NOTE: Welcome to a new feature here at RANT RAV!NGS, called "In My Honest Opinion", (or !MHO -- since I insist on changing all the I's to exclamation marks on this blog for some unknown reason).
In each installment, I'll present my endorsements in list form over a series of posts. But no guarantee of update frequencies this time (fool me once, etc.)
Presenting my take on the 60 top songs ever written about relationships...because 50 just wasn't enough.
This is some of my favorite music ever, and I have a very wide palette of genres represented here.
Songs are in no particular order, and the list is not weighted. The ranking system is based solely on the order they came into my mind when I was constructing this list (although maybe that in itself says something).
And since the ranking system is random, I'll start with the first one, after the jump...
1. Can't Let Go
Artist: Mariah Carey
I was (and still am) a huge fan of Mariah Carey's music. You know...the sweet, pure Mariah of the early 90's. Before she became a hip-hop hoochie mama, willingly allowing rappers to defecate all over her otherwise catchy tunes.
Can't Let Go was the song that made me fall in love with her. I was only 10 then, and I was blown away by the haunting atmosphere of the piano interlude.
Being in grade school, I was very familiar with the concept of unrequited love, of course. This song made me feel like I wanted to shut myself up in the closet, put the tape in my walkman, and cry.
Whoops, too much information.
All of this to say, any song she collaborated with the legendary Walter Afanasieff resulted in magic.
This was from her second studio album, Emotions, released in 1991 and was the second single released. Tragically, Can't Let Go to failed to reach no. 1 on the charts.
But it will always be at the top of my heart, and the beginning of a young boy's crush on an amazing songstress.
Key lyrics: Just cast aside, you don't even know I'm alive. You just walk on by, don't care to see me cry. And here I am, still holding on. I can't accept, my world is gone.
WATCH: Mariah performs Can't Let Go on Soul Train
RUNNER UP: Someday
If Can't Let Go was the pain, Someday was revenge.
My favorite version was from the MTV Unplugged album, a grittier arrangement than the more pop-based studio version. Afanasieff's stellar piano talents really get a chance to shine here, backed by the powerful vocals of Trey Lorenz, Kelly and Cheree Price ("Sing!").
The energy of the intro sounded like a storm was brewing on the horizon.
A storm of vengeance.
The Unplugged album was a great way to showcase Mariah's full vocal range live, proving her talent exists beyond the recording studio walls.
Key lyrics: You'll change your mind and call my name, soon as you find they're all the same. And when you find yourself alone, don't come back crying. You should have known.
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