My favourite singer Mariah Carey recently released a 25th anniversary edition of her 6th studio album Butterfly. The original album was released on 16th September 1997 and featured songs such as her hit single Honey, The Roof and My All. It was actually the first album I ever bought (on cassette tape, lol) and I still consider it one of my fave MC albums. :)
Butterfly was the first album that Mariah had more control over and it is R'n'B, rather than the pop (and later pop/R'n'B) of her previous releases. It also has pop and hip hop influences.
The expanded edition contain 8 extra tracks (the original standard edition has 12)- a duet version of Whenever You Call with Brian McKnight, a new take on The Roof featuring Brandy, live versions of Butterfly and My All, acapella versions of Fourth of July and Outside, an Amorphous Anniversary Club Mix of Butterfly (with DJ Amorphous) and a remix of Honey (Another Taste of Honey David Morales Mix). I had previously heard the David Morales Mix of Honey but not the other tracks, I don't think.
You can read more about #Butterfly25 (as it's known on social media) here: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mariah-carey-butterfly-25th-anniversary-1235139166/
Here are some links to songs from the album, plus the brand-new video for The Roof (When I Feel The Need) with Brandy!
Honey
Honey was the lead single from Butterfly and was released in July 1997, two months before the album came out. It's my favourite Mariah song, and still sounds as good as now as it did back then (I was 13 when it came out!!). Honey is one of her most popular songs and reached No. 1 in several countries, including the US and the UK.
In 2013 I wrote a post of my Top 10 MC songs and Honey is No. 1. You can see the post here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/01/top-10-mariah-carey-songs.html
It's No. 1 on my Top 10 Songs list too.
I also like the Bad Boy Remix of Honey (featuring Mase and the Lox). Check out my More Mariah songs post to see the video (scroll down): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-mariah-songs.html
Or here's a direct link to the video if you prefer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy2bwwIsS40
Butterfly
Butterfly was the 2nd single (and the title track) from the album and came out in September 1997. It's a ballad, so very different to the previous release Honey. Mariah was having problems with her record label (Columbia) at the time, so it never had a commercial release.
While not one of my favourites (I prefer upbeat songs in general), Butterfly is a good song that I liked back then and still do now. It was written during Mariah's separation from her first husband, music producer Tommy Mottola.
Here's the video:
I also like Fly Away (Butterfly Reprise), which was on the European and the UK CD single.
The Roof
The Roof was the 3rd single from Butterfly, released in Europe in March 1998. It's also titled The Roof (Back in Time) but on the album it's just called The Roof. Since Mariah was still having difficulties with Columbia, it had a limited release. It wasn't released here (I don't think I saw the music video till years later), but it did make the UK charts due to import sales.
The song is about Mariah's relationship with American ex baseball player Derek Jeter, and their first kiss on top of a roof! It samples the 1995 single Shook Ones, Pt. II by American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. There is also a Mobb Deep Extended Remix.
The Roof is one of my faves from Butterfly. I featured it in my More Mariah songs post in 2013 (top of the page): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-mariah-songs.html
See below for the new version! :)
Breakdown feat. Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone
The 4th single Breakdown was released in January 1998. It didn't come out in Europe (The Roof was released instead), so again I didn't even know there was a music video until years later. It features rappers Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone from the hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
This is one of my fave songs from the album too. You can see the video in my More Mariah songs post: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-mariah-songs.html
Or watch the video directly here if you don't want to scroll down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC7V9dn1rC8
My All
The 5th and last single My All came out in April 1998. It did very well in the charts in the US, the UK and other European countries.
My All is a ballad and has Latin pop influences, as well as being in Mariah's newer (at the time) R'n'B style. Like The Roof (see above), it was inspired by her relationship with Derek Jeter. There are two remixes and a Spanish version called Mi Todo.
My All isn't one of my favourites but it's a good song. :) I actually prefer the remix My All/Stay Awhile (So So Def Remix) featuring Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, which is on the 2003 album The Remixes.
Here is the video for My All:
You can also visit my 2020 post for Mariah's 50th birthday to listen to the My All/Stay Awhile Remix (scroll down): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/03/happy-50th-anniversary-bday-mariah-carey.html
Or heres a direct YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1W98wd8Yd0&t=1s
The Roof (When I Feel The Need) feat. Brandy
Finally, here is the video for the new version of The Roof featuring Brandy (full name Brandy Norwood). Brandy is probably best known for her hit 1998 single The Boy Is Mine with Monica but she has many other good songs too. Her vocals are more in the background here, but her and Mariah's voices blend well together. :)
The video features the singers in the studio and premiered on 23rd September.
Hope you liked the post! :) Were you a fan of Butterfly the first time round, or do you like it if you're just discovering it now? It's just crazy that it's now 25 years since it came out!!
Want more Mariah? Visit these posts:
Happy 50th Anniversary (Bday) Mariah Carey!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/03/happy-50th-anniversary-bday-mariah-carey.html
Music video for the 2021 single Where I Belong with Busta Rhymes (a follow on from 2003's I Know What You Want): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/05/weekly-music-video_26.html
Big Energy (Remix) with Latto and DJ Khaled (which samples Mariah's 1995 single Fantasy; both Fantasy and the original Big Energy sampled another track): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/04/weekly-music-video.html
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