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| Length = 3:23 | Length = 3:23
| Label = ] | Label = ]
| Writer = Mariah Carey, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] | Writer = Mariah Carey, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
| Producer = Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal | Producer = Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal
| Certification = 3x ] <small>(])</small> | Certification = 3x ] <small>(])</small>
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| Next single = "]" <br />(2005) | Next single = "]" <br />(2005)
}} }}
"'''We Belong Together'''" is a ]&ndash;] song primarily written and produced by American singer ] in collaboration with ], ] and ]. ] as the second ] from Carey's ninth studio album '']'' (2005), the ]-influenced ] has been noted for its laid back, piano-driven rhythm and Carey's ]-styled vocal and lyrical approaches. The ] chronicle a relationship that had ended on the wrong terms, with the ] pleading for her former lover to return. "]" is a ]&ndash;] song performed by singer ]. The song was primarily composed and written by Carey, ], ] and ] (though as many as ten songwriters are credited) through additional studio sessions after Carey had initially completed the album. It was ] as the second ] from her ninth studio album '']'' (2005). The song is one of Carey's most critically and commercially successful songs, and it became her comeback and signature single following the failure of the releases from '']'' (2001) and '']'' (2002).

After winning two ]s and breaking many chart and airplay records on the ] '']'' charts, "We Belong Together" has become considered Carey's ] and comeback song following the critical and commercial failure of the singles from '']'' (2001) and '']'' (2002).<ref name= hype>{{cite web | title= 411hype| work= Mariah Carey - Emancipation of MiMi| url=http://www.411hype.com/63-Mariah-Carey---Emancipation-of-MiMi| accessdate=February 3| accessyear=2006}}</ref> "We Belong Together" was proclaimed the 2005 "song of the summer" when it maintained the U.S. number-one position throughout. Outside of the U.S., the song also proved successful, where it reached number-one in ] and ], and it was named the "Song of the Year" at the 2005 ] ceremony.


The popularity of "We Belong Together" is often attributed to its ] appeal, and the understated, ]-inspired music and singing approach. The song became the biggest success of 2005 once it reached number one on thirteen U.S. '']'' charts, broke numerous ] and BDS ] records, and won two ]s in 2006. It was also a worldwide success, where it peaked at number-one in many countries and it received the ] title for "Most-Played Single of the Year".
==Writing and recording== ==Writing and recording==
{{Further|]}}
While "We Belong Together" a successful single, it was almost never recorded; the song was composed through additional studio sessions, long after Carey had finished recording '']'' in November 2004. After he had heard the album, ] felt that it was slightly lacking, so he suggested that Carey return to the studio to include supplementary songs. Both Carey and Reid contacted ], whom Carey had collaborated on several 1990s singles such as "]" (1996) and "]" (1998). Carey flew to his studio in ], where the two composed "]" and "]" in two days, and after feeling satisfied that the album was now strong, Carey returned to her studio in ].<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref>


Carey had finished recording ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' by as early as November 2004, and had planned to release "]" as the leadoff single. However, at that point, "]", "We Belong Together" and "]" (which would eventually become the album's most successful records) were yet to be conceived. ], chairman of ], encouraged Carey to complete one last studio session, but this time with friend and creative-partner Jermaine Dupri. Carey recalled:
Antonio Reid was impressed with the new material and he again encouraged her to take another trip to Atlanta to outmatch her earlier efforts. In this session, Carey and Dupri recruited the help of ] and ], and after another two days, they were able to compose the ]-inspired "]" (the album's first single) and the maudlin ] "We Belong Together". Contrary to media speculation, Carey had asserted that the song was not inspired by the relationships with any of her previously confirmed lovers, but instead, can be seen as a universal love anthem to which everyone can relate. She has cited the song as one of her favorites on ''The Emancipation of Mimi''.<ref>{{cite web | title= Mariahnetwork|url=http://www.themariahnetwork.com/news/archives/2005_04.html| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}</ref>
<blockquote>"L.A. was like, 'You and Jermaine Dupri make magic together, why aren't you in the studio with him?' I said, 'I love Jermaine, is he free? I know he's doing a million things, Usher and this and that.' But Jermaine said, 'Come on down.' "<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref></blockquote>
Carey traveled to Dupri's studio in ], where in just two days, they composed the upbeat "]" and the ballad "Shake It Off", which became one of her favorite songs on ''The Emancipation of Mimi''.<ref>{{cite web | title= PlanetOut| work= Mariah Carey: Free at last| url=http://www.planetout.com/entertainment/interview.html?sernum=1020&navpath=/entertainment/music| accessdate=May 27| accessyear=2006}}</ref> She decided that "Shake It Off" would be released as the first single (instead of "Say Somethin'"), and she returned to ] confident that the album was complete. However, "It's Like That" and "We Belong Together" were still not composed.


Carey and Dupri decided to include portions of what they considered classic rhyhtm and blues singles in an attempt to make "We Belong Together" special.<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Two songs, ]'s "If You Think You're Lonely Now" (1981) and ]'s "Two Occasions" (1987, featuring ] as lead vocalist) were referenced in the lyrics. During the second verse, Carey sings: Both Carey and Reid were impressed with the album's progress, so Carey contacted Dupri to plan a second studio session: "We said, OK, we love 'Shake It Off'. We don't know how we're going to top that, but let's just try."<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> After trying for two days, Carey and Dupri, who had also teamed up with Austin and Seal, produced the ]-inspired "It's Like That" (which would eventually replace "Shake it Off" as the album's leadoff single), and finally, the "universal love anthem", "We Belong Together".<ref>{{cite web | title= Mariahnetwork|url=http://www.themariahnetwork.com/news/archives/2005_04.html| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}</ref>

:"I can't sleep at night
The composers had a prolonged discussion while attempting to write the melody for "We Belong Together": "We just went back and forth with concepts for the beat and melodic ideas," recalled Carey.<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Subsequently, they simplified the arrangement in order to accentuate Carey's vocals; Dupri had insisted that he wanted people to "feel the old essence" for which Carey had been known. Then, limited by time constraints, Carey performed a trial version of the song, which would eventually serve as the final take.<ref>{{cite web | title= MC Archives| work= Mariah Carey's interview on Québec TV| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=5036| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}}</ref>
:When you are on my mind
:Bobby Womack's on the radio
:Singing to me, 'If you think you're lonely now'"
Following the reference of Womack's song, Carey sings:
:"So I turn the dial, tryin’ to catch a break
:And then I hear Babyface
:'I only think of you'"
"I only think of you" is the first line of the "Two Occasions" chorus. Carey continues singing the chorus on the Jadakiss&ndash;Styles remix of "We Belong Together". Due to the inclusion of the lyrics from the two songs, their writers were given co-writing credits on "We Belong Together".


==Music and structure== ==Music and structure==
{{sound sample box align right| }}
In the studio, Carey and Dupri had a lengthy discussion while attempting to write the melody for "We Belong Together". "We just went back and forth with concepts for the beat and melodic ideas," Carey recalls.<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Eventually, they both decided to simplify the musical backing in an effort to place attention on Carey's vocals; the melody was led by a beat and simple ] chords set in ]. The song begins with a piano playing the melody of the refrain, which establishes its melody and harmonic structure, and as Carey ]s, rhythm and ] are introduced into the background, which creates an understated, relaxed ] in a 4/4 ].<ref name=notes>{{cite web | title= Music Notes| work= "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0049570&mnuid=9GR4DC7PQXCRNNYN72KXS7SJ5NXPV1K618LFC2K6| accessdate=February 4| accessyear=2006}}</ref>
{{multi-listen start|Audio sample of:}}
]
{{multi-listen item|filename=MariahCareyWeBelongTogether.ogg|title="We Belong Together" (2005)|description=The lyrics in the second verse of "We Belong Together" make reference to Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now" (1981) and The Deele's "Two Occasions" (1987).|format=]}}
{{multi-listen end}}
{{sample box end}}
"We Belong Together" is grounded in several ]s. Though uncommon for a ] ], the song is strongly influenced by ], where a ] rhythm with a definitive ]-styled ] and ] produce a heavy, but subtle and relaxed ]. The hip hop influence is further exhibited in Carey's vocal delivery, where instead of her signature ]tic style, she assumes a "less is more" approach, and often mimics the facile, verbose approach of "phrase-spitting" artists such as ] and ].<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=The New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> The song is also influenced by 1980s retro-soul music: the second-verse lyrics make reference to ]'s "If You Think You're Lonely Now" (1981) and The Deele's "Two Occasions" (1987, with ]).


:"Bobby Womack's on the radio
The song features a blend of genres and musical styles including ], ], ],<ref>{{cite web | title= Yahoomusic| work= "We Belong Together"| url=http://music.yahoo.com/track/18371249| accessdate=February 3| accessyear=2006}}</ref> and ]; the hip hop influence is most evident in both the ] rhythm, with its prominent ]-styled ], ]s, and Carey's vocal delivery; instead of executing her signature ]tic style, she employs a state of vocal restraint, occasionally sings counter to the rhythm, and mimicks the facile, verbose approach of "phrase spitting" artists such as Usher.<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> Upon Dupri's insistence, she also suspends the use of the soft style that she had been criticised for, and employs the full-voiced style reminiscent of her 1990s singing. Dupri explained how he had wanted "people to feel the old essence"<ref>{{cite web| title= Mariah Daily|work= It Ain't Over Till the Phat Lady Sings|url= http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-5-2005.shtml| accessdate= March 4| accessyear|2006}}</ref> for which Carey been known.
:Singing to me, 'If you think you're lonely now'".
Following the reference of Womack's song, she then sings:
:"So I turn the dial, tryin’ to catch a break
:And then I hear Babyface
:'I only think of you' and it's breaking my heart".


]
"We Belong Together" follows the common "]" form, and is structured into three distinct sections; each section presents the protagonist in different emotional phases. The first section chronicles the break-up of the couple, and a sorrowful tone is established as she laments her former mistakes. In the second section, the narrative switches to the present, and the protagonist becomes increasingly agitated and feels "all out of her element" when she attempts to distract herself by listening to the radio, but fails. "We Belong Together" has no ], and instead, Carey transitions into the third section by raising the ] an ], which emphasizes the sheer frustration and desperation of the protagonist.<ref name= hype>{{cite web | title= 411hype| work= Mariah Carey - Emancipation of MiMi| url=http://www.411hype.com/63-Mariah-Carey---Emancipation-of-MiMi| accessdate=February 3| accessyear=2006}}</ref><ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref><ref name= relaxed>{{cite web | title=Metrotimes | work=Radio fever- Sussing out a summer jam for ’05 | url=http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8122| accessdate=November 5 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>


"I only think of you" is the first line of the "Two Occasions" chorus. Carey continues singing the chorus on the Jadakiss&ndash;Styles remix of "We Belong Together". Due to the inclusion of the lyrics from the two songs, their writers were given co-writing credits on "We Belong Together".
==Critical response==
"We Belong Together" is one of Carey's more critically-successful singles, and it won two Grammy awards at the ] ceremony: one for "]" and the other for "]". Her voice is also hailed as a return to form, following reviews of ''Charmbracelet'' (2002), which suggested that the singer had lost her signature ] and power.<ref>Anderman, Joan. "For Carey, the Glory's Gone but the Glitter Lives On". '']''. pg. D.4, ] ] .</ref><ref>Walters, Barry. "''Charmbracelet''". '']''. New York: pg. 93, ] ], iss. 911.</ref> A critic for '']'' magazine wrote: "the wobbly diva cool with breathy, rapid-fire verses until the final full-voiced climax that...proves that 'The Voice' has indeed returned".<ref>{{cite web | title=Slant Magazine | work=2005: Year in Rewind| url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/features/2005yearinmusic.asp| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Both '']'' magazine and Johnny Loftus of '']'' shared similar opinions and lavished the song with plaudits such as "stellar", "classy" and "sublime".<ref name= relaxed>{{cite web | title=Metrotimes | work=Radio fever- Sussing out a summer jam for ’05 | url=http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8122| accessdate=November 5 | accessyear=2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Billboard.com| work=Billboard Singles Review &mdash; "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/grammy/2006/nominees/record_year/mariah_carey.jsp| accessdate=January 30 | accessyear=2006}}</ref>


Having spent most of the summer at the top of the U.S. Singles Chart, Kelefa Sanneh of '']'' proclaimed "We Belong Together" 2005's "song of the summer". She wrote that the song is the most melancholy to rule the summer in years: "Unlike ']', it hasn't spawned a catchphrase; unlike ']', this song doesn't beg listeners to scream along; unlike ']' and ']', this song doesn't even command listeners to dance". Instead, the song owes its popularity to its "tightly coiled counter-rhythms that tug against the beat", and Carey's challenging singing style, where she "adopts a more agile style and the words-per-note ratio considerably".<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> Sanneh also noted that despite its ulterior simplicity, the song is very intricate, and even after crediting three producers and ten songwriters, "it doesn't sound like a mishmash".<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> "We Belong Together" opens with a ], which establishes its melody and ]. As Carey ]s, rhythm and ] are elaborated into the background, which creates an understated, relaxed ] denoted by a 4/4 ]<ref name=notes>{{cite web | title= Music Notes| work= "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0049570&mnuid=9GR4DC7PQXCRNNYN72KXS7SJ5NXPV1K618LFC2K6| accessdate=February 4| accessyear=2006}}</ref> set in ]. The song follows the ] form, and is structured into three distinct sections, and each presents the protagonist in different emotional phases. In the first section, she laments her former mistakes ("I didn't mean it when I said/ I didn't love you so"), and she sings "as if she actually were resigned to not having what she wants".<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> The song then evolves into the chorus with its thumping ], and presents the protagonist pleading for her lover to come back as she "sighs the titular phrase".<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> During the second section, the protagonist begins to feel "all out of her element" when she attempts to distract herself by listening to the radio, but fails. As tension raises, the hip hop prominence on Carey's vocal delivery increases, and occasionally, she uses "just a few notes to deliver a nimble burst of words".<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref> The song has no ] and after the second chorus, the singer transitions into the third section by rising an ], which is meant to emphasize the protagonist's sheer frustration. Contrary to the understated approach, the high chorus assumes a higher level of vocal dynamics. The music, however, remains consistent throughout the entire piece.<ref name=road>{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref><ref name= relaxed>{{cite web | title=Metrotimes | work=Radio fever- Sussing out a summer jam for ’05 | url=http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8122| accessdate=November 5 | accessyear=2005}}</ref>

==Critical response==
"We Belong Together" was warmly received by critics, and it has become one of Carey's more critically-successful singles. It has won a number of industry awards, which include "]" and "]" at the ], "Song of the Year" at the 2006 ] Awards (tied with ]'s "]"), and the Vibe Award and Soul Train Award for "Best R&B Song". Most reviews hail Carey's vocals as a "return to form", following reviews of ''Charmbracelet'' that suggested that the singer had lost her signature ] and power.<ref>Anderman, Joan. "For Carey, the Glory's Gone but the Glitter Lives On". '']''. pg. D.4, ] ] .</ref><ref>Walters, Barry. "''Charmbracelet''". '']''. New York: pg. 93, ] ], iss. 911.</ref> A critic for '']'' magazine wrote: "the wobbly diva cool with breathy, rapid-fire verses until the final full-voiced climax that... proves that 'The Voice' has indeed returned".<ref>{{cite web | title=Slant Magazine | work=2005: Year in Rewind| url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/features/2005yearinmusic.asp| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Both '']'' magazine and Johnny Loftus of '']'' shared similar opinions and lavished the song with plaudits such as "classy", "stellar" and "sublime".<ref name= relaxed>{{cite web | title=Metrotimes | work=Radio fever- Sussing out a summer jam for ’05 | url=http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8122| accessdate=November 5 | accessyear=2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Billboard.com| work=Billboard Singles Review &mdash; "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/grammy/2006/nominees/record_year/mariah_carey.jsp| accessdate=January 30 | accessyear=2006}}</ref>


The song spent the majority of its chart run at the top of the U.S. Singles Chart, and Kelefa Sanneh of '']'' proclaimed "We Belong Together" 2005's "song of the summer", one of the most melancholy songs to earn this title:
While "We Belong Together" has proved to be popular with fans and critics alike, it also received some unfavorable reviews. Helen Duong of ''UKMusic'' felt that it was simply "bearable",<ref>{{cite web | title=UKmusic | work= Reviews: Hip Hop and RnB- Mariah Carey We Belong Together| url=http://www.ukmusic.com/Reviews/Hip-Hop-and-RnB/Mariah-Carey-We-Belong-Together.html| accessdate=November 10| accessyear=2005}}</ref> while another critic from ''Virgin.net'' wrote that the song was boring, uninspired and clichéd.<ref>{{cite web | title=Virgin.net | work=Mariah Carey &mdash; We Belong Together| url=http://www.virgin.net/music/singlereviews/mariahcarey_webelongtogether.html| accessdate=November 10| accessyear=2005}}</ref>
<blockquote>"Unlike ']', it hasn't spawned a catchphrase; unlike ']', this song doesn't beg listeners to scream along; unlike ']' and ']', this song doesn't even command listeners to dance... however, Carey's tricky vocal lines give the song more propulsion than you'd expect, with tightly coiled counter-rhythms that tug against the beat."<ref name= nytimes>{{cite web | title=New York Times| work=The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/arts/music/04note.html?ei=5090&en=4901ecf683560cdf&ex=1280808000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted| accessdate=November 5| accessyear=2005}}</ref></blockquote>
While "We Belong Together" has proved to be popular with fans and critics alike, it also received unfavorable reviews. Helen Duong of ''UKMusic'' felt that it was simply "bearable",<ref>{{cite web | title=UKmusic | work= Reviews: Hip Hop and RnB- Mariah Carey We Belong Together| url=http://www.ukmusic.com/Reviews/Hip-Hop-and-RnB/Mariah-Carey-We-Belong-Together.html| accessdate=November 10| accessyear=2005}}</ref> while another critic from ''Virgin.net'' wrote that the song was boring, clichéd and uninspired.<ref>{{cite web | title=Virgin.net | work=Mariah Carey &mdash; We Belong Together| url=http://www.virgin.net/music/singlereviews/mariahcarey_webelongtogether.html| accessdate=November 10| accessyear=2005}}</ref>
<p></p>


==Music video== ==Music video==
The ], which was directed by ] and filmed in ], ], serves as the conclusion to the video for "It's Like That" (the two videos were filmed together). Beginning with the "It's Like That" video, Carey's character was seen at a party the night before her ], when a former lover (played by ]) reveals himself. In the video for "We Belong Together" (which begins the following morning) Carey's character reminisces about her former boyfriend as she prepares for her wedding, and the video is intercut with scenes of Carey dealing with her frustration throughout different settings. Even when the ceremony begins and she walks down the aisle, she debates whether her heart belongs with her former boyfriend or her fiancé (played by ]). Once Carey's character reaches the altar, she catches sight of her former lover who is watching the wedding from a distance, and she runs from the ceremony and into his arms.
]


The video triggered minor controversy as the ] wedding dress featured was the one that Carey wore at her 1993 wedding to ].<ref>{{cite web | title= Foxnews.com| work=Mariah Carey Dresses for Her Ex| url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149164,00.html| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> The media also compared the Eric Roberts character to Mottola and the Wentworth Miller character to ]. Although the media speculated that the use of the dress was a ], Carey denied it.<ref>{{cite web | title=Latina.com | work= Mariah Carey still having fun with ex-hubby?| url=http://www.latina.com/articles/252.do| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2005}}</ref>
The ], which was filmed in ], ] by ], serves as the ] and conclusion to the video for "It's Like That" (the two videos were filmed simultaneously). Beginning with the "It's Like That" video, Carey's character was seen at a party the night before her ], when a guest (played by ]) revealed himself as one of her former lovers. The video for "We Belong Together" begins the following morning, where her character prepares for the wedding, and reminisces about the love that they had once shared. Even when the ceremony begins and she walks down the aisle, Carey's character debates whether her heart belongs with her former boyfriend or her fiancé (played by ]). At the altar, she catches sight of her former boyfriend who is watching the wedding from a distance, and she runs from the ceremony and into his arms; this is the moment in which she finally decides that "they belong together". The video ends with Carey's character and her former boyfriend driving away in a car.


The video reached number-one on several video-chart countdowns, including ]'s '']'', ]'s '']'' (where it ] after it remained on the countdown for fifty days), ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']''. It was also ]'s most-watched video of 2005, with 7.5 million ] performances.<ref>]. . ''Top40-charts.com''. ] ]. Retrieved ] ].</ref>
The video triggered much publicity as the ] wedding dress was the one that Carey wore at her 1993 wedding to ].<ref>{{cite web | title= foxnews.com| work=Mariah Carey Dresses for Her Ex| url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149164,00.html| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}</ref> The media also compared the Eric Roberts character to Mottola and the Wentworth Miller character to ]. While the media speculated that Carey had used the dress as a ], she insists that the video treatment called for a wedding dress, and she simply happened to possess one.<ref>{{cite web | title=Latina.com | work= Mariah Carey still having fun with ex-hubby?| url=http://www.latina.com/articles/252.do| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2005}}</ref>


==Remixes and other versions==
The video proved successful on several video-chart countdowns such as ]'s ''Top 20 Video Countdown'', ]'s '']'', ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']'', where it ] at number one. By ] ] it was ]'s most-watched video of the year, with 7.5 million ] performances according to a Yahoo! Music press release.<ref>]. . ''Top40-charts.com''. ] ]. Retrieved ] ].</ref>
Carey recorded two remixes for "We Belong Together": the ] remix, which was produced by DJ Clue, and features rapper ] and ], and the Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix/Atlantic Soul Vocal Mix. Both songs are radical to the album version, where a synthetic bass line, a piano and ] line, and distinctive hi-hats produce a more up-tempo, hard-hitting beat. The singer continues where she left off on the original song, and once again employs the rap-approach, reminiscent of the 1990s thug-love duet.<ref>{{cite web | title= Explodingplastic| work= Mariah Carey - We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul Mix - Craig C.)| url=http://www.explodingplastic.com/reviews/craigcwebelongtogether.html| accessdate=May 11| accessyear=2006}}</ref>


The remixes were warmly-received by fans; the Atlantic Soul Mix reached number one on the U.S. ] chart, while the DJ Clue version climbed to a peak position of number five on the ] chart. First offered through downloads in May 2005, both helped the album version amass sales and airplay.
==Chart performance==
{{Further|]}}
"We Belong Together" was solicited to radio on ] ] in ]. Between 1997 and 2004, Carey's popularity on the radio had declined as a result of the lower airplay chart positions.<ref>Gardner, Elysa. . '']''. November 28, 2002. Retrieved August 19, 2005.</ref> However, "We Belong Together" became Carey's sixteenth number-one on the U.S. ], due to strong airplay, and it proved to be the biggest success of Carey's career and for her label, ];<ref>{{cite web | title=About.com | work= New York Girl Makes Good With The Emancipation of Mimi| url=http://manhattan.about.com/od/artsandculture/a/mariahcarey.htm|accessdate=February 17|accessyear=2005}}</ref> it became the first song to simultaneously occupy the number-one position on nine of the ''Billboard'' charts,<ref>{{cite web | title=MC Archives | work=We Belong Together sets another record at Billboard| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=4882|accessdate=February 12| accessyear=2006}}</ref> and had major cross-over success on the U.S. ''Billboard'' charts. The song spent fourteen weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the ] charts.


==Chart performance==
According to ] and Nielsen BDS, "We Belong Together" became responsible for breaking numerous airplay records on the U.S. ''Billboard'' charts: on the Hot 100 Airplay, it remained at number one for sixteen weeks and it also reached a total of 223 million ]s as counted by Nielsen BDS, and broke the record previously held by ]'s "Let Me Love You" (2004).<ref>{{cite web | title=USA Today| work= Carey sets a record| url=http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050713/d_toplline13.art.htm| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}</ref> "We Belong Together" was also the most-played single of the year in the U.S., and it appeared at number-one on the year-end Hot 100 Airplay chart.<ref>Bronson, Fred. . ''Billboard''. URL accessed ] ].</ref>
Between 1997 and 2004, Carey's popularity on the radio had substantially declined.<ref>Gardner, Elysa. . '']''. November 28, 2002. Retrieved August 19, 2005.</ref> However, following solicitation to ]n radio on ] ], "We Belong Together" became Carey's sixteenth U.S. number-one single due to strong airplay, and it proved to be the biggest success of Carey's career and for her label, ].<ref>{{cite web | title=About.com | work= New York Girl Makes Good With The Emancipation of Mimi| url=http://manhattan.about.com/od/artsandculture/a/mariahcarey.htm|accessdate=February 17|accessyear=2005}}</ref> The song spent fourteen non-consecutive weeks at number one on both the U.S. ] and the ] charts, and it became the first song to simultaneously occupy the number-one position on nine of the ''Billboard'' charts.<ref>{{cite web | title=MC Archives | work=We Belong Together sets another record at Billboard| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=4882|accessdate=February 12| accessyear=2006}}</ref> "We Belong Together" also made Carey the first artist to have five singles reach the top of the ] format.<ref>{{cite web | title=''Mariah Daily'' news archives| work= Carey "shakes" her way to the top| url=http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-9-2005.shtml | accessdate=May 28| accessyear=2006}}</ref>


As of April 2006, the digital download of "We Belong Together" (which counts sales of the original version and the remix) has sold over 758,000 copies. Since the song has sold more than 600,000 downloads, it has been certified triple ] by the ].<ref>{{cite web | title=RIAA.com| work=Recording Industry Association of America Searchable Gold & Platinum Database| url=http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp | accessdate=February 12 | accessyear=2006}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, the song has received a silver certification by the ].<ref>{{cite web | title=The Official Charts| work=Top 75 UK Singles| url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/ | accessdate=April 15 | accessyear=2006}}</ref> According to Mediabase and Nielsen BDS, the song also broke many airplay records in the United States. It assumed the number-one position on the ] chart for sixteen weeks and reached a total of 223 million ]s, breaking the record previously held by ]'s "]" (2004).<ref>{{cite web | title=USA Today| work= Carey sets a record| url=http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20050713/d_toplline13.art.htm| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}</ref> Its length at the top has tied with ]'s "]" (1996).


"We Belong Together" proved successful in several major non-U.S. markets. It debuted and spent two weeks at number one on ]'s ] Singles Chart on ], and became Carey's second single following "]" (1995) to appear at the top of the chart. In the ] the song debuted at number two behind ] and ]'s "]" by 392 physical and digital sales. It also reached number two for three weeks on the ] ] Airplay Chart and ]'s ] Singles Chart. The song became her sixth number-one single in ], where it remained for three weeks. "We Belong Together" proved successful in several major non-U.S. markets. It debuted at the top of the ]n ] chart on ] ] where it remained for two weeks. On the ] ], where promotion was strong, the song debuted at number two behind ] and ]'s "]" by 392 physical and digital sales. It also reached number two for three weeks on the ] ] Airplay Chart and ]'s ] Singles Chart. The song became her sixth number-one single in ], where it remained for three weeks. It was a moderate success across ] and reached the top twenty in ] and ].


===Free downloads controversy=== ===Free downloads controversy===
During the final week of May 2005, Carey's official website offered the ] remix of the song (previously sold exclusively through ] and other online music stores) as a free ]. The free downloads affected the U.S. Singles chart placings the week that "We Belong Together" ascended to number one. In response to letters of complaint, ''Billboard'' columnist Fred Bronson admitted in his ''Chart Beat Chat'' column on ] ], that the free downloads had indeed helped make the song number one. Although it was against ''Billboard'''s policy, the magazine's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, said that the means of calculating chart positions did not reflect that policy at the time. If the calculations had correctly filtered out the statistics resulting from free downloads, it is likely that "We Belong Together" would have not reached number one until the following week.<ref name=downloads>{{cite web | title=MC Archives| work= The Mariah aftermath| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=4735| accessdate=February 1| accessyear=2006}}</ref> During the week when "We Belong Together" ascended to number one in the U.S., ] had exclusively offered the DJ Clue remix of the song as a free ] through Carey's official site. In response to letters of complaint, ''Billboard'' columnist ] admitted in his ''Chart Beat Chat'' column that the free downloads had indeed helped the song reach number one. Although it was against ''Billboard'''s policy, the magazine's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, said that the means of calculating chart positions did not reflect that policy at the time. If the calculations had correctly filtered out the statistics resulting from free downloads, it is likely that "We Belong Together" would have not reached number one until the following week.<ref name=downloads>{{cite web | title=MC Archives| work= The Mariah aftermath| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=4735| accessdate=February 1| accessyear=2006}}</ref>


==Formats and track listings== ==Formats and track listings==
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "We Belong Together". These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "We Belong Together".


*'''Canadian/European/Australian CD single''' *'''Australian/Canadian/European CD single'''
#"We Belong Together" (album version) #"We Belong Together" (album version)
#"We Belong Together" (DJ Clue remix — featuring Jadakiss and Styles P.) #"We Belong Together" (DJ Clue remix — featuring Jadakiss and Styles P)


*'''UK CD maxi single''' *'''UK CD maxi single'''
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*]s &mdash; Brian Garten, John Horesco IV *]s &mdash; Brian Garten, John Horesco IV
*Assistant engineer &mdash; Tadd Mingo *Assistant engineer &mdash; Tadd Mingo
*] by Phil Tan *] &mdash; Phil Tan
*] by Herb Powers *] by Herb Powers


==Charts== ==Charts==
] ]


{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart (2005) !align="left"|Chart (2005)
!align="center"|Peak <br>position !align="center"|Peak<br />position
|- |-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Line 111: Line 120:
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay
|align="center"|1 (16 weeks) |align="center"|1 (16 weeks)
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Pop 100
|align="center"|1 (3 weeks)
|- |-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
Line 123: Line 129:
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream
|align="center"|1 (10 weeks) |align="center"|1 (10 weeks)
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Ringtones
|align="center"|1 (3 weeks)
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Pop 100
|align="center"|1 (3 weeks)
|- |-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play <sup>1</sup> |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play <sup>1</sup>
Line 129: Line 141:
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs
|align="center"|2 |align="center"|2
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs <sup>2</sup>
|align="center"|5
|- |-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary
|align="center"|3 |align="center"|3
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs <sup>2</sup>
|align="center"|5
|- |-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40
Line 141: Line 153:
|align="left"|U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 |align="left"|U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40
|align="center"|1 (10 weeks) |align="center"|1 (10 weeks)
|-
|align="left"|United World Singles Chart
|align="center"|1 (5 weeks)
|- |-
|align="left"|Brazilian Singles Chart |align="left"|Brazilian Singles Chart
Line 179: Line 194:
|} |}


*(<sup>1</sup> P. Rauhofer/Atlantic Soul mixes) *(<sup>1</sup> Atlantic Soul/P. Rauhofer remixes)
*(<sup>2</sup> DJ Clue remix) *(<sup>2</sup> DJ Clue remix)


==See also== ==Notes and references==
*'''Notes'''
*'']''
<div class="references-small">
*]

==Notes==
<div style="font-size: 90%">
<references/> <references/>
</div> </div>
*'''References'''

<div class="references-small">
==References==
<div style="font-size: 90%">
*{{cite web | title= ARC Weekly Top 40| work= Rock on the Net| url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/ | accessdate=February 4| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= ARC Weekly Top 40| work= Rock on the Net| url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/ | accessdate=February 4| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= ARIA.com| work= Australian airplay and sales charts| url=http://www.aria.com.au/ | accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= ARIA.com| work= Australian airplay and sales charts| url=http://www.aria.com.au/ | accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}}
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*{{cite web | title=Chart Singles.net| work= Week 28 Chart Ronudup|url=http://www.chartsingles.net/news/music-news/1020/| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title=Chart Singles.net| work= Week 28 Chart Ronudup|url=http://www.chartsingles.net/news/music-news/1020/| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= IFop.com| work= French sales chart| url=http://www.ifop.com/europe/index.asp| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= IFop.com| work= French sales chart| url=http://www.ifop.com/europe/index.asp| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Jam.canoe.ca| work= Canadian airplay and sales charts| url=http://jam.canoe.ca/| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Jam Canoe.ca| work= Canadian airplay and sales charts| url=http://jam.canoe.ca/| accessdate=March 5| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Mariahdaily| work= Chartlogs| url=http://www.mariahdaily.com/info/chartlogs.shtml| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Mariahdaily| work= Chartlogs| url=http://www.mariahdaily.com/info/chartlogs.shtml| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Mariahdaily|url=http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-7-2005.shtml| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Mariahdaily|url=http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-7-2005.shtml| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Mariahnetwork|url=http://www.themariahnetwork.com/news/archives/2005_08.html| accessdate=February 14| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title=MC Archives| work=Jermaine Dupri: How he turned Mariah into a hit Machine|url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=5153| accessdate=February 1| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title=MC Archives| work=Jermaine Dupri: How he turned Mariah into a hit Machine|url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=5153| accessdate=February 1| accessyear=2006}}
* {{cite web | title= MC Archives| work= Mariah Carey's interview on Québec TV| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=5036| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title=MC Archives| work= The Mariah aftermath| url=http://www.mcarchives.com/news/?id=4735| accessdate=February 1| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Mediatraffic| work= United World charts| url=http://www.mediatraffic.de/| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Mediatraffic| work= United World charts| url=http://www.mediatraffic.de/| accessdate=January 31| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Oricon.co.jp| work= Japanese sales chart| url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/| accessdate=March 16| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Oricon.co.jp| work= Japanese sales chart| url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/| accessdate=March 16| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= Recording Industry Association of New Zealand| work= New Zealand sales chart| url=http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp| accessdate=March 8| accessyear=2006}} *{{cite web | title= Recording Industry Association of New Zealand| work= New Zealand sales chart| url=http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp| accessdate=March 8| accessyear=2006}}
*{{cite web | title= VH1| work= Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1522707/20060127/index.jhtml?headlines=true| accessdate=January 30| accessyear=2006}}
</div> </div>


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Revision as of 23:05, 3 June 2006

"We Belong Together"
Song

"We Belong Together" is a pop–R&B song performed by singer Mariah Carey. The song was primarily composed and written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal and Johnta Austin (though as many as ten songwriters are credited) through additional studio sessions after Carey had initially completed the album. It was released in 2005 as the second single from her ninth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). The song is one of Carey's most critically and commercially successful songs, and it became her comeback and signature single following the failure of the releases from Glitter (2001) and Charmbracelet (2002).

The popularity of "We Belong Together" is often attributed to its retro-soul appeal, and the understated, rap-inspired music and singing approach. The song became the biggest success of 2005 once it reached number one on thirteen U.S. Billboard charts, broke numerous Mediabase and BDS airplay records, and won two Grammy Awards in 2006. It was also a worldwide success, where it peaked at number-one in many countries and it received the World Music Award title for "Most-Played Single of the Year".

Writing and recording

Further information: ]

Carey had finished recording The Emancipation of Mimi by as early as November 2004, and had planned to release "Say Somethin'" as the leadoff single. However, at that point, "It's Like That", "We Belong Together" and "Shake It Off" (which would eventually become the album's most successful records) were yet to be conceived. Antonio "L. A." Reid, chairman of The Island Def Jam Music Group, encouraged Carey to complete one last studio session, but this time with friend and creative-partner Jermaine Dupri. Carey recalled:

"L.A. was like, 'You and Jermaine Dupri make magic together, why aren't you in the studio with him?' I said, 'I love Jermaine, is he free? I know he's doing a million things, Usher and this and that.' But Jermaine said, 'Come on down.' "

Carey traveled to Dupri's studio in Atlanta, where in just two days, they composed the upbeat "Get Your Number" and the ballad "Shake It Off", which became one of her favorite songs on The Emancipation of Mimi. She decided that "Shake It Off" would be released as the first single (instead of "Say Somethin'"), and she returned to New York confident that the album was complete. However, "It's Like That" and "We Belong Together" were still not composed.

Both Carey and Reid were impressed with the album's progress, so Carey contacted Dupri to plan a second studio session: "We said, OK, we love 'Shake It Off'. We don't know how we're going to top that, but let's just try." After trying for two days, Carey and Dupri, who had also teamed up with Austin and Seal, produced the club-inspired "It's Like That" (which would eventually replace "Shake it Off" as the album's leadoff single), and finally, the "universal love anthem", "We Belong Together".

The composers had a prolonged discussion while attempting to write the melody for "We Belong Together": "We just went back and forth with concepts for the beat and melodic ideas," recalled Carey. Subsequently, they simplified the arrangement in order to accentuate Carey's vocals; Dupri had insisted that he wanted people to "feel the old essence" for which Carey had been known. Then, limited by time constraints, Carey performed a trial version of the song, which would eventually serve as the final take.

Music and structure

Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end "We Belong Together" is grounded in several genres. Though uncommon for a pop ballad, the song is strongly influenced by hip hop music, where a drum programmed rhythm with a definitive 808-styled kick and hi-hat produce a heavy, but subtle and relaxed beat. The hip hop influence is further exhibited in Carey's vocal delivery, where instead of her signature melismatic style, she assumes a "less is more" approach, and often mimics the facile, verbose approach of "phrase-spitting" artists such as Usher and R. Kelly. The song is also influenced by 1980s retro-soul music: the second-verse lyrics make reference to Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now" (1981) and The Deele's "Two Occasions" (1987, with Babyface).

"Bobby Womack's on the radio
Singing to me, 'If you think you're lonely now'".

Following the reference of Womack's song, she then sings:

"So I turn the dial, tryin’ to catch a break
And then I hear Babyface
'I only think of you' and it's breaking my heart".
File:WBT2.jpg
Carey's octave shift towards the end of the song emphasizes the protagonist's sheer desperation for her former lover to return. Audio file "Mariah Carey- We Belong Together peak.ogg" not found

"I only think of you" is the first line of the "Two Occasions" chorus. Carey continues singing the chorus on the Jadakiss–Styles remix of "We Belong Together". Due to the inclusion of the lyrics from the two songs, their writers were given co-writing credits on "We Belong Together".

"We Belong Together" opens with a piano, which establishes its melody and harmonic structure. As Carey vocalises, rhythm and bass are elaborated into the background, which creates an understated, relaxed tempo denoted by a 4/4 time signature set in C major. The song follows the verse-chorus form, and is structured into three distinct sections, and each presents the protagonist in different emotional phases. In the first section, she laments her former mistakes ("I didn't mean it when I said/ I didn't love you so"), and she sings "as if she actually were resigned to not having what she wants". The song then evolves into the chorus with its thumping bassline, and presents the protagonist pleading for her lover to come back as she "sighs the titular phrase". During the second section, the protagonist begins to feel "all out of her element" when she attempts to distract herself by listening to the radio, but fails. As tension raises, the hip hop prominence on Carey's vocal delivery increases, and occasionally, she uses "just a few notes to deliver a nimble burst of words". The song has no bridge and after the second chorus, the singer transitions into the third section by rising an octave, which is meant to emphasize the protagonist's sheer frustration. Contrary to the understated approach, the high chorus assumes a higher level of vocal dynamics. The music, however, remains consistent throughout the entire piece.

Critical response

"We Belong Together" was warmly received by critics, and it has become one of Carey's more critically-successful singles. It has won a number of industry awards, which include "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" and "Best R&B Song" at the 2006 Grammy Awards, "Song of the Year" at the 2006 ASCAP Awards (tied with Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"), and the Vibe Award and Soul Train Award for "Best R&B Song". Most reviews hail Carey's vocals as a "return to form", following reviews of Charmbracelet that suggested that the singer had lost her signature range and power. A critic for Slant magazine wrote: "the wobbly diva cool with breathy, rapid-fire verses until the final full-voiced climax that... proves that 'The Voice' has indeed returned". Both Billboard magazine and Johnny Loftus of Metrotimes shared similar opinions and lavished the song with plaudits such as "classy", "stellar" and "sublime".

The song spent the majority of its chart run at the top of the U.S. Singles Chart, and Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times proclaimed "We Belong Together" 2005's "song of the summer", one of the most melancholy songs to earn this title:

"Unlike 'Lean Back', it hasn't spawned a catchphrase; unlike 'Crazy in Love', this song doesn't beg listeners to scream along; unlike 'Hollaback Girl' and 'Pon de Replay', this song doesn't even command listeners to dance... however, Carey's tricky vocal lines give the song more propulsion than you'd expect, with tightly coiled counter-rhythms that tug against the beat."

While "We Belong Together" has proved to be popular with fans and critics alike, it also received unfavorable reviews. Helen Duong of UKMusic felt that it was simply "bearable", while another critic from Virgin.net wrote that the song was boring, clichéd and uninspired.

Music video

The music video, which was directed by Brett Ratner and filmed in Beverly Hills, United States, serves as the conclusion to the video for "It's Like That" (the two videos were filmed together). Beginning with the "It's Like That" video, Carey's character was seen at a party the night before her wedding, when a former lover (played by Wentworth Miller) reveals himself. In the video for "We Belong Together" (which begins the following morning) Carey's character reminisces about her former boyfriend as she prepares for her wedding, and the video is intercut with scenes of Carey dealing with her frustration throughout different settings. Even when the ceremony begins and she walks down the aisle, she debates whether her heart belongs with her former boyfriend or her fiancé (played by Eric Roberts). Once Carey's character reaches the altar, she catches sight of her former lover who is watching the wedding from a distance, and she runs from the ceremony and into his arms.

The video triggered minor controversy as the Vera Wang wedding dress featured was the one that Carey wore at her 1993 wedding to Tommy Mottola. The media also compared the Eric Roberts character to Mottola and the Wentworth Miller character to Derek Jeter. Although the media speculated that the use of the dress was a publicity stunt, Carey denied it.

The video reached number-one on several video-chart countdowns, including BET's 106 & Park, MTV's TRL (where it retired after it remained on the countdown for fifty days), MuchMusic's Countdown, and VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown. It was also LAUNCHcast's most-watched video of 2005, with 7.5 million streamed performances.

Remixes and other versions

Carey recorded two remixes for "We Belong Together": the DJ Clue remix, which was produced by DJ Clue, and features rapper Jadakiss and Styles P, and the Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix/Atlantic Soul Vocal Mix. Both songs are radical to the album version, where a synthetic bass line, a piano and guitar line, and distinctive hi-hats produce a more up-tempo, hard-hitting beat. The singer continues where she left off on the original song, and once again employs the rap-approach, reminiscent of the 1990s thug-love duet.

The remixes were warmly-received by fans; the Atlantic Soul Mix reached number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Music and Club Play chart, while the DJ Clue version climbed to a peak position of number five on the Hot Digital Songs chart. First offered through downloads in May 2005, both helped the album version amass sales and airplay.

Chart performance

Between 1997 and 2004, Carey's popularity on the radio had substantially declined. However, following solicitation to North American radio on March 26 2005, "We Belong Together" became Carey's sixteenth U.S. number-one single due to strong airplay, and it proved to be the biggest success of Carey's career and for her label, Island Def Jam Records. The song spent fourteen non-consecutive weeks at number one on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts, and it became the first song to simultaneously occupy the number-one position on nine of the Billboard charts. "We Belong Together" also made Carey the first artist to have five singles reach the top of the Top 40 Mainstream format.

According to Mediabase and Nielsen BDS, the song also broke many airplay records in the United States. It assumed the number-one position on the Hot 100 Airplay chart for sixteen weeks and reached a total of 223 million audience impressions, breaking the record previously held by Mario's "Let Me Love You" (2004). Its length at the top has tied with No Doubt's "Don't Speak" (1996).

"We Belong Together" proved successful in several major non-U.S. markets. It debuted at the top of the Australian ARIA chart on June 27 2005 where it remained for two weeks. On the UK Singles Chart, where promotion was strong, the song debuted at number two behind Tupac Shakur and Elton John's "Ghetto Gospel" by 392 physical and digital sales. It also reached number two for three weeks on the Canadian BDS Airplay Chart and New Zealand's RIANZ Singles Chart. The song became her sixth number-one single in Brazil, where it remained for three weeks. It was a moderate success across Continental Europe and reached the top twenty in France and Germany.

Free downloads controversy

During the week when "We Belong Together" ascended to number one in the U.S., iTunes had exclusively offered the DJ Clue remix of the song as a free digital download through Carey's official site. In response to letters of complaint, Billboard columnist Fred Bronson admitted in his Chart Beat Chat column that the free downloads had indeed helped the song reach number one. Although it was against Billboard's policy, the magazine's director of charts, Geoff Mayfield, said that the means of calculating chart positions did not reflect that policy at the time. If the calculations had correctly filtered out the statistics resulting from free downloads, it is likely that "We Belong Together" would have not reached number one until the following week.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "We Belong Together".

  • Australian/Canadian/European CD single
  1. "We Belong Together" (album version)
  2. "We Belong Together" (DJ Clue remix — featuring Jadakiss and Styles P)
  • UK CD maxi single
  1. "We Belong Together" (album version)
  2. "We Belong Together" (Reconstruction radio mix)
  3. "We Belong Together" (Reconstruction club mix)
  4. "We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul vocal)
  5. "We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul instrumental)

Credits and personnel

Charts

International chart positions of the first thirty weeks (click image to view data in tabular form). "We Belong Together" proved successful in several major music markets.
Chart (2005) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1 (14 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 1 (16 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 1 (14 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 1 (10 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 1 (10 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Hot Ringtones 1 (3 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Pop 100 1 (3 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1 (1 week)
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs 2
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 3
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs 5
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 16
U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 1 (10 weeks)
United World Singles Chart 1 (5 weeks)
Brazilian Singles Chart 1 (3 weeks)
Australian ARIA Singles Chart 1 (2 weeks)
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart 2
Dutch Singles Chart 2
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 2
Singapore Airplay Chart 2
UK Singles Chart 2
Spanish Singles Chart 3
Swiss Singles Chart 4
German Singles Chart 11
French Singles Chart 12
Japanese Singles Chart 34
  • ( Atlantic Soul/P. Rauhofer remixes)
  • ( DJ Clue remix)

Notes and references

  • Notes
  1. ^ "VH1". Road To The Grammys: The Story Behind Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together". Retrieved January 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. "PlanetOut". Mariah Carey: Free at last. Retrieved May 27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. "Mariahnetwork". Retrieved February 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. "MC Archives". Mariah Carey's interview on Québec TV. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "The New York Times". The Summer Buzz: Cicadas and Mariah Carey. Retrieved November 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "nytimes" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. "Music Notes". "We Belong Together". Retrieved February 4. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Metrotimes". Radio fever- Sussing out a summer jam for ’05. Retrieved November 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. Anderman, Joan. "For Carey, the Glory's Gone but the Glitter Lives On". Boston Globe. pg. D.4, September 10 2003 .
  9. Walters, Barry. "Charmbracelet". Rolling Stone. New York: pg. 93, December 12 2002, iss. 911.
  10. "Slant Magazine". 2005: Year in Rewind. Retrieved January 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  11. "Billboard.com". Billboard Singles Review — "We Belong Together". Retrieved January 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  12. "UKmusic". Reviews: Hip Hop and RnB- Mariah Carey We Belong Together. Retrieved November 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. "Virgin.net". Mariah Carey — We Belong Together. Retrieved November 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. "Foxnews.com". Mariah Carey Dresses for Her Ex. Retrieved January 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. "Latina.com". Mariah Carey still having fun with ex-hubby?. Retrieved January 30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. Yahoo! Music. "Mariah Carey will 'Shake It Off', exclusively for Yahoo! Music; North American Online Premiere kicks off 8pm (PDT), July 27th". Top40-charts.com. July 27 2005. Retrieved February 12 2005.
  17. "Explodingplastic". Mariah Carey - We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul Mix - Craig C.). Retrieved May 11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. Gardner, Elysa. Mariah Carey, 'standing again'. USA Today. November 28, 2002. Retrieved August 19, 2005.
  19. "About.com". New York Girl Makes Good With The Emancipation of Mimi. Retrieved February 17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. "MC Archives". We Belong Together sets another record at Billboard. Retrieved February 12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. "Mariah Daily news archives". Carey "shakes" her way to the top. Retrieved May 28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. "USA Today". Carey sets a record. Retrieved February 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  23. "MC Archives". The Mariah aftermath. Retrieved February 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • References
  • "ARC Weekly Top 40". Rock on the Net. Retrieved February 4. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "ARIA.com". Australian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved March 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Billboard.com". Billboard Hot 100 chart. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Chart Singles.net". Week 28 Chart Ronudup. Retrieved March 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "IFop.com". French sales chart. Retrieved March 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Jam Canoe.ca". Canadian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved March 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Mariahdaily". Chartlogs. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Mariahdaily". Retrieved February 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "MC Archives". Jermaine Dupri: How he turned Mariah into a hit Machine. Retrieved February 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Mediatraffic". United World charts. Retrieved January 31. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Oricon.co.jp". Japanese sales chart. Retrieved March 16. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • "Recording Industry Association of New Zealand". New Zealand sales chart. Retrieved March 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

Mariah Carey
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Extended plays
Video albums
Concert tours
Concert residencies
Books
Television
Works about Mariah Carey
Related articles
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