"Fantasy" . . .
"Honey" . . .
"The Roof" . . .
Which song has missed out on the grand finale of the rate?
And then you casually walked in the room
And I was twisted in the web of my desire for you
My apprehension blew away, I only wanted you
To taste my sadness as you kissed me in the dark
#3
"The Roof"
Score: 9.562
High scores: 11×8 (@Daniel_O, @godspeed, @Robsolete, @Aester, @Love Deluxe, @mokitsu, @Oleander, @vague), 10×36 (@Music Is Life, @P'NutButter, @WhatKindOfKylie?, @Jimmyandroid, @Womanizer, @The Hot Rock, @EricG1990, @tylerc904, @Maria, @ohaimanabu, @Tigerlily, @JamesJupiter, @soratami, @Pinky25, @Ana Raquel, @RUNAWAY, @nikkysan, @ysev, @japanbonustrack, @Hurricane Drunk, @lalaclairi_, @BEST FICTION, @BreatheBox, @Lapras, @Mushroom, @PayMe, @Lost In Japan., @LeBratt, @Veeis, @Blond, @Remorque, @codecat, @Posh Spears, @RainOnFire, @Island, @Oceandrive), 9.5×2 (@AdzBrown, @Sprockrooster)
Low scores: 5×3 (@playboy69, @abael, @Seventeen Days), 7×1 (@londonrain), 7.5×1 (@Cowboystyle)
My score: 11
"Honey" . . .
"The Roof" . . .
Which song has missed out on the grand finale of the rate?
And then you casually walked in the room
And I was twisted in the web of my desire for you
My apprehension blew away, I only wanted you
To taste my sadness as you kissed me in the dark
#3
"The Roof"
Score: 9.562
High scores: 11×8 (@Daniel_O, @godspeed, @Robsolete, @Aester, @Love Deluxe, @mokitsu, @Oleander, @vague), 10×36 (@Music Is Life, @P'NutButter, @WhatKindOfKylie?, @Jimmyandroid, @Womanizer, @The Hot Rock, @EricG1990, @tylerc904, @Maria, @ohaimanabu, @Tigerlily, @JamesJupiter, @soratami, @Pinky25, @Ana Raquel, @RUNAWAY, @nikkysan, @ysev, @japanbonustrack, @Hurricane Drunk, @lalaclairi_, @BEST FICTION, @BreatheBox, @Lapras, @Mushroom, @PayMe, @Lost In Japan., @LeBratt, @Veeis, @Blond, @Remorque, @codecat, @Posh Spears, @RainOnFire, @Island, @Oceandrive), 9.5×2 (@AdzBrown, @Sprockrooster)
Low scores: 5×3 (@playboy69, @abael, @Seventeen Days), 7×1 (@londonrain), 7.5×1 (@Cowboystyle)
My score: 11
5 ballots: #15 (tied), 9.200 avg.
10 ballots: #12, 9.200 avg.
15 ballots: #9, 9.367 avg.
20 ballots: #5, 9.550 avg.
25 ballots: #5, 9.440 avg.
30 ballots: #4, 9.477 avg.
35 ballots: #3, 9.523 avg.
40 ballots: #4, 9.483 avg.
45 ballots: #4, 9.529 avg.
50 ballots: #4, 9.466 avg.
55 ballots: #3, 9.533 avg.
60 ballots: #3, 9.555 avg.
61 ballots: #3, 9.562 avg.
10 ballots: #12, 9.200 avg.
15 ballots: #9, 9.367 avg.
20 ballots: #5, 9.550 avg.
25 ballots: #5, 9.440 avg.
30 ballots: #4, 9.477 avg.
35 ballots: #3, 9.523 avg.
40 ballots: #4, 9.483 avg.
45 ballots: #4, 9.529 avg.
50 ballots: #4, 9.466 avg.
55 ballots: #3, 9.533 avg.
60 ballots: #3, 9.555 avg.
61 ballots: #3, 9.562 avg.
"The Roof" was released as the third European single from Mariah's sixth studio album, "Butterfly", on March 20, 1998. Its lyrics were written solely by Mariah; it was composed by Jean-Claude "Poke" Oliver, Samuel "Tone" Barnes, Cory Rooney, Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, and Kejuan "Havoc" Muchita; and produced by Mariah, Jean-Claude "Poke" Oliver, and Samuel "Tone" Barnes. The song's instrumental is built around a loop taken from Mobb Deep's 1995 single "Shook Ones Part II". Mobb Deep themselves feature on the song's main remix, the Mobb Deep Extended Mix, which is the version used in its music video.
Due to issues with her label at the time of its release, "The Roof" only received a limited release in parts of Europe, was not promoted, and, thus, only charted in two countries: at #63 in the Netherlands and at #87 in the UK. In total, the single sold around 30k physical copies during its initial chart run.
In her November 2018 interview with Genius, Mariah revealed that "The Roof" is her own personal favorite song that she has released (from "Butterfly" at least ddd). She also revealed that the song's lyrical content is autobiographical, and recounted how she came to sample the original Mobb Deep track on her own song: "I was driving upstate and I was listening to the radio and I was listening to "Shook Ones". I started singing the melody of the hook on top of the original Mobb Deep version. Then I ended up in the studio with Tone and Poke of the Trackmasters, and I told them that I wanted to do that part."
Earlier this year the song's co-producer, Cory Rooney, shared on his IG that he and Trackmasters completely remade the backing track for Mariah's version of the song: "There are some things that should be corrected/known about [The Roof]. There is no sample whatsoever! We replayed the entire loop because we wanted to be able to make chord changes without it sounding weird ... I played all the keys for replay based on [Mariah's] direction for what she heard the song being like in her head ... MC was in her zone that day for sure."
I briefly flirted with the idea of giving my 11 to a couple of my other favorite songs, but, deep down, I always knew "The Roof" was going to be my 11 for this rate. For me, it's just on an entirely different level to anything else she's released. "Underneath The Stars" was my Mariah favorite song for years, but as I've gotten older I've already come to love and appreciate this so much more. This song is the peak of all recorded music, honestly. The juxtaposition of that dark, brooding instrumental against Mariah's soft, whispered cooing is simply divine. I'm so glad we collectively got this masterpiece into the top three. Thank y'all.
Due to issues with her label at the time of its release, "The Roof" only received a limited release in parts of Europe, was not promoted, and, thus, only charted in two countries: at #63 in the Netherlands and at #87 in the UK. In total, the single sold around 30k physical copies during its initial chart run.
In her November 2018 interview with Genius, Mariah revealed that "The Roof" is her own personal favorite song that she has released (from "Butterfly" at least ddd). She also revealed that the song's lyrical content is autobiographical, and recounted how she came to sample the original Mobb Deep track on her own song: "I was driving upstate and I was listening to the radio and I was listening to "Shook Ones". I started singing the melody of the hook on top of the original Mobb Deep version. Then I ended up in the studio with Tone and Poke of the Trackmasters, and I told them that I wanted to do that part."
Earlier this year the song's co-producer, Cory Rooney, shared on his IG that he and Trackmasters completely remade the backing track for Mariah's version of the song: "There are some things that should be corrected/known about [The Roof]. There is no sample whatsoever! We replayed the entire loop because we wanted to be able to make chord changes without it sounding weird ... I played all the keys for replay based on [Mariah's] direction for what she heard the song being like in her head ... MC was in her zone that day for sure."
I briefly flirted with the idea of giving my 11 to a couple of my other favorite songs, but, deep down, I always knew "The Roof" was going to be my 11 for this rate. For me, it's just on an entirely different level to anything else she's released. "Underneath The Stars" was my Mariah favorite song for years, but as I've gotten older I've already come to love and appreciate this so much more. This song is the peak of all recorded music, honestly. The juxtaposition of that dark, brooding instrumental against Mariah's soft, whispered cooing is simply divine. I'm so glad we collectively got this masterpiece into the top three. Thank y'all.
—
@godspeed (11) — "This is the moment I feared. The moment I have to profess my love for 'The Roof,' a song that I believe not only to be the greatest of Mariah Carey's discography but also one of the greatest of all time. I just love everything about it: the 'Shook Ones' sample, the perfect mix between a fragile R&B song and this hard, raw and underground hip hop beat, how Mariah manages to create a mood and paint a picture simply with her lyrics, how she manages to capture a moment and make us 'go back in time' and re-live it with her, how beautiful and raw she sounds on this track, how typical of Mariah lyrics such as 'And so we finished the Moet/And started feeling liberated' are and how usually it would make me smile but here I find it almost devastating... and how effortless the entire thing seems. There was no doubt about 'The Roof' being my 11 (even though the Bad Boy remix of 'Fantasy' made me hesitate for a very short second). That is plain and simple to me: it's a masterpiece. On a side note, it really is a shame Mariah and Trackmasters didn't work together again because they created pure magic with this one.'"
@mokitsu (11) — "I don't even know what to say. The lyrics, the production, the understated use of her vocals with their full power confined to a few backing ad-libs... The Roof is simply the most immaculate recording in the history of music."
@Music Is Life (10) — "Ooh mid-tempo BOP. This is really sensual and sweet at the same time and I think I love it."
@WhatKindOfKylie? (10) — "Sexy as! The Roof, is a song that deserves to be played loud and proud again and again! Not quite a ballad, but not quite uptempo enough to be a full blown bop either. The Roof either way, is really just something so special and other wordly almost. 5 mintues of Carey perfection."
@Jimmyandroid (10) — "So evocative. Love it when MC sings about yearning."
@Womanizer (10) — "Lyrically her best."
@tylerc904 (10) — "Hypnotic and timeless. I love how proud she is of this one, totally warranted."
@Pinky25 (10) — "I think the Roof is the sexier version of Fourth of July."
@Ana Raquel (10) — "This song is freaking magical. Could totally have been my 11." (it should've been!)
@lalaclairi_ (10) — "Mariah's storytelling through the song's entirety is jaw dropping. And the video sets the mood perfectly."
@Veeis (10) — "Haunting and breathtaking. It was a contender for my 11."
@Blond (10) — "This was so, so close to getting my 11. Another incredible use of a sample, which is a fucking hard hip-hop song that is the perfect juxtaposition with Mariah's sweet vocals, which are nicely restrained here for her to paint a picture with the lyrics. Anyone who doubts her as an artist needs to shut the fuck up, take a seat, then listen to this song."
@Sprockrooster (9.5) — "We love a previous rate winner, but will rate winner backlash take this out?"
@Imagineitwasus (9) — "We love a gritty moment."
@If You Go (9) — "So effortlessly cool and the writing like the rest of the album is superb."
@evilsin (8.5) — "A whispery bop!"
@DominoDancing (8.5) — "Good sample. What a delightfully ominous tone for a Mariah song. Runs perhaps a little long."
@bonnieetclyde (8) — "it's so groovy and oozes sex and attitude."
@londonrain (7) — "'I was twisted in the web of my desire for you'... whew, a lyric."
@abael (5) — "All over the place. The backing production is so low-key as they have no idea what she is going for here."
@Seventeen Days (5) — "This was always the track I skipped when I would listen to this album. Even though it's never been a favorite of mine, it's got a pretty decent beat and some good vocals."
@mokitsu (11) — "I don't even know what to say. The lyrics, the production, the understated use of her vocals with their full power confined to a few backing ad-libs... The Roof is simply the most immaculate recording in the history of music."
@Music Is Life (10) — "Ooh mid-tempo BOP. This is really sensual and sweet at the same time and I think I love it."
@WhatKindOfKylie? (10) — "Sexy as! The Roof, is a song that deserves to be played loud and proud again and again! Not quite a ballad, but not quite uptempo enough to be a full blown bop either. The Roof either way, is really just something so special and other wordly almost. 5 mintues of Carey perfection."
@Jimmyandroid (10) — "So evocative. Love it when MC sings about yearning."
@Womanizer (10) — "Lyrically her best."
@tylerc904 (10) — "Hypnotic and timeless. I love how proud she is of this one, totally warranted."
@Pinky25 (10) — "I think the Roof is the sexier version of Fourth of July."
@Ana Raquel (10) — "This song is freaking magical. Could totally have been my 11." (it should've been!)
@lalaclairi_ (10) — "Mariah's storytelling through the song's entirety is jaw dropping. And the video sets the mood perfectly."
@Veeis (10) — "Haunting and breathtaking. It was a contender for my 11."
@Blond (10) — "This was so, so close to getting my 11. Another incredible use of a sample, which is a fucking hard hip-hop song that is the perfect juxtaposition with Mariah's sweet vocals, which are nicely restrained here for her to paint a picture with the lyrics. Anyone who doubts her as an artist needs to shut the fuck up, take a seat, then listen to this song."
@Sprockrooster (9.5) — "We love a previous rate winner, but will rate winner backlash take this out?"
@Imagineitwasus (9) — "We love a gritty moment."
@If You Go (9) — "So effortlessly cool and the writing like the rest of the album is superb."
@evilsin (8.5) — "A whispery bop!"
@DominoDancing (8.5) — "Good sample. What a delightfully ominous tone for a Mariah song. Runs perhaps a little long."
@bonnieetclyde (8) — "it's so groovy and oozes sex and attitude."
@londonrain (7) — "'I was twisted in the web of my desire for you'... whew, a lyric."
@abael (5) — "All over the place. The backing production is so low-key as they have no idea what she is going for here."
@Seventeen Days (5) — "This was always the track I skipped when I would listen to this album. Even though it's never been a favorite of mine, it's got a pretty decent beat and some good vocals."
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