Yes, that's right -- your eyes are not deceiving you. On Mariah Carey's new album, Charmbracelet, the sexy chanteuse warbles a cover version of Def Leppard 's 1993 hit "Bringin' on the Heartbreak."

I know it sounds weird, and that it probably won't work, but guess what? At last night's listening party for Carey's new disk, this was one of the many applauded tracks on an album full of potential hits.

Go figure.

They've done everything to Mariah Carey but kill her -- and by "they," you know who I mean. I have written my own articles critical of her for one reason or another. She's been accused of plagiarism and bad fashion taste; she's had a couple of nervous breakdowns and a vindictive ex-husband.

She should have been washed up by now. But somehow, against all the odds, Mariah Carey is about to stage a huge comeback.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong. American life does have a second act.

Carey told me last night at the Hayden Planetarium, right before her album was played for fans chosen by lottery and some press and radio people, that she will tour to promote Charmbracelet . We discussed her new song "My Saving Grace."

"I hope people will like it," she said. I offered that maybe popular taste was running back to music that sounded real, not processed. "I hope so," she replied, "but I don't know if we'e there yet."

Carey wore a tight black catsuit, revealing her famous cleavage. She looked healthy and relaxed, and seemed very happy to be among her fans.

During the playback session, which was augmented by a great planetarium show, she accepted shout-outs from the wildly enthusiastic audience. Naomi Campbell, Trey Lorenz and Carey's producer Randy Jackson were in the crowd.

A couple of the songs were new even to me, added since I reported on Oct. 15 about the seven I had heard. We heard a lead-off track that will eventually have duet vocals by Justin Timberlake .

Another track, Jackson told me later, was recorded with live instruments in one take. It's a killer R&B song that hearkens back to Earth, Wind & Fire .

On one song there's an Isley Brothers -like lead guitar solo, à la "Who's That Lady?" On the Def Leppard number, guitarist Rob Bacon wails away while Mariah turns in a nifty rock anthem ballad sure to be a hit.

All in all, Charmbracelet -- which will be on Carey's MonarC Records as of Dec. 10 -- is probably the best thing she's ever done.

Said Jackson, who's quite a nice guy (I didn't know he was an American Idol judge -- he's in the middle of auditioning the next set of performers): "It's the most real and honest record she's made. She didn't care what anyone thought of the lyrics. They were only important to her."

On one song, the half-Irish, half-African American Carey sings maybe her most interesting line ever: "I was stigmatized / for being black and white."

Now we'll sit back and watch Jerry Blair, Cindy Berger and Mariah's manager pull off what should have been the toughest sell of the year. But so far they've done everything right, all the T's are crossed and I's dotted. Charmbracelet is all set for a big launch.

Source:

foxnews.com

Intersting

If she isnt careful shes going to become Linda Ronstadt-2, what with all these cover versions she does.

rdhull said:

I was going 2 get mental till I read this:

"On one song there's an Isley Brothers -like lead guitar solo, à la "Who's That Lady?" On the Def Leppard number, guitarist Rob Bacon wails away while Mariah turns in a nifty rock anthem ballad sure to be a hit."

It does worth the try. Besides, I ain't got no beef with anybody if they WON'T include more than 1 cover song.

Covering have its good sides I guess

Harlepolis said:

Yeah but how many damn covers she gotta do? Turning into Luther from the eighties and Ronstadt from the seventies...point is she has adequate writers to give her material strong enough on her own that she doesnt have to keep redoing the clasics...ah well...to each their own because if I were a recording artist, Id be doig covers of my fav tunes as well...but mostly in a live setting...who wants to be judged on previous classics?
[This message was edited Fri Oct 25 12:00:44 PDT 2002 by rdhull]

rdhull said:

Luther?? She didn't cover any Luther songs. Here's her COVERS list(In order):

Indless Love(W/Luther)-92
Without You-93
Open Arms-95
The Beautiful Ones-97
Sweetheart-98
I still Believe-98
Against all Odds-99
Last night a DJ saved my life-2000
I didn't mean 2 turn you on-2000
Bringing on the heartbreak-2003(Our song's topic)

But somehow I agree with you, the sistah is one sho nuff AMAZING lyrics writer and she won't need 2 do covers.

I 4got "I'll be there"--LIVE

Harlepolis said:

I know she didnt--Im saying she is becomng like Luthe r in th e 80's because Luther used to do cover versions on each of his releases back then. Damn near made his name on them like Ronstadt...plus you are leaving out I'll Be There from The JACKSON 5 that she covered live on her unplugged release. Ever since shes been on a covered wagon, nah mean?

rdhull said:

Ahh c'mon now RD we haven't heard the new cut yet. lets not try 2 bring her down. Like I said I AGREE that this covering-ish is becoming too overused and its kinda boring.

mariah carey: +1

mariah carey doin covers: -1,230,453,943

PlastikLuvAffair said:

Oh my lawd gotta like me some PlastikLuvAffair.

I like that she picks covers songs by men or groups with male lead vocalist and not females.

Don't try to out sing Patti, Diana, and other women. But she chooses Phil Collins, Journey, Prince, Def Leppard, Robert Palmer and such, i think thats being more creative. Or even when Whitney did Dolly. When you switch genres to cover, thats ok too.

I like to see her take those 80's tracks and make them something different, some work, some do not.

PlastikLuvAffair said:

How 'bout this:

mariah carey: -1,230,453,943


mariah carey doin covers: +1(only because they're not her crappy lyrics)

jthad1129 said:

Hmmm, she DID cover songs by females here they're:

Somewhere over the rainbow-Live
Chain of fools(W/Aetha)-Live
Got to be real(W/Patti)-Live
Stop in the name of love(W/Diana)-Live
LoveHangover-Live
Do you know where you going to
I didn't mean 2 turn you own(Cherrelle's version)
Last night a DJ saved my life(Indeep)

I'd back you up if you said "she don't work with female vocalists in the studio " I don't I think she have something against the female type. The only person I can think of is Whitney and she will so a remix of "Through the rain" with Kelly Price and Joe, but othe than that,,I don't think she did. Missy, Brat, Mocha and Amil aren't vocalists tho.

Supernova said:

u right...i got all that backwards...


kix herself in the butt...owww!

She did cover a female. "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" was Charelle's song. Robert Palmer covered it.

that was jimmy and terry trap for a movie soundtrack.
the others were live, not studio tracks. Are you talking about the Divas live??? tribute songs??? Just album cuts

She did Maurice White's Produced&Co-Wrote Song as well.The Emotions "Best Of My Love" but Mariah re-named it "Emotions"&Maurice White didn't get a dime from it."Heartbreaker" which was Stay Lattisaw"s"Attack of The Name Game".Mariah didn't even know where the Song Came From So She Claimed?if you have done any Mariah Homework you know that She has Been in Music Court alot over the years for Jacking Songs.but those two were right there for picking&Neither Maurice nor Stacy were Properly Paid.Industry Politics.

mistermaxxx said:

Do you have her "Rainbow" LP?? If you do, then check out the sample credit. She GAVE the credit 4 Stay Lattisaw.

And about Emotions?? Does ppl copyright ENGLISH WORDS?? If yes, then you'll see Prince suing India Arie, Jill Scott and Mariah 4 their songs (The One).

BTW check out her song "Irresistabel":

http://www.freecfm.com/m/...e-remix.rm

its a very nice breezy fresh summer night's jam. Plain Hip-Hop!!!

Harlepolis said:

Mariah came on TV back in 99&said She didn't know it was a Stacy Lattisaw Song.the Song"Emotions" please go&Listen too the Emotions "Best Of My Love"&then get back too Me?the Hook,Tempo,Timing,etc... are all too much.nobody Copyrights English Words as far as I know or Prince owuld have Been Sued by the Band America for Saying "Purple Rain".but then again Prince never had too Pay Joni Mitchell for mentioning"Help Me I think I'm falling" during "Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" either nor for Sampling Jimi Hendrix's "Little Miss Thing" for "Tick,Tick,Bang".

I saw Mariah's new video "Through The Rain" and it's the SAME OLD SONG! When is she gonna move on and do something different?? This is just the same,run-of-the-mill,wimpy ballad that she has done too many times now.And why is she working the SAME producers again (Jam and Lewis)?? She should call up Moby,try some techno beats or something."Through The Rain" is BORING! I like Mariah and I was really rooting for her,but she seriously needs to do something different cuz this ain't it.

R&B artists have become lazy these days.They all work with the same production teams,and do the same type of music.

DavidEye said:

Truth hurts, but I kinda agree with you on this one.

TTR is no waayyy near good when it comes down 2 a LEAD SINGLE ya know??

But The lp is very personal(like many said) there's a song called "Sunflower" which is a tribute 4 her father who passed last summer. There's "My saving grace" which is a gospel cut Produced by Randy Jackson(The bass playa).

There're also many FUNKY cuts that she did with DJ QUIK and her producer DAMIZZA. Not 2 mention, her healthy voice is back again and she's getting many RAVE reviews 4 this one and they're considering it as a comeback 4 her. Not 2 mention many crtitcs praise it as the NEXT "Butterfly" LP which was the BEST LP eva done by MC(Along with the debut one).

So, I won't be bothered by this song LOL I 4got to mention that she did a remix with Kelly Price and Joe its not really hip/hop, its kinda like "Breakdown" but in a gospel way.

Add 2 that,,

She's doing a ROCK(Def leppard cover) track and there's also a live/acoustic-produced track with LIVE band and a LIVE instruments.

C'mon now, that is NEW coming from Mariah

I agree with DavidEye. Especially about R&B singers being lazy these days. The past 5 years has seen R&B songs all with the same tired beats and lack of origianal melodies. Ray Charles and Quincy Jones were on BET Tonight earlier this year and made the comment that there are twelve notes in music and todays R&B uses about four. They both looked at eachother and cracked up. But it is so true. Most of these successful so-called R&B producers/songwriters everyone uses seem to have a very limited musical vocabulary.

Alot of the blame rests on the record companies as they don't want to take any risks. If something sells lets copy it 50 times for other artists, do a flashy video and we're good to go. As long as people will buy crap they keep selling it.

Then you have the covers. I think Mary J. is almost finished going through Elton's catalog. Mariah, Will Smith, P. Diddy and on and on, can all co-opt other peoples music to sell records with very little effort. Why put the effort into creating something original when something borrowed will do better and be easier?