 'cause that one didn't hurt)!!!š
While never a fan, I certainly appreciate her unique talent....and, you pinpointed her songwriting, and spot on! She's all alone in the end zone on that one....I've felt for years that her "All I Want for Christmas is You" is an instant classic, which, in the C-mas lane, is tough to do! There's a deep and fascinating story behind the writing and recording of that song, Andy....I smell winter collab article!!
As for "her own, distinctive sound," that (like Streisand, say, and the others you mentioned) comes directly from her precise vocal talent. The challenge, then, for artists, is to maximize their talent into a combined sound that will encourage more ears to listen (picking the right musicians, producer, even label)....note the elements Columbia, hubby Mottola, and her "Christmas" co-writer, Walter Afanasieff (in that song's example) all contribute to her overall sound (none can be underestimated, and she'd be the first to say so).
Any more than you'd plop Babs in front of Black Sabbath, you also wouldn't place Mariah in front of a banjo-pickin' bluegrass band! As a non-fan, Andy, I can certainly tell, "from afar," that her team has maximized her voice, her talent, her recorded sound, and her material, put it all together, and hers is a career worth not only applauding, but emulating (which most, if not all, "American Idol" contestants look to and strive for...that alone says it all)! Great stuff, Andy!
I'm also impressed you knew about Minnie.....I'm gonna stop being surprised at your overall awareness of the greats!
The irony is Iām a Beatles fan too! Honestly the music I like is much more diverse than it would seem at first.
You hit the nail right on the head with everything you said about Mariahās talent and career. What sets her apart from the rest and how she inspired the entire American Idol generation. Another reason why I admire her so much is how sweet sheās always been to me (I met her a couple of times, but thatās a story for another day!). She is gracious and kind, and has this sort ofā¦ raw vulnerabilityā¦ so rare for someone who has achieved those levels of fame.
I can definitely smell a winter collab as well! I love the story behind the writing of All I Want for Christmas and itās so cool you know so many details. I wouldnāt have thought a non-Mariah fan would know this kind of stuffā¦ but then again it doesnāt fully surprise me, coming from you! š If you know this much about someone youāre not necessarily a fan of, it just goes to show much you know about your idols!! Probably more than they know about themselves (and I aināt joking!)
Love it! Wynonnaās version is real nice. Never heard any other than Foreigner's. If I wore a hat, I'd tip it for ya Brad.
Thanks, Paul! I must say it's a gas auditioning all (or most) of these covers! I hope it's duly noted by all that an artist like Wynonna appreciates top-notch musicality, and so many artists, like her, are more than willing (and able) to wander far off their genre acreage to employ the best!
Those are the ones we would all do well to purchase said hatš©, if only to tip it in these artists' general directions! But, I do appreciate your hat-tipping desires in MY direction!š¤
Aww- thanks for remembering that I wrote about that particular song almost a year ago now! It was one of the first earworm stories I penned.
It truly is a great song and has a pure-heartedness that is rare in the rock sphere. Seeing it used in a Swedish teen romance made perfect sense.
I learned a lot more than my piddling research revealed at the time.
So good!
My pleasure....thank the 'Stack's new search feature! I did it with a couple of our fellow music writers, but you were the only one of us who had covered that song! Being a big song by a popular band, I figured one of us must've written something about it/them!
I believe that was your very first article, and I remember reading it (once I noticed it come up on the search)! Of Foreigner's ballads, I actually preferred "Waiting for a Girl Like You." So much so, 'twas another one I did at karaoke....yep, full chest voice with no pitch adjustment, I'm proud to say!! Another song with an incredible story behind its birth and recording! (Pause to check for covers)......hmmmm....would you believe Rick Springfield, Cliff Richard, Jordan Knight (NKOTB) and Paul Anka?!? Uh oh.....I smell another "Inside Tracks"!! Holla for collab, yo!
Great content, as always! I know this song primarily courtesy of Mariahās cover (as you can probably guess), and while I had of course heard the original, what I didnāt know is how many artists had covered it throughout the years. What I didnāt know either was the producerās reaction when he first heard it, which was a pleasure to read. Itās one of those songs that will immediately make you stop whatever it is youāre doing and just... listen. Interestingly, while Mariah saves āthe best for lastā and does a full-on climax with gospel choir, high notes and pyrotechnics (obvs!! š ), I remember what moved me the most (still does to this day) was the first chorus. There is something there, a longing, some sort of āmelancholic hopeā (as contradictory as this may sound) that really spoke to me.
Thanks, Andy.....I hope you noticed I had Mariah's link in the piece. Her cover was seriously considered for inclusion, but with a full gross (144!) of covers from which to choose, she got bumped for the couple of country takes (Wynonna and Chesney) and their unique contributions (Jeff Beck and the double-time pace of Chesney's).
I've always wondered if a serious Mariah fan ever found her stratospheric forays a little overbearing or if they ever approached over-use from song to song. I'd think that might be a vocal "trick" that would be easy to go to the well once (or twice) too often! Thoughts?
In listening to her version, BTW, I was reminded of the late, great Minnie Riperton (gone far too soon at 31 in '79), and wondered if you'd ever waded into the shallow pool of her fab-ness, Andy. She's SNL stalwart, Maya Rudolph's mom (which is where Maya gets her singing chops for her occasional impersonations).
Minnie's best known for her "Lovin' You" hit in '75, but also for her four-octave D3 to FāÆ7 coloratura soprano range (I don't talk like that....that's from her Wiki page!). She is also widely known for her use of the whistle register (or whistle tone), and I wonder if Mariah has ever been identified as having a whistle register at all. It would be revealing, I think, to either find (or make!) a comparison article where a "music expert" discerns such things!
It's interesting to note, too, the move into the Gospel chorus territory many of the covers (including the original, of course) took. But, hearing how Jones came to the song in the first place seems to pinpoint the spiritual lean his songwriting took him for this one.šš
Interesting how Mariah often gets accused of over-singing or over-using certain "tricks" but no one ever says "oh, come on, Hendrix, another guitar solo?" or "Beatles, come on, enough with the harmonies". Or Mick Jagger and his dancing. Like so many other examples.
No, serious Mariah fans like me do not find these "forays" you mention over-bearing, because that's one of the many things we like about her. Interestingly, this misconception often comes from people who only know her #1 hits (19 of them in all, 18 self-penned, a unique feat among solo artists), but are less familiar with her other work (songs like "Looking In", "The Wind", "Petals" or even "Languishing", which, coincidentally, serves as a prelude to her cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is"). Ultimately it is a matter of taste, on which there's nothing written. Don't forget that she grew up as a troubled multiracial kid with an opera singer for a mother and church every Sunday with her black father's family. I guess what fans like me admire the most about her is the technical brilliance, her musicality (she can bring the choir, the jazz and the hood all in one album and blend them all like it's nothing) and her artistry, which comes from a place of always feeling like an outsider (not black enough, not white enough, growing up in 70s Long Island). But her huge success speaks for itself, as well as the unwavering devotion of her fans (something which many artists, even those who achieved similar or higher levels of fame, have always envied).
Yes, I know (and love) Minnie Ripperton, from whom, alongside Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathway (among others) Mariah obviously drew inspiration, as she is always quick to acknowledge. Interesting, though, how she herself managed to channel those inspirations into creating her own, distinctive sound, which is something that every major female pop/R&B vocalist post 90s didn't quite manage to achieve as they all drew inspiration from her but couldn't quite find their own "voice" ;).
Nicely said, Andy! You're so right about the talent of each of our artists. If you love the artist, you love their idiosyncrasies (or those one or two things that make them unique), and too much is never enough! I love your "enough with the harmonies, Beatles"!!!š(You can tell we're buds, 'cause that one didn't hurt)!!!š
While never a fan, I certainly appreciate her unique talent....and, you pinpointed her songwriting, and spot on! She's all alone in the end zone on that one....I've felt for years that her "All I Want for Christmas is You" is an instant classic, which, in the C-mas lane, is tough to do! There's a deep and fascinating story behind the writing and recording of that song, Andy....I smell winter collab article!!
As for "her own, distinctive sound," that (like Streisand, say, and the others you mentioned) comes directly from her precise vocal talent. The challenge, then, for artists, is to maximize their talent into a combined sound that will encourage more ears to listen (picking the right musicians, producer, even label)....note the elements Columbia, hubby Mottola, and her "Christmas" co-writer, Walter Afanasieff (in that song's example) all contribute to her overall sound (none can be underestimated, and she'd be the first to say so).
Any more than you'd plop Babs in front of Black Sabbath, you also wouldn't place Mariah in front of a banjo-pickin' bluegrass band! As a non-fan, Andy, I can certainly tell, "from afar," that her team has maximized her voice, her talent, her recorded sound, and her material, put it all together, and hers is a career worth not only applauding, but emulating (which most, if not all, "American Idol" contestants look to and strive for...that alone says it all)! Great stuff, Andy!
I'm also impressed you knew about Minnie.....I'm gonna stop being surprised at your overall awareness of the greats!
The irony is Iām a Beatles fan too! Honestly the music I like is much more diverse than it would seem at first.
You hit the nail right on the head with everything you said about Mariahās talent and career. What sets her apart from the rest and how she inspired the entire American Idol generation. Another reason why I admire her so much is how sweet sheās always been to me (I met her a couple of times, but thatās a story for another day!). She is gracious and kind, and has this sort ofā¦ raw vulnerabilityā¦ so rare for someone who has achieved those levels of fame.
I can definitely smell a winter collab as well! I love the story behind the writing of All I Want for Christmas and itās so cool you know so many details. I wouldnāt have thought a non-Mariah fan would know this kind of stuffā¦ but then again it doesnāt fully surprise me, coming from you! š If you know this much about someone youāre not necessarily a fan of, it just goes to show much you know about your idols!! Probably more than they know about themselves (and I aināt joking!)
Have a good evening and talk soon š