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Vanishing (song)

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"Vanishing"
Song by Mariah Carey
from the album Mariah Carey
A-side"Love Takes Time"
StudioPower Station (New York)
Genre
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mariah Carey

"Vanishing" is a song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her debut studio album Mariah Carey (1990).

Background and release

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Carey described "Vanishing" as her favorite track on the album: "I enjoyed doing that because it gave me more freedom to sing and it was the most personal song to me."[1] "Vanishing" did not become well-known among the general public in following years[2] and is instead regarded as a deep cut favored by her fans.[3] It was not released as a single from Mariah Carey.[4] Issued as the B-side to 1991 releases of "Love Takes Time"[5] and "Emotions",[6] "Vanishing" was also included on the 1992 "I'll Be There" maxi single.[7] Columbia and Legacy Recordings later included it on the 2010 compilation albums The Essential Mariah Carey and Playlist: The Very Best of Mariah Carey.[8]

Composition

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Described as a gospel[9] and traditional pop record, "Vanishing" is a torch song in the form of a ballad.[10] The music has a slow tempo.[11] Jill Warren of The Indianapolis Star described the composition as haunting[12] and Melissa A. Jacques of the St. Petersburg Times said it evokes "spine-tingling emotion and spirituality".[13] Carey considered adding more music such as drums to the composition to make it more commercially viable but decided against doing so to "preserve the integrity of the song – leave it really simple".[14]

The lyrics of "Vanishing" are about anguish after the end of a relationship.[15] According to author Andrew Chan, it "conveys romantic loss through metaphors of physical disappearance and occluded perception".[16] Marc Shapiro said the composition combines Carey's "vocals and a simple piano arrangement for maximum effect".[17] It incorporates tempo rubato.[18]

Carey's vocal performance received comparisons to Aretha Franklin,[19] Tramaine Hawkins,[11] and Suzanne Vega.[20] Her singing varies from whispering to belting[21] to whistling,[10] includes layered background vocals,[22] and incorporates melisma and riffing.[16] Edward Hill of The Plain Dealer described it as "complete with staccato phrasing, anguished wails and vibrant note extensions".[20] The last word concludes with a crescendo.[23]

Critical reception

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"Vanishing" received limited critical commentary upon the release of Mariah Carey.[22] Music writers contrasted it with other songs on the album. Several named it the best track.[24] Chuck Campbell likened it to a trump card in the Knoxville News-Sentinel.[25] The Record's Barbara Jaeger felt her voice comes across better on "Vanishing" because the arrangement forgoes overproduction.[26] Unlike "Vision of Love", Richard T. Ryan of the Staten Island Advance said "Vanishing" demonstrated Carey could limit the use of her vocal range.[27] Rick Mason cited the song in the St. Paul Pioneer Press as one in which she exercised commendable discipline with her voice.[28] Stephen Holden of The New York Times said it exhibits Carey's reverence for gospel music more than other tracks.[29]

The song has received a positive reception in retrospective album reviews. In 2015, Billboard's Trevor Anderson said it serves as "a reminder that Carey possesses a world-class voice".[30] Writing for the same magazine in 2020, Glenn Rowley stated "Vanishing" is arguably the best showcase of her vocal abilities on Mariah Carey.[31] Trent Jones of The Root thought the song helped her stand out as an individual artist on the album.[32] For scholar Vasilios Harisis, it best "announces the voice as the main communicator of an artistic identity".[21]

Critics have considered "Vanishing" a standout track in Carey's discography throughout her career. Several called it underrated.[33] Courier-Post contributor Jeff Hall considered the song her best work in 1993.[34] Vincent Stephens named "Vanishing" one of Carey's finest album tracks in a 2000 Popular Music and Society review.[35] Writing for Billboard in 2017, Everett Brothers named it her best recorded vocal performance.[36] In the same magazine the following year, Chris Azzopardi called it a career highlight owing to Carey's "stunning display of vocal highs and lows".[37] Billboard staff ranked it as the seventh-best song of her career in 2020.[31] Cliff Joannau of Attitude considered it one of Carey's top twelve B-sides and live renditions up to 2023.[38]

Live performances

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Carey performed "Vanishing" while promoting Mariah Carey in 1990. She sang it at Club Tatou in New York City on October 22 that year.[39] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described her delivery as "casually jolting"[40] and Ashley S. Battel of AllMusic said she showcased her vocal abilities effectively.[41] Footage of the performance was included on the 1991 video album The First Vision[42] and its audio was later released on The Live Debut – 1990, a 2020 digital extended play.[39] Carey reprised the song on October 29, 1990, at the American television program Saturday Night Live, following "Vision of Love".[43] She came across as a seasoned professional according to Vulture's Craig Jenkins.[44] Rolling Stone writer Christopher R. Weingarten ranked it at number 19 on a 2017 list of the best musical performances in the show's history.[43]

Carey later sang "Vanishing" during the 1993 Music Box Tour as a dedication to Tee.[45] Several critics described it as one of the concert's better performances.[46] Wayne Robins of Newsday said she displayed authentic emotion.[47] In The Boston Globe, Steve Morse felt Carey "showed a softer, equally entrancing side" to her performance ability in comparison with other songs that showcased her full vocal range.[45]

Other artists have performed live cover versions of "Vanishing". American singer Syesha Mercado sang it as a contestant on the 2008 season of the television program American Idol. Several critics praised her vocal performance.[2] Rodney Ho of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution remarked the rendition was "controlled yet emotional, lovely".[48] In 2020, American singer Kelly Clarkson sang "Vanishing" a cappella at her home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Entertainment Weekly writer Sydney Bucksbaum and Billboard's Gil Kaufman considered the rendition impressive.[49]

Credits and personnel

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Recording

  • Recorded and mixed at Power Station and The Hit Factory (New York)
  • Mastered at Masterdisk (New York)[50]

Personnel

  • Mariah Carey – songwriter, producer, arranger, lead vocals, background vocals
  • Ben Margulies – songwriter, arranger
  • Patrick Dillett – engineering, mixing
  • Richard Tee – piano
  • Bub Ludwig – mastering[50]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Lepage 1990, p. D10.
  2. ^ a b Cormier 2008, p. D1; Shrier 2008, p. C2; Sluder 2008, p. D4.
  3. ^ Brothers 2016; Brothers 2017.
  4. ^ Shapiro 2001, pp. 153–156.
  5. ^ "Love Takes Time" (CD single). Columbia Records. 1991. 656364 2.
  6. ^ "Emotions" (CD single). Columbia Records. 1991. 657403 2.
  7. ^ "I'll Be There" (CD maxi single). Columbia Records. 1992. 658137 2.
  8. ^ Columbia Records & Legacy Recordings 2010a; Columbia Records & Legacy Recordings 2010b.
  9. ^ DeKnock 1990, p. 7.
  10. ^ a b Chan 2023, p. 26.
  11. ^ a b Freedberg 1990, p. 44.
  12. ^ Warren 1990, p. D6.
  13. ^ Jacques 1991, p. 17.
  14. ^ Sholin 1991, p. 32.
  15. ^ Ingold 2018.
  16. ^ a b Chan 2023, pp. 26–27.
  17. ^ Shapiro 2001, p. 53.
  18. ^ Moon 1993, p. D9.
  19. ^ Willistein 1990, p. A67.
  20. ^ a b Hill 1990, p. 26.
  21. ^ a b Harisis 2019, p. 9.
  22. ^ a b Nickson 1998, p. 38.
  23. ^ Price 1990, p. 1B.
  24. ^ DeKnock 1990, p. 7; Jackson 1990, p. 51; Price 1990, p. 1B.
  25. ^ Campbell 1990, p. B1.
  26. ^ Jaeger 1990, p. E6.
  27. ^ Ryan 1990, p. E2.
  28. ^ Mason 1990, p. 5D.
  29. ^ Holden 1990.
  30. ^ Anderson 2015.
  31. ^ a b Rowley 2020.
  32. ^ Jones 2015.
  33. ^ Farr 2015; Gabbara 2017; Ingold 2018.
  34. ^ Hall 1993, p. 8C.
  35. ^ Stephens 2000, p. 115.
  36. ^ Brothers 2017.
  37. ^ Azzopardi 2018.
  38. ^ Joannou 2023.
  39. ^ a b Kaufman 2020b.
  40. ^ Caramanica 2020.
  41. ^ Battel.
  42. ^ Nickson 1998, p. 44.
  43. ^ a b Weingarten 2017.
  44. ^ Jenkins 2020.
  45. ^ a b Morse 1993, p. 58.
  46. ^ Kot 1993; Moon 1993, p. D9; Pitts Jr. 1993, p. 23A.
  47. ^ Robins 1993, p. 58.
  48. ^ Ho 2008.
  49. ^ Bucksbaum 2020; Kaufman 2020a.
  50. ^ a b Columbia Records 1990.

Sources

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