"Boy (I Need You)" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey, taken from her ninth studio album, Charmbracelet (2002). It was written by Carey, Justin Smith, Norman Whitfield and Cameron Giles, and produced by the former and Just Blaze. The song was released as the album's second single on November 26, 2002, by Island Def Jam and Carey's own label, MonarC Entertainment. Initially, "The One" had been chosen as the second single from the album, however, halfway through the filming of a music video for it, the singer decided to release "Boy (I Need You)" instead. Considered by Carey as one of her favorites, the track is a reworked version of rapper Cam'ron's song "Oh Boy" released earlier that year.

The song was met with generally mixed reviews from contemporary critics. Many praised Carey's versatility and considered it as one of the stand-out tracks of Charmbracelet for having a different production when compared to the others. However, the sample hook of the song was described as "annoying". The single failed to make much impact on the charts around the world; it reached number 68 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs chart and number 57 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart. Elsewhere, the song reached the top-ten in Portugal, and the top-twenty in Spain and the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top-forty in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand.

The music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, incorporates elements of Japanese culture and features Carey's alter-ego Bianca Storm. It was also the first time that Carey worked with Kahn in a music video, which premiered on an episode of MTV's Making the Video in 2003. Following the release of "Through the Rain", Carey embarked on several stateside, European and Asian promotional tours in support of Charmbracelet, as well as its accompanying singles. Carey performed "Boy (I Need You)" live on several television shows appearances around the world.

Background

Following the heavy media coverage surrounding Carey's publicized breakdown and hospitalization, Carey's unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records America (EMI Records) was bought out for $50 million. Carey later said that her time at Virgin was "a complete and total stress-fest [...] I made a total snap decision which was based on money and I never make decisions based on money. I learned a big lesson from that." Later that year, she signed a contract with Island Records, valued at more than $24 million, and launched the record label MonarC.

Recording and release

Carey started writing songs for then untitled Charmbracelet in 2002, before she signed the record deal. She decided to concentrate on "getting some much-needed rest" and traveled to Capri and moved into the studio, which she had reserved to record the album. While at Capri, Carey could focus on her writing and recording, without being subjected to any stress or pressure. Thus, most of the album was recorded in Capri although she traveled to Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia to record a few tracks. The result was that Charmbracelet was her "most personal album" she had ever made. Initially, "The One" was scheduled to be released as the second single and the music video was shot for the song. However, halfway through the filming, the track was changed to "Boy (I Need You)".

Reception

"Boy (I Need You)" received mostly mixed reviews from contemporary critics. Jon Pareles of The New York Times complimented the track on its differences with most of the content on Charmbracelet. Entertainment Weekly writer Tom Sincalir said that "the herky-jerky [track], on which Cam'ron guests, [adds] some welcome energy" to the album. Michael Paoletta of Billboard considered it as one of Charmbracelets stand-out tracks, while Slant Magazines Sal Cinquemani said "Boy (I Need You)", along with "You Got Me", "provide further evidence that Carey should keep her rappers on the remix." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic noted that Carey did not "completely abandon hip-hop, but whenever it rears its head on Charmbracelet, it's utterly jarring" citing the song as an example, while describing the sampled vocal hook as "annoying". The single failed to make much impact on the charts around the world; it reached number 68 on the US Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B Songs chart and number 57 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart. Elsewhere, the song reached number 17 in the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top 40 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand.

Music video

right|thumb|230px|Carey and Cam'ron shown in [[anime form during the video's final scene.]]

Described as "Speed Racer meets Hello Kitty meets me and Cam'ron" by Carey, the video was directed by Joseph Kahn, stars actor Will Yun Lee and incorporates elements of Japanese culture and features Carey's alter-ego Bianca Storm. Carey also revealed that the music video marked the first time she worked with Kahn. The video was likened to a "clear extension of Janet's "Doesn't Really Matter" for its similar settings and theme of Japanese pop culture.

Live performances

Following the release of "Through the Rain", Carey embarked on several stateside, European and Asian promotional tours in support of Charmbracelet, as well as its accompanying singles. Three days prior to the album's stateside release, a one-hour special titled Mariah Carey: Shining Through the Rain aired on MTV, in which Carey was interviewed and sang several songs from Charmbracelet and of her catalog. During the album's month of release, Carey appeared on several television talk shows, launching her promotional tour on Today, where she performed a four-song set-list at Mall of America for a crowd of over 10,000. Carey also performed the song on Top of the Pops and on The Graham Norton Show.

Formats and track listings

European and French 2-track CD single

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Remix - Radio Edit) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 3:59

European CD maxi-single 1

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Radio Edit without Rap) – 3:17
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch TOX Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:21
  4. "Through the Rain" (Video)

European CD maxi-single 2; French CD maxi-single

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Remix) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 5:35
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Copenhaniacs Remix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:38
  4. "Boy (I Need You)" (Video)

UK CD maxi-single 1

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" (Without Rap) – 3:12
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Panjabi Hit Squad Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:14
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Copenhaniacs Remix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:38
  4. "Boy (I Need You)" (Video)

UK CD maxi-single 2

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Street Remix) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 5:31
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch L8 Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:11
  4. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch TOX Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:15

Australian CD maxi-single

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Remix by The Duke & MVP from Disco Montego) – 4:04
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Remix - Radio Edit) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 3:59
  4. "Through The Rain" (Maurice Joshua Remix) - 4:18
  5. "Boy (I Need You)" (Video)

UK 12-inch vinyl

:A1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15

:A2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Street Remix) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 5:31

:B1. "Boy (I Need You)" (Panjabi Hit Squad Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:14

:B2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch TOX Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:15

MC... Move the Crowd US 12-inch vinyl

:A1. "Boy (I Need You)" featuring Cam’ron – 5:15

:A2. "Irresistible (West Side Connection)" featuring Westside Connection - 5:06

:A3. "You Got Me" featuring Jay-Z and Freeway - 4:23

:B1. "Boy (I Need You)" (Instrumental) - 5:15

:B2. "Irresistible (West Side Connection)" (Instrumental) - 4:40

:B3. "You Got Me" (Instrumental) - 4:15

MC30 digital remix EP

  1. "Boy (I Need You)" (Street Remix) featuring Cam’ron, Juelz Santana, Jimmy Jones and Freeway – 5:31
  2. "Boy (I Need You)" (Without Rap) – 3:12
  3. "Boy (I Need You)" (Remix by The Duke & MVP from Disco Montego) – 4:04
  4. "Boy (I Need You)" (Panjabi Hit Squad Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:14
  5. "Boy (I Need You)" (Copenhaniacs Remix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:38
  6. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch L8 Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:11
  7. "Boy (I Need You)" (Topnotch TOX Mix) featuring Cam’ron – 4:15

Charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Boy (I Need You)"

!Chart (2002–2003)

!Peak<br />position

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)

| style="text-align:center"|32

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)

|44

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)

|9

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)

|7

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Spain (PROMUSICAE)

|19

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|UK Urban Club (Music Week)

|14

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)

|43

|-

!scope="row"|US Urban (Radio & Records)

|49

|}

Release history

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release dates and formats for "Boy (I Need You)"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Catalog

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

|-

!scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States

|

|12-inch vinyl

| 440 063 794-1

|rowspan="2"|

|

|-

|

|

|ISLR 15793-2

|

|-

! scope="row" rowspan="2"| Poland

| rowspan="2"|

| CD 1

| 0779382

| rowspan="2"| Universal Music Polska

|

|-

| CD 2

| 0779392

|

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium

|rowspan="4"|

|CD

|077 9402

|Def Jam

|

|-

!scope="row" rowspan="3"|United Kingdom

|12-inch vinyl

|077 928-1

|rowspan="3"|Mercury

|rowspan="3"|

|-

|CD 1

|077 928-2

|-

|CD 2

|077 927-2

|-

! scope="row"| Germany

|

| CD

| 00044007793923

|rowspan="2"|Island

|

|-

!scope="row"|Canada

|

|CD

|4400779402

|

|-

!scope="row"|Australia

|

|CD

|077 909-2

|Universal Music Australia

|

|}

Notes

References