Mariah Carey, Without You: We CAN’T Live Without This Song!

[@Stratocus]

Of course, you must now listen to the original Badfinger version. And I agree with your preference for the Nilsson version. It feels more emotionally genuine whereas the Mariah version feels and sounds more like a showcase for her voice.

[@matthewscottsnyder99]

Carey’s cover is showing you her ability. Nilsson’s cover is showing you his soul.

[@craigcraigster4999]

Oh how I wish Karen Carpenter had covered this song before her sad passing, that would have been a gift for the ages.

[@timvoght4822]

Melisma was a new word for me and I'm glad I know it. I personally make a sharp distinction between melisma in service of the Art and melisma in service of the artist. At least we know she can do five octaves. Armed with this new word, I am prepared to comment on the next rendition of the national anthem I hear at a sporting event.

[@CopyKatnj]

I like both versions, it's the song itself that attracts my attention.

[@ru2yaz33]

Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton, "I will always love you" comparison would be very interesting.

[@shhhhhh62]

Dolly’s is so much more soulful.

[@fiddiehacked]

Also covered by Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers & LeeAnne Rimes.

[@GoodStuffForeverMore]

I'm glad you are doing both covers. They both have merit. It's interesting to hear your breakdown of them 🥰

[@seanculver8876]

It’s more of an superfluous tributary experience than it is a tribute.

[@keithgoliff4246]

You need to review the original by Badfinger.

[@little-earl]

Lots of people love MC. I'm not one of them. She just takes all the emotion out of this beautiful song. Harry sings the last anymore of the first chorus as a wail. MC just shows off with an unwelcome embellishment.

[@RPMS21]

Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

[@Ki11erAce]

I can't put my finger on exactly WHY, maybe it's just because it's more familiar, but I found the Harry Nilsson version to be much more soulful.

[@jeffin8127]

Carey always comes across to me as cold and uninspiring, as well as over-sung. Nillson's version brings a tear to your eye.

[@jsprite123]

MC = Technically well-voiced out. Nilsson: Total feeling.

[@Sanctified57]

Comes across as an X factor type audition. For me Nilsson is about the songs impact. With Carey it’s all about demonstrating her vocal range

[@truthseeker4573]

I don’t get that impression at all. If you know Carey’s music well, she held back a lot here. I didn’t hear any whistle notes and if any were there, they are so far in the background they could be an instrument… What she does do, is put her singing personality/style forward. A good dose of melisma, without being over the top like others (Christina Aguilera) might do. She also does a gradual buildup all the way to the end. It’s a respectable cover! Wish I could say the same for Whitney Houston covering Dolly Parton “I will always love you!” 😂😂

[@emmanuelmartin1238]

She has a great voice but I feel the backing track is in the karaoke zone.

[@jfziemba]

Mariah started well--the beauty of the melody and the poetry of the lyrics catches you, but after that it's all Melissma Carey. Harry let the song breathe.

[@GuinevereKnight]

Mariah Carey talked about loving Harry Nilsson's version growing up so this is kind of her tribute to him/it. Makes sense that she didn't change much. Without her I wouldn't have found him. They both make you tear up. Beautiful in totally different ways.

[@robt7199]

Have you listened to the original by Badfinger?

[@Pwecko]

I just about managed to get through the first play through but I wasn't prepared to put myself through the horror of a second aural assault. I thoroughly disagree with you. I don't think the melismatic jiggery pokery, or f***ing around with the tune, as I call it, was an expression of MC's deep emotions. It was showing off, or musical masturbation. It added nothing to the melody or message of the song. I despise singers who either can't (I'm sure she can) or won't hold a note. When Harry Nilsson's voice rises an octave to sing "I can't live...," it is like a cry of anguish. It hits you in the guts. F***ing around with the tune at that point simply diminishes its power. Sometimes, oftentimes, less is more.

[@mikem9403]

Beautifully put, and I could not agree with you more! It's bordering on vandalism.

[@ShaneTucker-s2v]

Nailed it. Most importantly, I believe you. Unlike this version...

[@jovana_r]

Thanks for this reaction, Amy. I knew it was Harry's version that you prefered, but as I already said I prefer Mariah's and once again you explained to me why is it the case. That's one of many reasons why I love your reactions/analyses.

[@lisar6510]

I think she overdoes it. I much prefer the Harry nilsson's version

[@alanbarrow7447]

If the CIA ever captures me they can get me to talk by threatening to force me to listen to MC.

[@tingenchen7278]

I'm shocked by how so many people have never loved (or even hate) Mariah Carey here. I really love her style and I think singing more notes or making a song hard to sing doesn't take out the emotions and soul in it. You can be touched and wowed at the same time. Anyways I guess we just have different taste and it's ok.

[@terrykennedy-lares8840]

This is a great reason why I am not a fan of Mariah Carey. I'm not saying she isn't a great singer, or talented, but somehow through her great talent and vocal skill she manages to take the emotion out of a great song. This is the same problem that Frank Sinatra had. While Harry Nielsen made your feel the story through his singing, Carey astounds us with her technique. Personally, I love singers who can make you feel the story. Mariah Carey, as good as she is, has never made me feel this way about any song I've heard her do. I would like Amy to now do the original.

[@ellet6560]

The interpretations: Nilsson - emotional wreck Carey - DIVA !!!

[@chloelayla017]

I totally disagree. She expressed a different emotion. Was it how the original emotions were expressed? No. But as was explained in the video, she used her voice to give new meaning to the same song. I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of either version but I can appreciate Mariah is more than just a voice. I think her version is more evocative and I feel she is less in control of her emotions in this. Harry's seems more of an emotionally mature reaction. Harry seems older whilst Mariahs youth comes through. Just because you can't see that, doesn't mean it isn't there.

[@terrykennedy-lares8840]

@@ellet6560 Exactly.

[@terrykennedy-lares8840]

@ You can disagree all you want but just because you put lipstick on a pig, doesn't mean it isn't a pig.

[@chloelayla017]

@terrykennedy-lares8840 oooh... love the dose of sexism and misogyny in your reply. No wonder you're blind to her ability.

[@Nogill0]

There's something about this that reminded me of Aretha Franklin.

[@fnjesusfreak]

Given that Aretha was one of Mariah's most direct influences, that makes a lot of sense.

[@robertflowers5389]

MC makes every song she sings about her voice and range. Blah, blah, blah.

[@unpezzodipizza]

Some examples that come to my mind are King of Pain (The Police, Alanis Morissette), I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor, The Cake), The Sound of Silence (Simon&Garfunkel, Disturbed). Making the song "your own" by conveying a different script with identical lyrics is the mark of a good cover I guess.

[@TombHermance]

Nice job, Amy. Mariah’s version doesn’t move me - it’s like a tv show’s audition. Harry’s version sounds sincere & sad of his loss whereas Mariah’s seems focused on herself. Still, it’s a timeless song.

[@shutincharlie3461]

I would love to hear you listen to a band called "The Cult" ... She sells sanctuary

[@JamesKlas]

I am with you.

[@mickfoster7140]

I've always considered her an overated singer, it's all vocal gynastics and warblng, devoid of natural emotion. Why sing one note when you can sing fifty? I'm sorry but it is very inferior to Nillsson.

[@lindaerickson2709]

Love your reactions, Amy. I did not know there was a word for this style of singing, which I call cringe. Tricks at the expense of emotion.

[@g3synth205]

Maybe you could do the song "All By Myself" soon? It's sorta like this one where its covers generally overshadowed the original. It was popularized by a wide variety of vocal styles.

[@geoffsbakingblog]

I find Mariah's version rather disjointed compared to Harry's version. He seems to focus on telling the story and with it his voice shines. Mariah seems to put her voice to the front pulling the story along as she goes. So in the end I think Harry is feeling the story. The orchestration is very similar though the piano introduction in Mariah's version is tinny rather than bright.

[@kjpmi]

Amy, I would LOVE to see you check out the live performance of "Don't Play That Song" by Aretha Franklin from 1970 on the Cliff Richard Show. She very much inspired Mariah Carey. The Motown sound from the 50s and 60s is very dear to me (even though I'm a Millennial) because it's one of the genres my parents listened to and I'm from Detroit Michigan. Aretha has other more popular songs but this one might be a good one to start with as it shows her at a pretty young age in 1970 and her piano playing, stage presence, and voice are spot on.

[@shutincharlie3461]

Dripping in hot wax . ..you are a joy

[@tonyspencer692]

I’ve always loved Nillson’s version, i’ve been a fan since first seeing his animated film "The Point". Harry’s version is pure emotion, while I find Carey’s distracting pitch changes unnecessarily ‘showey’. Great first-time review, however, love to hear your harp arrangement at some future point.

[@huntingswan1174]

Amy really missed an opportunity to do the classic Mariah line 'I don't know her' about Mariah herself! ;)

[@ShaneTucker-s2v]

She gives it away before the first chorus with that long "show" of melisma-nia. Her thoughtless phrasing and the plastic production robbed all sincerity from this song.

[@SteveMenardDesignDXM]

Great commentary. It would be very instructional to listen to Badfinger's original version. Then you may feel a greater appreciation for the stylistic interpretations of the cover versions.

[@Trendyflute]

Really great analysis! She's always obviously been an amazing singer, though not to my taste a lot of the time, and your unpacking of "melisma" certainly explains a lot of that for me...not something I want to hear a lot of in music, and personally I would love to hear her sing in a more straightforward fashion. But it is a skill and a unique signature and she's got countless fans who love it and want it, so who am I to yuck anyone's yum? Appreciate being more educated in the musical arts, thank you Amy!

[@danwaller3599]

Wow, lots of bashing. I like this version. it's very good. I prefer Nilsson but I really enjoy Enjoy Mariah Carey's singing

[@ominayu]

I have a grand love for cover and arrangements and I really want to hear your thoughts on one my favourite "Daniel varfolomeyev- Toccata and fugue in d minor (metal version)".

[@ront1971]

Your channel is predicated on hearing other people's favorites for the first time, of course; but I wonder what your personal favorites are. What piece of music do you identify with? Just curious.

[@iForeverImmature]

im not a fan of mariah carey but i'll admit this cover is simply: perfect

[@caeloMius]

I would love to see you compare Across the Universe as sung by Fiona Apple and The Beatles.

[@Sanctified57]

Carey’s version is a bit showy, and lacks the depth and raw simplicity that Harry Nilsson portrayed. For me Harry Nilsson’s ‘Without You ‘ is the definitive version

[@ru2yaz33]

"Love Hurts" Nazareth completely perform the song differently from Everly Brothers.

[@Devoted2Mariah]

Please do more Mariah! I think you would *love* her musical expression. She sings so classical, yet a modern twist. I love hearing classical musicians break her music down.

[@robertmatthews9650]

“Me and Mariah, go back like peas and pacifiers” 👐🏼

[@henrymerino3369]

Another great cover by Air Supply kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGK9Xn6widxkq5osi=gn30i0UfNP7wJ5kp

[@marknovak6498]

I prefer the earlier version to the cover.

[@chrisallen8250]

Would be a little off the beaten path here but I think you might enjoy reviewing the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, great songs and performances. I would also recommend West Side Story (1961) by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, outstanding inspired stuff.

[@bubfr01]

Mariah Carey's melismatic embellishments are like lens flares in a JJ Abrams movie. Nice, but far too frequent and overdone.

[@WindmillChef]

Meriah Carey is one of the most technically abled singers to ever walk this earth but she is not a favorite of mine. The vocal R&B treatment of this song is quite good i.m.o. and masterfully executed by Meriah. It portrays a different emotion and is less sensitive. But to me it sounds a bit "trying too hard" to prove something. Just having listened to a 50 year old recording yesterday I am also off put by all the electronic treatment of the vocals and the music. I disagree that it is the same musical arrangement, Nilssons version is far more string-centric. Meriah's version is extremely rhythmic, all be it a very slow rhythm, both in vocals and in music, but this version has, in passages, a stupidly simple 2 step rhythm that, frankly, sounds like 70's German Schlager, someone here commented that it sounds like karaoke backing and I agree. The starting piano has all sustain removed and replaced by electronic repeater equipment, not to mention the outright 80's over production of the drums and the whole thing just sound over produced, fake and like psychologically planned for effect (which it is.) Not too bad really but I much prefer Harry Nilsson. In this case Harry Nilsson is the standard for this song but I ask that in these cover comparisons you try to include the original. In classical music everything is a cover, basically, but modern music lovers have a tendency to elevate attention given to the original version, it's a sort of homage, respect type of sentiment for the entity ""that did all the work"", if that makes any sense. That said, I enjoyed this 2 part comparison... again and thank you.

[@marielasilvia]

I like the Heart's version better

[@markjz2011]

Didn't Whitney Houston earlier begin this popular signing technique?

[@adnap]

No. Whitney was never strong in the melismatic technique, among many other things Mariah had over her.

[@elemerszasz6874]

Something is wrong with your microphone. But content is great as usual.

[@jasongagliardi]

And then there’s … gasp … Air Supply.

[@Bassman2353]

I'm very sorry to say that Ms. Carey's version doesn't hold a candle to Harry Nilsson's. Ms. Carey, as usual, employs the song as a vocal showcase; Harry doesn't sing one note that doesn't serve the tragic pathos of the emotions this song embodies. His phrasing is fragile, vulnerable and, finally, a wail of anguish. With this song, he is the male Eva Cassidy.

[@jobertcabredo1269]

Please react to The Pogues - Rainy Night in Soho

[@donalddixoninlou]

I'm kinda old school and think she has way too many ooOOOOooooOOOOOOooooh in there as it sounds too fake to me. A good singer doesn't need to do that and she does it waaaaaay too much....

[@dennish.7708]

There’s just too many notes …

[@craigcraigster4999]

This MC "cover" is almost as dreadful as Pat Boone's "cover" of Tutti Frutti. Almost.

[@ClaireWW]

Now google Ken Lee.

[@kev2020-z9s]

Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, has a vocal range of six octaves. This makes him one of the most influential and recognisable singers in heavy metal history.

[@GoodStuffForeverMore]

Mariah is the queen of melisma💃

[@donepearce]

For me she uses far too much. I prefer decorations to be enhancements not the basis. Ever seen what Indian truck drivers do to their trucks?

[@yinoveryang4246]

Mariah Carey's vocal style, described as "the florid embellishment of several musical notes sung on a single syllable," can feel a bit excessive and destructive to some listeners. It seems like the recording would have benefited from "tone it down a little Mariah". If this is encouraged as a way of showcasing personality, if this particular personality comes across as one that's a bit hard to connect with….if you focus on it, it's hard not to feel like laughing. A similar phenomenon and counter-productive end-result achieved with overly flashy guitar players. Overly wide and unmusical vibrato is a mistake they make also - "too wide, too fast , too much, why are you doing all this? can't you just express yourself?"

[@markphillips3186]

I am not a fan of Mariah Carey. It is beyond question that she is a great singer. But, for me, I find her use of Melisma to be too ‘showy’ for my taste.

[@marcelqueiroz8613]

There is not even a drop of rock in Mariah's sound

[@fnjesusfreak]

That's because that's not the musical tradition she comes from.

[@adnap]

That is where you’re wrong. And who cares? What would that prove? She did a Def Leppard cover, and she also has a secret grunge album. You’d be surprised at what she can do.

[@jasongagliardi]

Melisma: less is more. Prefer the Nilsson version for sure.

[@centrasseptyni8277]

Not really like Harry's Nilson version. Hate this MC version. Only truly good version for me is original by Badfinger

[@rarelycares8416]

I now know the work, melisma, for why I don't like Mariah Carey and many of her contemporaries. They put so many unnecessary vocal runs that don't match the music or the feeling. It often seems to just be showing off for showing off's sake. Much prefer Nilsson's version.

[@aBeatleFan4ever]

For me... she is just showing off on that word "shows". Doing vocal gymnastics just for the sake of doing them. Adds nothing to the song. Harry Nilsson's version has more passion in his voice... for me, without a doubt. Mariah's version is just a nice cover. Pales in comparison to Harry's.

[@JamesL-x4820]

She’s a great vocalist, but not a very good singer. She sounds to me like what someone who doesn’t know the difference thinks a great singer should sound like. My take anyway.

[@mariam5640]

would love to see you react to more mariah carey! rock fans have such a strange, (at times misogynistic and racist) relationship to her + and specifically her voice that seems to stem from their belief that "simple" singing is "real" singing. mariah's voice has deep, fascinating roots across genres like gospel, blues, pop, and r&b -- well worth examining and checking out!

[@davidb2701]

This song is not my cup of tea. This over the top melismatic singing makes of the horrorversion, no emotion only technic.

[@VonBlade]

Oh no. Who convinced you to listen to anyone's version after hearing the Nilsson one? It is akin to being told the Adam Lambert version of Queen is just as good.

[@IvarMeijer]

And yet this is one of the better covers IMHO, it doesn't top the original but nothing to be ashamed of...😊

[@darcyperkins7041]

The point of this weekend is for her to listen to and comment on 2 versions of the song. She wasn't "convinced to listen to another version."

[@VonBlade]

@@darcyperkins7041 Yes I understand how the weekends work. But someone needed to say that the Nilsson Without You should be done as a 2 song comparison rather than an untouchable standalone.

[@darcyperkins7041]

​@@VonBladeWait! Isn't that what she's doing!?

[@SpaceCattttt]

Nope. Queen were already good long before Adam Lambert dragged them down to hell. "Without You" is a song that belongs in hell, and thus every artist who sings it belongs in hell. Queen don't belong in hell, but Lambert put them there...

[@albrook1018]

I could neveer understand what M Carey is famous for, all of her songs are extremely bad and this one isn't hers. This is a song of Harry Nilsson. I apologize if it makes you feel sad This isn't a real vocal. It's a circus show with melismas demonstration

[@ellet6560]

Unpopular opinion and I 💯completely agree! Her vocal gymnastics are tiresome.

[@kawonnowak]

​@@ellet6560 Spot on. For me, there is nothing emotionally engaging about 'singing' like this. It overcomplicates just for the sake of it. "Look what I can do". Yes well, I can chop a famous book into lots of pieces then glue it back together in a modified form, but that doesn't mean that it's still a good read. 😅 That's a rubbish analogy but but anyway, I completely agree with you.

[@albrook1018]

@@ellet6560 I'm glad to know somebody else shares my point of view, however if someone can't live without this circus performance, let him enjoy it. Best regards from Russia...

[@unpezzodipizza]

I'm not so sure, there's no doubt an athletic side to a performance too. When I think about the same jazz standards sung by, say Holiday, Fitzgerald or Vaughn, it's not picking one singer against the others, or not even a particular delivery of a song against the others, but depending on the mood one may seek that particular delivery at one particular moment. So, it's the personality that a singer could attach to the song is what one can recall later on and ask for, if that suits the mood. There's no right way, but I guess some people's choices are more determinate, having decided on a "best" version and remembering it as if it's a commemoration. This line of discussion is similar to "shredders don't have a feel" line in the guitar world. I understand "you can doesn't mean you should" but shifting things around, sometimes unusually is the way they come up with something novel, find their own niche and stay relevant.

[@kawonnowak]

​@@unpezzodipizza​Valid point well made. My parents were professional jazz musicians and my dad was a trad jazz trombonist so I don't have any problem with actual numbers of notes! And because my mother was a vocalist there were years in my life when I listened to enormous amounts of the great standards as perforned by Ella Fitzgerald in particular. On your athleticism point I'm drawn to think about the difference between the floor exercise in gymnastics and classical ballet. To my ears (and after all that's what this is all about) MC's style can 'feel' a bit too clinical, maybe just a little forced, not as light footed as it could be. But no doubt by referencing EF I am applying an unfair benchmark. Thank you for prodding me into a more reflective state. This channel is such a good place to consider alternative perspectives.

[@Ysialets]

ken lee tulibu dibu douchoo is better

[@WayneKitching]

Please send Amy the link! I can't help thinking about it everytime I hear Mariah's version. 😂

[@Ysialets]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fILXXpttapidfqs ❤

[@shhhhhh62]

Better than MC version.

[@bludrugo29]

Perhaps the main cause of diabetes in the last 30 years.

[@johnbowers1118]

Yeah she has a good voice but for me, terrible version!

[@Liisa3139]

The piano intro immediately sounds cold and pretentious. And she is doing unnecessary things with her voice. This just doesn't work for me at all. None of Carey ever has. To me it is just radio hit list music that I do not listen to. I have nothing against her or against there being a lot of hit music that I do not care about. It is what it is.

[@fnjesusfreak]

It's probably a Yamaha synthesizer.

[@predvcecerom]

"No I can't forget the semen on your face as you were leaving, but I guess just how the story goes." wow thats some lyrics

[@ShaneTucker-s2v]

🤣🤣🤣 I'll never be able to hear it right again! I hate you!

[@SpaceCattttt]

This is the superior version of this song.......and it's still absolutely dreadful.

[@ShaneTucker-s2v]

😅