“Love Takes Time”

ga411c11.qxd 1/8/2007 8:51 AM Page 427 “Love Takes Time” Artist: Mariah Carey As with many “urban contemporary” vocal artists in the 1980s and 1990s, Mariah Carey’s appeal combined vocal pyrotechnics, impeccably polished and sophisticated Music / Lyrics by Mariah Carey musical settings, and an equally polished and sophisticated public persona. A highly at- and Ben Margulies tractive person of mixed ethnicity, with a 5-octave range and astonishing technical facility, Carey was typically enlisted to provide vocal fireworks on ballad or dance tracks crafted by Label: Columbia, from the CD top-dollar producers. She appeared repeatedly on the Billboard Top 100, her hit singles Mariah Carey (1990) always accompanied by carefully produced and staged music videos that emphasized the glamour of her lifestyle, wardrobe, and beauty. Musical Style Notes Mariah Carey’s melismatic vocal style comes from the tradition of virtuosic soul singers such as Aretha Franklin and the late Minnie Riperton, whose influence is easily heard in Carey’s music. (Carey also shares with Riperton the ability to amaze audiences by singing in the ultra-high “flute” or “whistle” register.) The sophistication and technical perfection of the instrumental settings found in songs such as “Love Takes Time” provide an entire background on which Mariah Carey’s vocal technique can be displayed, just as the setting of a diamond is crafted to show off the jewel. The message is not necessarily that of the text, which is the typical “sad love song,” but rather that of the plush, meticulous, and expensive musical and visual framing—and in that sense, the style is the diametric opposite of text-centric genres like hip hop. The musical structure itself is a very standard pop-song formula: verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus. Musical “Road Map” TIMINGS COMMENTS LYRICS Listening Guide 33 Guide Listening 0:00–0:15 Introduction: melismatic, textless vocals; synth keyboards and strings; minimal percussion Note “descending” bass line (traveling downward in pitch), a common chord progression often used for pop ballads. 0:15–0:46 Verse 1 I had it all Same sound texture as introroduction But I let it slip away . 0:46–1:24 Chorus Love takes time . Addition of multitracked vocals; slightly thicker sound texture Vocal increase in energy and power as the chorus progresses 1:24–1:54 Verse 2 Losing my mind . Drum track enters, creating a thicker, stronger rhythmic backdrop 1:54–2:28 Chorus Love takes time . Additional drum backbeat added, which further strengthens the rhythmic pulse. 2:28–2:59 Bridge You might say that it’s over . You might say that you don’t care . Note the rhythmic syncopation at 2:51, which matches the voice. Very high-range background vocals enter at the transition into the next chorus. 2:59–3:30 Chorus Love takes time . 3:30–3:46 Final section: Sonic texture brought down to the much simpler, quieter I don’t wanna be there . sound of the introduction. alone Drum roll leads to final chord. MAINSTREAMING ALTERNATIVES 427.

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