Emotions (Mariah Carey song)#Music videos and remixes

Carey was sent to work with the C+C Music Factory and they composed the song "You're So Cold", which became the first choice for the album's first single. However, a second session with the production team had them feeling in a lighter mood when "Emotions" was created and finally decided upon as the lead single.

{{Listen

| type = music

| filename = Mariah Carey-Emotions.ogg

| title = Emotions (1991)

| description = 20-second chorus of the song.

}}

"Emotions" is a "new-disco" song with a "moderate dance tempo" of 116 beats per minute. Carey's vocal range spans five octaves and five semitones on the track, from B₂ to G₇, with the highest note being sung with arpeggios.{{Cite book|title=Mariah Carey: Original Keys for Singers|pages=49–56|year=2007|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn=978-1-4234-1996-9}}

It was later publicly revealed that the track borrowed from Maurice White's "Best of My Love", written for the band The Emotions. This situation led to an out-of-court settlement between both sides.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mariah-carey-accused-of-plagiarism|title=Mariah Carey Accused of Plagiarism|last=Friedman|first=Roger|date=March 25, 2015|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=January 28, 2020}}

"Emotions" received a music video directed by Jeff Preiss, with production by Joanna Mattingly, and executive production by Debbie Samuelson. It was filmed in black and white and features Carey and friends with exotic animals while partying and having fun around town in New York City.{{cite magazine|last=Grein|first=Paul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCgEAAAAMBAJ|title=Video Track|date=October 12, 1991|volume=103|issue=41|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=43}} The video was desaturated but still maintains various color tints, which change from brown to red to blue and so forth.

David Cole and Robert Clivillés created the main remix of "Emotions", known as "Emotions" (12" Club Mix). Although Carey did not re-record her vocals for it, she added a new gospel-style intro before the song's dance portion. This new intro was used when she performed "Emotions" on MTV Unplugged in 1992, as well as at some later concerts. A music video was created using the 12" club mix, but only slight changes in editing differentiate it from the video for the original version. The remix was later featured on Carey's 2003 remix album The Remixes.

Canadian rapper Drake sampled the song's 12" Club Mix version in the song "Emotionless" from his 2018 album Scorpion.{{cite web |last1=Tanzer |first1=Myles |title=Drake Sampled Mariah Carey's "Emotions" On Scorpion |url=http://www.thefader.com/2018/06/29/drake-mariah-carey-sample-emotions |website=The Fader |access-date=June 29, 2018 |date=June 29, 2018}} On July 31, 2020, along with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of her debut studio album Mariah Carey, as well as Carey celebrating 30 years in the music industry, she released the song as a five track extended play, titled Emotions EP, which contains some remixes from both the US and European CD maxi singles.{{cite web|last=Wass|first=Mike|url=https://www.idolator.com/7913082/mariah-carey-drops-emotions-make-it-happen-remix-eps|title=Mariah Carey Drops "Emotions" & "Make It Happen" Remix EPs|work=Idolator|date=July 31, 2020|access-date=July 31, 2020}}

{{Music ratings

| title = Professional ratings

| subtitle =

| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev1score = A−{{cite magazine|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|title=Chart Flashback 1991|date=September 20, 2013|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|page=150|id={{EBSCOhost|90217085}}}}

| rev2 = The Reporter

| rev2score= {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite news|last=Kowalski|first=Joe|date=September 19, 1991|title=It's Top of the Pops: Week 2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-reporter/132149608/|newspaper=The Reporter|page=B4|via=Newspapers.com}}

| rev3 = Stereogum

| rev3score = 8/10{{cite magazine|last=Breihan|first=Tom|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2170684/the-number-ones-mariah-careys-emotions/columns/the-number-ones/|title=The Number Ones: Mariah Carey's "Emotions"|date=December 17, 2021|magazine=Stereogum|access-date=February 23, 2023}}

}}

"Emotions" received positive reviews from critics. About.com's Bill Lamb called the high notes as the pros of the album itself and that it stands with Mariah's best.{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/reviews/gr/mcemotion.htm |title=Review Of Mariah Carey's 'Emotions'|author=Bill Lamb|work=About.com Entertainment|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305145852/http://top40.about.com/od/reviews/gr/mcemotion.htm|archive-date=March 5, 2012}} AllMusic editor Ashley S. Battel highlighted the song and wrote that it is upbeat and it serves to send the listener on a musical journey filled with varying emotions.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/emotions-mw0000265429|title=Emotions – Mariah Carey – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic|author=Ashley S. Battel|publisher=AllMusic}} Billboard editor Larry Flick said, "Although the heat generated by her multiplatinum debut album has barely cooled, Carey previews her sophomore set with a dance /pop ditty that will remind some of the Emotions' "Best of my Love". Expect instant multiformat attention."{{cite magazine|first= Larry |last= Flick |title= Single Reviews |magazine= Billboard |date= August 24, 1991 |page= 65 |access-date= October 22, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-08-24.pdf |author-link= Larry Flick}} Henderson and DeVaney from Cashbox described it as "a happy, perky soul/pop number bearing a resemblance to the music the group The Emotions embraced during the 1970s".{{cite magazine|first1= Alex |last1= Henderson |first2= Bryan |last2= DeVaney |title= Music Reviews: Singles |magazine= Cashbox |date= August 31, 1991 |page= 5 |access-date= October 31, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1991/CB-1991-08-31.pdf}} Chicago Tribune editor Jan DeKnock wrote "just listen to those incredibly high notes on the title cut and current single 'Emotions.'"{{cite web |last=DeKnock |first=Jan |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/09/26/mariah-careyemotions-columbia-starstarstarjust-a-year-ago/ |title=Mariah Carey – Emotions |date=September 26, 1991 |access-date=April 8, 2018 |publisher=Chicago Tribune }}

A reviewer from Los Angeles Times wrote that this song's producers somewhat perk up this song but he noted that the song can't match the quality of any C+C material.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-15-ca-3476-story.html|title=FALL ALBUM SPECIAL : Sappy Songs Underwhelm Carey's 'Emotions' : ** MARIAH CAREY|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 15, 1991}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media said it "is a good display of Carey's impressive vocal gymnastics. A fashionable co-production by Cole and Clivilles (C&C Music Factory) is paired to a gospel-tinged pop groove."{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= September 21, 1991 |page= 18 |access-date= October 20, 2020 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-09-21.pdf}} Music Week's reviewer called it a "dynamic gospel/R&B-inflected house track".{{cite magazine|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-09-28.pdf |title= Mainstream: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= September 28, 1991 |page= 12 |access-date= October 4, 2020}} Rolling Stone writer Rob Tannenbaum also said, "they (producers) back Carey with pumping house keyboards and shamelessly recycle the chords of Cheryl Lynn's 'Got to Be Real' and the Emotions' 'Best of My Love' to construct the bubbly new-disco 'Emotions.'"{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/emotions-19911114|title=Mariah Carey: Emotions|last=Tannenbaum|first=Rob|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|date=November 14, 1991|access-date=March 19, 2011|archive-date=March 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320152352/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/emotions-19911114|url-status=dead}} Sun Sentinel magazine editor Deborah Wiler wrote that "the unimaginative first single, Emotions, sounds suspiciously like the `77 hit Best of My Love (by the Emotions)."{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-09-26/features/9102080025_1_mariah-carey-music-videos-unchained-melody|title=Carey's 'Emotions' Enjoyable, But Fall Short Of Potential|work=tribunedigital-sunsentinel|access-date=August 1, 2013|archive-date=August 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813192033/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-09-26/features/9102080025_1_mariah-carey-music-videos-unchained-melody|url-status=dead}}

"Emotions" was nominated for the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, losing to "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt. It won a BMI R&B Award, continuing Carey's unbroken streak of wins for this award. Carey was also nominated for Producer of the Year (non-classical),{{Cite web|date=February 15, 2019|title=Mariah Carey {{!}} Artist {{!}} www.grammy.com|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/mariah-carey|website=The Recording Academy}} becoming the second woman to achieve this honor.{{Cite web|title=Women and the Grammy for "Producer of the Year, Non-Classical"|url=https://tapeop.com/blog/2019/05/15/women-and-grammy-producer-year-non-classical/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Tape Op}}

On August 31, 1991, "Emotions" debuted at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the highest debut of the week.{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100 Singles|date=August 31, 1991|volume=103|issue=35|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=72}} It reached number one six weeks later, remaining at the top for three consecutive weeks, replacing "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch featuring Loleatta Holloway and replaced by Karyn White's "Romantic".{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100 Singles|date=October 12, 1991|volume=103|issue=41|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=88}}{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100 Singles|date=October 19, 1991|volume=103|issue=42|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=84}}{{cite magazine|title=Hot 100 Singles|date=October 26, 1991|volume=103|issue=43|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=84}} "Emotions" became Carey's fifth single to reach number one in 15 months, and also gave her the distinction of being the first act to have their first five singles reach number one on the chart.{{cite magazine|last=Grein|first=Paul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCgEAAAAMBAJ|title=Chart Beat|date=October 12, 1991|volume=103|issue=41|magazine=Billboard|issn=0006-2510|page=7}} It remained in the top 40 for 20 weeks and was one of four singles from Carey on the Hot 100's 1991 year-end chart, ranking 22. The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became her second number one single on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) eventually certified it Platinum on October 9, 2019.

Outside the United States, it was Carey's most successful single since "Vision of Love" (1990), the lead single from her debut album. It topped the charts in Canada, becoming Carey's third chart-topper in the country. It also reached the top-five in Greece and New Zealand, and became her first single to reach the United Kingdom top 20 since her debut. It was a modest hit in Australia, where it just missed the top ten, but its success in Europe was limited.

Carey performed "Emotions" live for the first time at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, backed by several male and female back up vocalists.{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|p=60}} Following the award show appearance, she sang "Emotions" on The Arsenio Hall Show, airing on September 23, 1991.{{harvnb|Shapiro|2001|p=62}} Carey opened every show with "Emotions" during her Music Box Tour in 1993, Daydream World Tour in 1996, Butterfly World Tour in 1998, and Rainbow World Tour in 2000. However, she omitted the second verse in it when performing the song during the Rainbow World Tour. On New Year's Eve 2009, Carey sang "Emotions" on the first night of her Angels Advocate Tour (2009–2010). It was the first time she had sung Emotions live in almost 10 years since the Rainbow World Tour (2000).

She sang "Emotions" on her The Elusive Chanteuse Show tour in 2014, as well as in her first annual Christmas show at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, All I Want For Christmas Is You, A Night of Joy & Festivity (2014). The song was also featured in Carey's Las Vegas residency, #1 to Infinity.{{cite web |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/arts/music/review-mariah-carey-and-her-cant-look-away-debut-in-las-vegas.html |title=Review: Mariah Carey and Her Can't-Look-Away Debut in Las Vegas |work=The New York Times |date=May 7, 2015

|access-date=February 11, 2018 }} For the performance, Carey entered the stage singing the MTV Unplugged version of the song, while Las Vegas showgirls danced on the stage.

On December 31, 2016, Carey attempted to sing "Emotions" during a live performance in Times Square for the television special Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, but the performance was afflicted by technical issues that prevented her from hearing her backing track. Carey's management claimed that the producers of the program had refused to acknowledge the issue prior to her performance and had "set her up to fail," but these claims were denied by Dick Clark Productions.{{cite magazine|title=Mariah Carey's Rep Says 'Rockin' Eve' Producers 'Set Her Up to Fail'|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7640608/mariah-carey-rep-technical-problems-bungle-new-years-show-dick-clark|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 1, 2017}}{{cite news|title=Mariah Carey's disastrous New Year's Eve performance is a fitting end to 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/01/mariah-careys-disastrous-new-years-eve-performance-is-a-fitting-end-to-2016/|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=January 1, 2017}}{{cite news|title=Mariah Carey's New Year's Eve Nightmare in Times Square|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/01/arts/music/mariah-carey-new-years-eve-times-square.html|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 1, 2017|date=January 2017|last1=Healy|first1=Patrick}}{{cite web|title=Dick Clark Productions Calls Mariah Carey's 'Rockin Eve' Sabotage Claim "Outrageous" & "Absurd"|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/dick-clark-productions-mariah-carey-rockin-eve-statement-1201877509/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=January 2, 2017|date=January 2, 2017}} The song was also featured in Carey's Las Vegas residency, The Butterfly Returns. For the Caution World Tour in 2019, the song was part of a medley alongside "You Don't Know What To Do".

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U.S. 7" single – 38 73977

U.S. Cassette single – 38T 73977

Europe CD single – 657403 1

U.K. Cassette single – 657403 4

U.K. 7" single – 657403 7

1. "Emotions" (LP version) – 4:08
2. "Vanishing" – 4:11

U.S. 12" single – 44 74037

U.S. Cassette maxi-single – 44T 74037

1. "Emotions" (12" Club Mix) – 5:57
2. "Emotions" (LP version) – 4:08
3. "Emotions" (12" Instrumental) – 5:03
4. "There's Got to Be a Way" (12" Mix) – 8:21

U.S. CD maxi-single – 44K 74037

1. "Emotions" (12" Club Mix) – 5:57
2. "Emotions" (12" Instrumental) – 5:03
3. "Emotions" (LP version) – 4:08
4. "There's Got to Be a Way" (12" Mix) – 8:21
5. "There's Got to Be a Way" (Vocal Dub Mix) – 7:03

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U.K. CD single – 657403 2

U.K. 12" single – 657403 6

1. "Emotions" (LP version) – 4:08
2. "Vanishing" – 4:11
3. "Vision of Love" – 3:28

Europe CD maxi-single – 657403 5

Europe 12" single – 657403 9

1. "Emotions" (C&C Club Mix) – 5:48
2. "Emotions" (C&C 12" Club No.1 Mix) – 7:42
3. "Emotions" (C&C Dub-Dub Mix) – 5:47

Emotions Digital EP{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/emotions-ep/1524098585|title=Emotions – EP by Mariah Carey|website=iTunes|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}

1. "Emotions" (Special Motion Edit) – 4:49
2. "Emotions" (12" Club Mix) – 5:51
3. "Emotions" (C&C 12" Club No. 1 Mix) – 7:44
4. "Emotions" (C&C Dub-Dub Mix) – 5:45
5. "Emotions" (12" Instrumental) – 5:05

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Emotions.{{cite AV media notes|title=Emotions|others=Mariah Carey|year=1991|type=liner notes|publisher=Columbia Records|id=B000026HS0}}

Recording

• Recorded at Right Track Recording and Axis Studios, NYC.
• Mixed at Axis Studios, NYC.

Personnel

• Lyrics – Mariah Carey
• Music – Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés
• Production – Mariah Carey, David Cole, Robert Clivillés
• Programming – Alan Friedman (for YIPE!)
• Engineers – Acar S. Key, Bruce Miller
• Mixing – Bob Miller
• Keyboards – David Cole
• Drums – Robert Clivillés
• Vocal arrangement – Mariah Carey, David Cole
• Background vocals – Mariah Carey, Trey Lorenz, David Cole

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Emotions"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Emotions|artist=Mariah Carey|type=single|award=Gold|certyear=2019|relyear=1991|access-date=March 22, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Emotions|artist=Mariah Carey|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1991|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 17, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Emotions|artist=Mariah Carey|type=single|relyear=1991|access-date=November 14, 2018|salesamount=137,000|salesref={{cite web|first= Rob |last= Copsey |title= Mariah Carey's Top 40 biggest singles on the Official Chart|publisher= Official Charts Company |date= November 14, 2018 |access-date= November 14, 2018 |url= https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/mariah-careys-top-40-biggest-singles-on-the-official-chart__24715//}}|nocert=yes}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Emotions|artist=Mariah Carey|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|certyear=2019|refname=uscert|access-date=December 26, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true|nosales=true}}

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1991

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Cite book |last=Shapiro |first=Marc |title=Mariah Carey: The Unauthorized Biography |publisher=ECW Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-55022-444-3}}

{{Mariah Carey singles}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Emotions (Mariah Carey Song)}}

Category:1991 singles

Category:Mariah Carey songs

Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

Category:Cashbox number-one singles

Category:Gospel songs

Category:Songs written by Mariah Carey

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Songs written by Robert Clivillés

Category:Song recordings produced by Robert Clivillés

Category:1991 songs

Category:Songs written by David Cole (record producer)

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Sony Music singles

Category:Songs involved in plagiarism controversies

Category:Post-disco songs

Category:American contemporary R&B songs