Forever (Mariah Carey song)

"Forever" is a rock and roll and pop song recorded by American singer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). Columbia Records released it to American radio stations for airplay on June 18, 1996, as the album's fifth single. The lyrics, written by Carey, are about one's continued affection despite the end of a romantic relationship. She composed the music and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. Described by critics as referencing American music of the 1950s and 1960s, "Forever" is a doo-wop-influenced sentimental ballad in the form of a waltz. Its composition includes keyboards, guitars, and programming.

Music critics gave Carey's performance and the composition positive reviews; some viewed the song as unremarkable compared to others on the album. "Forever" reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart in the US and number 11 on the RPM Hit Tracks list in Canada. In both countries it achieved the most success on adult contemporary stations. The single entered the bottom half of charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. Carey performed "Forever" during the 1996 Daydream World Tour. Her performance at the Tokyo Dome in Japan was released as the music video. Columbia later included the song on Carey's compilation album Greatest Hits (2001).

Development and composition

Before the late 1994 release of her holiday record Merry Christmas, American singer Mariah Carey began conceptualizing her fifth studio album Daydream (1995). She again worked with producer Walter Afanasieff for the new album's ballads. As collaborators since her debut album Mariah Carey (1990), the pair crafted an adult contemporary sound together.

One of their tracks created for Daydream, "Forever", is a rock and roll with elements of doo-wop. It is a sentimental ballad with lyrics about continued affection amidst heartbreak: "Forever / You will always be the only one". that lasts for four minutes and one second, Afanasieff produced "Forever" with Carey; she wrote the lyrics herself and the pair composed the music together. He also played the keyboards, provided synth bass, and programmed the drums and rhythm. Dan Shea and Gary Cirimelli added additional programming while Dann Huff played the guitars. Jay Healy and Dana Jon Chappelle engineered the song at Wallyworld and The Hit Factory in New York, where Andy Smith, Kurt Lundvall, Brian Vibberts, and Mike Scott acted as second engineers. After Mick Guzauski mixed "Forever" at New York's Sony Studios, Bob Ludwig conducted mastering at Gateway Mastering in Portland, Maine. According to biographer Chris Nickson, this is displayed by the song's chord changes and prominent guitar arpeggios. In the Jackson Citizen Patriot, Chris Jorgensen judged it as a homage to the Motown sound. Rick Mitchell viewed it as an "attempt at an old-fashioned R&B ballad" in the Houston Chronicle.

"Forever" was compared to Carey's past work. Nickson perceived similarities with songs from her 1990 debut album Writing for the same magazine, Sal Cinquemani considered the string-guitar combination a recurring musical motif in Carey's songs.

Critical reception

Carey's delivery received positive commentary from music critics. Billboard said she "plays the romantic ingenue with convincing, wide-eyed innocence and infectious hope".

The composition of "Forever" also received warm reviews. Daina Darzin from Cash Box praised the "lush but unobtrusive orchestration serving as a respectful backdrop" to Carey's vocals. Mitchell and Billboards Andrew Unterberger viewed it as a successful interpretation of retro styles. Pitchfork writer Jamieson Cox said it showed how Carey's Daydream "performances are uniformly strong no matter the context". Jonathan Takiff of the Philadelphia Daily News suggested it was worse than "One Sweet Day" (1995) and "Open Arms" (1995).

"Forever" has appeared on rankings of Carey's music. Smith placed it at number 55 out of 76 in a 2017 list of Carey's best singles.

Release and commercial performance

"Forever" is the tenth track on Daydream, which was released on September 26, 1995. Columbia Records issued it as the album's fifth single. The label serviced the song to American pop and rhythmic radio stations for airplay on June 18, 1996. It also promoted the song to adult contemporary outlets at the same time. "Forever" lacked a retail release in territories such as Canada, Japan, and the United States. Unterberger consequently described the release as a victory lap

Ineligible to chart on the Hot 100 at the time due to its lack of a commercial product, "Forever" instead reached number nine on the Hot 100 Airplay component chart in the United States.

Live performances and music video

thumb|Carey's performance of "Forever" at the [[Tokyo Dome is used for the single's B-side and video. She sang it during the Daydream World Tour in 1996. Filming for the official music video occurred five months later during her March shows at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. In a review for KQED, Emmanuel Hapsis ranked the video as the third-worst of Carey's career because "concert videos are so lazy."

In 2008, American singer Kristy Lee Cook performed a cover version as a contestant on the seventh season of American Idol. She sang "Forever" in a country music fashion; Rodney Ho of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution likened it to the style of Faith Hill. Some critics derided Cook's vocals and others said she gave a strong rendition.

Formats and track listing

CD single

"Forever" – 4:01
"Forever" (Live) – 4:12

12-inch vinyl single

:A1. "Forever" – 4:01

:A2. "Forever" (Live) – 4:12

:B1. "Always Be My Baby" (Dub-A-Baby) – 7:13

CD maxi single 1, cassette maxi single

"Forever" – 4:01
"Underneath the Stars" – 3:33
"Forever" (Live) – 4:12
"Make It Happen" (Live) – 4:43

CD maxi single 2

"Forever" – 4:01
"Forever" (Live) – 4:12
"Always Be My Baby" (Always Club) – 10:25
"Always Be My Baby" (ST Dub) – 7:13

Credits and personnel

Recording

Recorded at Wallyworld and The Hit Factory (New York)
Mixed at Sony Studios (New York)
Mastered at Gateway Mastering Studios (Portland, Maine)

Personnel

Mariah Carey – lyrics, music, producer, arranger, background vocals
Walter Afanasieff – music, producer, arranger, keyboards, synth bass, drum and rhythm programming
Dan Shea – additional programming
Dann Huff – guitars
Gary Cirimelli – Macintosh, digital and synthesizer programming
Jay Healy – vocal engineering
Dana Jon Chappelle – music engineering, additional vocal engineering
Mick Guzauski – mixing
Andy Smith – second engineering
Kurt Lundvall – second engineering
Brian Vibberts – second engineering
Mike Scott – second engineering
Bob Ludwig – mastering

|77

!scope="row"|Canada Hit Parade (The Record)

|11

!scope="row"|Canada Hit Tracks (RPM)

|11

!scope="row"|Canada Adult Contemporary Tracks (RPM)

!scope="row"|Netherlands Single Top 100 (Dutch Charts)

|47

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

!scope="row"|New Zealand Singles (RIANZ)

|40

!scope="row"|US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)

!scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)

!scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)

|16

!scope="row"|US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)

!scope="row"|US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)

|17

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

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

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

|17

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

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

|+2012 weekly chart performance

!scope="col"| Chart (2012)

!scope="col"| Peak<br>position

!scope="row"|South Korea International Download (Gaon)

|97

Year-end charts

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

|+1996 year-end chart performance

!Chart (1996)

!Position