Never Forget You (Mariah Carey song)

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"Never Forget You"
CD single cover with Mariah Carey posing her arms
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Music Box
A-side"Without You" (double A-side)
ReleasedJanuary 21, 1994 (1994-01-21)
StudioRight Track Recording (New York City)
Genre
Length3:45
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Without You"
(1994) 		"Never Forget You"
(1994) 		"Anytime You Need a Friend"
(1994)
Audio
"Never Forget You" on YouTube

"Never Forget You" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her third studio album, Music Box (1993). Carey co-wrote the slow jam with Babyface and the pair produced it with Daryl Simmons. Columbia Records released the song on January 21, 1994, as the B-side to "Without You" and promoted it to American urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single. The lyrics lament the end of a romance. Strings, synthesizers, and percussion characterize the composition; Jermaine Dupri altered them for remixes.

Music critics deemed "Never Forget You" unremarkable and derivative. The song's level of emotion and Carey's vocal performance were further topics of commentary. "Never Forget You" peaked at numbers one and three on the US urban contemporary radio charts published by Radio & Records and Gavin Report, respectively. It also reached number three on Billboard Hot 100 Singles and number seven on Billboard Hot R&B Singles. Combined with "Without You", the single sold 600,000 copies in the US throughout 1994.

Background and release[edit]

After the 1992 release of her first extended play, MTV Unplugged, Mariah Carey began to work on her third studio album, Music Box (1993).[1] She resumed recording with previous collaborators Walter Afanasieff, David Cole, and Robert Clivillés, and began new relationships with producers Dave Hall and Babyface.[2] The latter was known for his traditional ballad productions.[3] According to author Marc Shapiro, this aligned with the album's intended musical identity of "leaning toward the basic R&B feel while not forgetting the orchestration and polish".[2]

Columbia Records released Music Box on August 31, 1993.[4] The label promoted the sixth track, Carey–Babyface collaboration "Never Forget You", as the album's fourth single[5] and provided it to American urban contemporary radio stations in January 1994.[6][7] It is also the B-side to the third single, "Without You",[5][8] which was released on January 21, 1994.[9] Columbia issued the song in several formats: 7-inch vinyl, 12-inch vinyl, cassette, maxi cassette, CD, and maxi CD.[10] "Never Forget You" is Carey's first single without a music video.[11] Billboard writer Andrew Hampp thought this indicates the release was inconsequential to her and Columbia.[12]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

"Never Forget You"
"Never Forget You" features background vocals from Carey and Babyface in a composition characterized by strings, synthesizers, and percussion.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Never Forget You" is a pop and R&B slow jam.[6] Carey and Babyface wrote the lyrics in which the narrator softly laments the end of a romance:[13] "No, I'll never forget you / I'll never let you out of my heart / You will always be here with me / I'll hold on to your memories, baby."[14] The pair composed the music and then produced the song with Daryl Simmons. It features strings, synthesizers, and percussion prominently.[6][15][16] Babyface plays the drums and keyboards and Koyo performs the bass.[17] Carey and Babyface provide background vocals; the former's are overdubbed in the chorus.[13]

Jim Zumpano, Dana Jon Chappelle, and Jim Caruana engineered the track at Right Track Recording in New York City, after which Mick Guzauski mixed it in Sony Music Studios. Like every song on Music Box, "Never Forget You" was mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway in Portland, Maine.[17] According to sheet music published by Hal Leonard, the song is composed in 6
8 time signature with a "moderately slow" tempo.[18] It has a swung rhythm every sixteenth note[19] and lasts for three minutes and 45 seconds.[20] Carey biographer Chris Nickson felt that the waltz time evokes "an air of partners gliding around the dancefloor in memories".[13]

Jermaine Dupri produced remixes of "Never Forget You" at KrossWire Studio in Atlanta, Georgia.[20] Carey had wanted to collaborate with him after hearing his work on the 1992 Kris Kross single "Jump".[21] Phil Tan and Jamie Seyberth engineered the tracks and Dupri and Tan mixed them at Hollywood's Larrabee Sound Studios.[20]

Critical reception[edit]

Music critics deemed "Never Forget You" forgettable[a] and unoriginal.[b] They compared it to Babyface's other compositions such as Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" (1992).[28][31][32] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said "Never Forget You" squanders Babyface's abilities.[22] New York Times writer Deborah Frost suggested it "seems designed to showcase his skills as a pop charmer rather than [Carey's]".[33]

Critics evaluated the song's level of emotion; several described it as genuine.[c] Bill Speed and John Martinucci from the Gavin Report called it "a ballad that puts you into a sentimental mood before you can say 'I like this'".[7] Toledo Blade writer Stewart Walker thought it showcased "Carey as one of those rare artists who can actually convey her feelings to her listeners".[36] In contrast, Dayton Daily News critic Dave Larsen derided "Never Forget You" as overblown[16] and Mike Joyce of The Washington Post felt that "even Aretha Franklin would be hard pressed to make an emotional statement" given the lyrics.[14]

Carey's vocal performance was another topic of commentary. Cleveland.com's Troy L. Smith considered it the song's highlight.[30] Richmond Times-Dispatch writer Patrick McCarty said she "spirals to unnerving heights with volume and shrieks to spare";[15] Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Dave Ferman reckoned her voice was more restrained than on songs from her previous albums.[37] Billboard writers Andrew Hampp and Princess Gabbara complimented Carey's harmonies with Babyface.[12][38] According to Julianne Shepherd of Vibe, "her piercing vocals amplify [his] signature indelible melodies".[31]

Chart performance[edit]

1994 US chart performance with peak positions
Chart (Publisher) Week Year
Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[39][40]
"Without You"/"Never Forget You" 		3 16
Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[41][40]
"Never Forget You"/"Without You" 		7 61
Top 100 R&B Singles (Cash Box)[42][43] 5 35
Urban (Gavin Report)[44] 3 N/A
Urban (Radio & Records)[45][46] 1 39

"Never Forget You" is one of the best-performing songs produced by Babyface in the 1990s.[47] Combined with "Without You", the single sold 600,000 copies in the United States throughout 1994.[48] An urban radio success, "Never Forget You" peaked at numbers one and three on charts published by Radio & Records and Gavin Report, respectively.[44][45]

At the time of the single's release, Billboard allowed an A-side and B-side to chart together if both received radio airplay.[49][d] "Never Forget You" received some spins from pop radio stations and charted with "Without You" on Hot 100 Singles beginning February 12, 1994.[8] The single peaked at number three in the week ending March 19, 1994.[39] It is Carey's 13th-best performing title on the chart as of 2018[50] and remains her sole double-sided appearance.[39]

On Hot R&B Singles, "Never Forget You" debuted at number 94 in the February 5, 1994, Billboard issue.[51] "Without You" was listed with it from March 12, 1994,[10] and the pair reached number seven in the week ending April 9, 1994.[41][e] The peaks on both the Hot R&B and Hot 100 charts were the second lowest of Carey's career at the time.[39][41]

Track listings[edit]

Credits[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Attributed to David Browne of Entertainment Weekly,[22] Chuck Campbell of The Knoxville News-Sentinel,[23] Gary Graff of the Detroit Free Press,[24] Leah Greeblatt of Entertainment Weekly,[25] Andrew Hampp of Billboard,[12] Craig Roberts of the Gay and Lesbian Times,[26] and Paul Willistein of The Morning Call[27]
  2. ^ Attributed to Parry Gettelman of the Orlando Sentinel,[28] Mike Joyce of The Washington Post,[14] Dave Larsen of the Dayton Daily News,[29] and Troy L. Smith of Cleveland.com[30]
  3. ^ Attributed to Billboard,[6] Keith Loria of the Associated Press,[34] and Lynn Norment of Ebony[35]
  4. ^ The magazine determined its collective position by combining airplay data for each side with sales and listed the side with more airplay first; this was an uncommon occurrence.[49]
  5. ^ On the comparative Cash Box R&B chart, "Never Forget You" reached number five.[42]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nickson 1998, p. 79
  2. ^ a b Shapiro 2001, p. 72
  3. ^ Rischar, Richard (2004). "A Vision of Love: An Etiquette of Vocal Ornamentation in African-American Popular Ballads of the Early 1990s". American Music. 22 (3): 407–443 [415]. doi:10.2307/3592985. JSTOR 3592985. S2CID 192988682. Gale A391721520.
  4. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (September 11, 1993). "Between the Bullets". Billboard. p. 87. ProQuest 1506016071.
  5. ^ a b Shapiro 2001, pp. 153–155
  6. ^ a b c d Flick, Larry, ed. (January 29, 1994). "Single Reviews". Billboard. p. 79. ProQuest 1506036359.
  7. ^ a b Speed, Bill; Martinucci, John, eds. (January 28, 1994). "Gavin Urban – New Releases". Gavin Report. p. 20.
  8. ^ a b McCabe, Kevin (February 12, 1994). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. p. 119. ProQuest 1506022180.
  9. ^ "Gold & Platinum – 'Without You'". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022.
  10. ^ a b
  11. ^ Shapiro 2001, pp. 155–158
  12. ^ a b c Hampp, Andrew (August 31, 2013). "Mariah Carey's Music Box at 20: Classic Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Nickson 1998, pp. 109–110
  14. ^ a b c Joyce, Mike (September 5, 1993). "Big Voices Are Back: Carey, Braxton and Dayne". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023.
  15. ^ a b McCarty, Patrick (September 9, 1993). "Carey's Blessed With a Wonderful Voice, So Why the Mediocre Songs?". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. D23. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b Larsen, Dave (September 10, 1993). "Recordings On Review". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 16. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d Music Box (CD liner notes). Columbia Records. 1993. 474270 2.
  18. ^ Hal Leonard 2007
  19. ^ de Clercq 2023, p. 195
  20. ^ a b c d "Never Forget You" (maxi cassette single). Columbia Records. 1934. 44T 77418.
  21. ^ Considine, J. D. (January 1996). "How Mariah Carey Spun Her Daydream". Musician. p. 86. ProQuest 1401425698.
  22. ^ a b Browne, David (August 27, 1993). "Music Box". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
  23. ^ Campbell, Chuck (September 8, 1993). "Mariah Carey Triumphs with Music Box". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B3. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Graff, Gary (August 30, 1993). "Pop: Mariah Carey Tries a Softer Sound". Detroit Free Press. p. 3E. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (May 25, 2017). "1994 Chart Flashback: Reviewing Tracks by Prince, Madonna, More". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Roberts, Craig (September 16, 1993). "Boxing Mariah". Gay and Lesbian Times. p. 31. Gale BLUWZO171491626.
  27. ^ Willistein, Paul (September 11, 1993). "Mariah Carey: Music Box". The Morning Call. p. A62. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (September 3, 1993). "Mariah Carey". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 8. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Larsen, Dave (September 10, 1993). "Recordings on Review". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 16. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ a b Smith, Troy L. (August 23, 2020). "All 76 Mariah Carey Singles Ranked". Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Shepherd, Julianne (November 2007). "The Ultimate Mariah Carey". Vibe. p. 102. ProQuest 2771598742.
  32. ^ Dean Ford, Lynn (September 20, 1993). "Mariah Can Carey a Tune, but She Holds Back on New Disc". The Indianapolis Star. p. D4. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Frost, Deborah (October 10, 1993). "A Powerful Voice Wrapped in a Glossy Corporate Package". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023.
  34. ^ Loria, Keith (November 27, 1993). "In the Groove". Arizona Daily Sun. Associated Press. p. A7. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ Norment, Lynn (December 1993). "Sounding Off". Ebony. p. 20. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023 – via Google Books.
  36. ^ Walker, Stewart (October 19, 1993). "Gospel Style Fits Mariah Carey Well". The Citizens' Voice. Toledo Blade. p. 20. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ Ferman, Dave (September 3, 1993). "There's a Little Less Wind in Mariah". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. E2. Archived from the original on March 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ Gabbara, Princess (August 31, 2018). "All the Tracks on Mariah Carey's Music Box, Ranked". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022.
  39. ^ a b c d "Mariah Carey Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022.
  40. ^ a b "The Year in Music". Billboard. December 24, 1994. pp. YE-26, YE-34. ProQuest 1505989104; ProQuest 1505972248.
  41. ^ a b c "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023.
  42. ^ a b "Top 100 R&B Singles". Cash Box. April 16, 1994. p. 10 – via Internet Archive.
  43. ^ "Top 50 Urban Singles". Cash Box. December 31, 1994. p. 15 – via Internet Archive.
  44. ^ a b Speed, Bill; Martinucci, John, eds. (April 8, 1994). "Gavin Urban". Gavin Report. p. 14.
  45. ^ a b "Songs Reaching Top 15 in 1994". Radio & Records. December 16, 1994. p. 31. ProQuest 1017281312.
  46. ^ "The Top 94 of 1994". Radio & Records. December 16, 1994. p. 30. ProQuest 1017281302.
  47. ^ "Babyface: Still in the Game". Radio & Records. May 29, 1998. p. 41. ProQuest 1017320912.
  48. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. January 21, 1995. p. 57. ProQuest 1505989208.
  49. ^ a b
  50. ^ Corpuz, Kristin (March 27, 2018). "Mariah Carey's Top 40 Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022.
  51. ^ "Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. February 5, 1994. p. 18. ProQuest 1506021840.
  52. ^ a b c "Never Forget You" (CD single). Columbia Records. 1994. 44K 77418.
  53. ^ "Never Forget You" (12-inch vinyl single). Columbia Records. 1994. XSS 77418.
  54. ^ "'Never Forget You' EP – Album by Mariah Carey". Jaxsta. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023.
  55. ^ "'Never Forget You' EP" (in Japanese). Mora. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023.

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