Underneath The Stars: Mariah Carey Delivers ‘The Rarities’ For New Collection
Mariah Carey’s continuing her #MC30 campaign in a big way with a new collection of rare and unreleased studio and live material, as well as vinyl reissues of her whole catalogue.
The Rarities presents the flipside of the pop idol’s incredible blockbuster career (one that’s produced an impressive 19 chart-topping singles in the U.S. – just one less than The Beatles) through B-sides and outtakes as well as the premiere audio release of a full live set from 1996. Lead single “Saves The Day,” a duet with Lauryn Hill that samples parts of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” (as she recorded with the Fugees), was released last month ahead of the album’s release and can be heard below.
A dozen of the first disc’s 15 tracks are previously unreleased, consisting of mostly studio outtakes from her three-decade career. (Three tracks have been issued before as B-sides to various CD singles in the mid-’90s.) Highlights include “Can You Hear Me,” which Carey wrote with legendary songwriter Barry Mann; “One Night,” an early collaboration between the singer and producer/So So Def Records founder Jermaine Dupri; the original version of “Loverboy” from Carey’s maligned film debut Glitter (2001), featuring a sample of Martin Denny’s “Firecracker” (as performed by the Yellow Magic Orchestra) in place of Cameo’s “Candy”; and covers of “Out Here On My Own” (from the film Fame) and a live take on the standard “Lullaby Of Birdland.” The disc closes with a newly recorded acoustic version of “Close My Eyes,” one of Carey’s personal favorites which first appeared on 1997’s Butterfly.
On the second disc, the power of Mariah’s concert performance is on full display with a sold-out date at the Tokyo Dome during 1996’s Daydream World Tour. Eight of her No. 1 hits (nearly all the ones she released at the time) are performed, including “Emotions,” “Vision Of Love,” “Hero,” “Fantasy” and “Always Be My Baby.” There’s also covers of Journey (“Open Arms”), Nilsson (“Without You”) and The S.O.S. Band (“Just Be Good To Me”), and – in a testament to the song’s popularity in Japan although Christmas was still nine months away – her seasonal smash “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (which became her historical 19th No. 1 last year during its 25th anniversary celebration.) Portions of this set were utilized on a TV special that aired on FOX in 1996, but this is its debut release on disc.
Earlier this week, Sony Music and Universal Music Group also announced 16 upcoming vinyl reissues of Mariah’s studio albums between October 2 and January 21, 2021. And the #MC30 campaign kicked off over the summer with the debut release of audio and video from one of Carey’s first live showcases as well as a rolling schedule of rare, remix and B-side packed EPs. (There are now 20 such releases.)
Mariah’s memoir, The Meaning Of Mariah Carey, will hit bookshelves September 29, just days before The Rarities (and the vinyl reissue of her 1990 self-titled debut) make their October 2 bow. The next wave of vinyl reissues, covering the remainder of Mariah’s Columbia discography plus 2005’s The Emancipation Of Mimi, will all be available November 6, and can also be pre-ordered below.
The Rarities (Columbia/Legacy, 2020)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Disc 1 (previously unreleased except where noted)
- Here We Go Around Again (1990)
- Can You Hear Me (1991)
- Do You Think Of Me (B-side to “Dreamlover” CD single – Columbia 38K 77080, 1993)
- Everything Fades Away (B-side to “Hero” CD single – Columbia 44K 77225, 1993)
- All I Live For (1993)
- One Night (1995)
- Slipping Away (B-side to “Always Be My Baby” CD single – Columbia 38K 78276, 1996)
- Out Here On My Own (2000)
- Loverboy (Firecracker – Original Version) (2001)
- I Pray (2005)
- Cool On You (2007)
- Mesmerized (2012)
- Lullaby Of Birdland (Live on The Elusive Chanteuse Show Tour – 2014)
- Save The Day (with Ms. Lauryn Hill) (2020)
- Close My Eyes (Acoustic) (2020)
Disc 2: Live At The Tokyo Dome – 3/7/1996 (previously unreleased on CD)
- Daydream Interlude (Fantasy Sweet Dub Mix)
- Emotions
- Open Arms
- Forever
- I Don’t Wanna Cry
- Fantasy
- Always Be My Baby
- One Sweet Day
- Underneath The Stars
- Without You
- Make It Happen
- Just Be Good To Me
- Dreamlover
- Vision Of Love
- Hero
- Anytime You Need a Friend
- All I Want For Christmas Is You
Mariah Carey (released as Columbia C 45202, 1990 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Emotions (released as Columbia C 47980, 1991 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
MTV Unplugged EP (released as Columbia CK 52758, 1992 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020 – previously unavailable on vinyl in U.S.): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Music Box (released as Columbia C 53205, 1993 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Daydream (released as Columbia CK 66700, 1995 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Butterfly (released as Columbia CK 67835, 1997 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Rainbow (released as Columbia C2 63800, 1999 – reissued Columbia/Legacy, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
The Emancipation Of Mimi (released as Island B0003943-01, 2005 – reissued Island/UMe, 2020): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
This is great. A 2 cd set of never released tracks. 12 of the 15 tracks on ”CD 1” are never released while ”CD 2” is completely never released containing the complete concert. I hope she puts out future releases of never released songs.