Day 10: Giving Me Life by Mariah Carey // 7
genre: R&B, pop, rapdrink: klondike bar lol again
Hot off the press of the Christmas season, I guess I wasn't really prepared for what this song was bringing to the table.
The first thing that caught my ears was the darker and more sinister tone of both the backing synth (vibraphone?). Same idea applies to the chorus. Owing to the modified scale (which I don't think is generally used in pop) gives it a refreshing feel. Forgive me for my lack of music theory, but it seems to some variation on a Dorian scale, specifically D Dorian #4. I don't know whether this scale is named something specific, but it gives off an interesting vibe. The reason why I specify the #4 is because of how prominent it is in the song, but I digress. In short, the unconventional tone (certainly in pop) gives a fun scale to improv to, and I appreciate her ability to make it creatively appealing and close enough to her own style to prevent alienating her typical fanbase. You get the impression that Mariah is really showing off her writing chops with this piece. And as such, it feels that much more real and true to artist, rather than a manufactured piece shooting straight for the top of the charts.
As for the that section, Slick Rick's rap just feels so classic. I can't say I know a lot about rap, but the punctuation, the clarity, and his flow encapsulate such a classic old-school feel. It's got so much swag. The image that pops in my head is of him just chillin' and leaning back on a couch. TIL: Slick Rick is the most sampled hip-hop artist ever!
And if you thought that was all, think again. The ending to the song takes on a complete different tone. The bass notes drone in and dominate in an E minor scale. Mariah Carey shows to us why she is where she is with her jaw-dropping vocals. The song feels so resolved here, especially when juxtaposed with the gypsy-like scale used in the previous sections. I'm down with this. I want more of it. +1 for Mariah Carey in my book. She's also pretty hot too.
The first thing that caught my ears was the darker and more sinister tone of both the backing synth (vibraphone?). Same idea applies to the chorus. Owing to the modified scale (which I don't think is generally used in pop) gives it a refreshing feel. Forgive me for my lack of music theory, but it seems to some variation on a Dorian scale, specifically D Dorian #4. I don't know whether this scale is named something specific, but it gives off an interesting vibe. The reason why I specify the #4 is because of how prominent it is in the song, but I digress. In short, the unconventional tone (certainly in pop) gives a fun scale to improv to, and I appreciate her ability to make it creatively appealing and close enough to her own style to prevent alienating her typical fanbase. You get the impression that Mariah is really showing off her writing chops with this piece. And as such, it feels that much more real and true to artist, rather than a manufactured piece shooting straight for the top of the charts.
As for the that section, Slick Rick's rap just feels so classic. I can't say I know a lot about rap, but the punctuation, the clarity, and his flow encapsulate such a classic old-school feel. It's got so much swag. The image that pops in my head is of him just chillin' and leaning back on a couch. TIL: Slick Rick is the most sampled hip-hop artist ever!
And if you thought that was all, think again. The ending to the song takes on a complete different tone. The bass notes drone in and dominate in an E minor scale. Mariah Carey shows to us why she is where she is with her jaw-dropping vocals. The song feels so resolved here, especially when juxtaposed with the gypsy-like scale used in the previous sections. I'm down with this. I want more of it. +1 for Mariah Carey in my book. She's also pretty hot too.
Rating: 7/10
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