Fly like a Bird
Encyclopedia
"Fly Like a Bird" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
, first released on April 3, 2006 by Island Records
as a promotional single
from her tenth studio album
, The Emancipation of Mimi
(2005). Written and produced by Carey and James "Big Jim" Wright, the song draws influence from Gospel
, soul
, and R&B
music genres. Its arrangement is built on piano chords and guitar melodies, and features Carey's deceased pastor Clarence Keaton, who recites two Biblical verses during the song's introduction and bridge
. Carey described "Fly Like a Bird" as the most personal and religious track from The Emancipation of Mimi, with its lyrics featuring a veritable prayer to God: "Fly like a bird, take to the sky, I need you now Lord, carry me high!".
At the time of its release, "Fly Like a Bird" received general acclaim from music critics. While many praised Carey's strong vocal performance throughout its climax, many pinpointed on its lyrical content and compared it to Carey's debut song, "Vision of Love
". Released as the final single from its parent album, the song was only sent to adult contemporary and gospel radio stations, during the same time "Say Somethin'
" was commissioned to mainstream channels. Carey performed the song on several high profile industry events, including the 48th annual Grammy Awards, the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit, and Idol Gives Back
. Additionally, Carey included the song on the set-lists for all her succeeding tours since its release.
after the release of Rainbow
(1999). Almost a year later, she signed an unprecedented $100 million five-album record contract with Virgin Records
, and began work on a film and soundtrack project titled Glitter. Prior to its release on September 11, 2001, Carey suffered an "emotional and physical breakdown", and was subsequently hospitalized over a period of several weeks. Glitter became a box-office bomb, earning less than eight million dollars, and receiving scathing reviews. The soundtrack, while faring slightly better, failed to reach the critical or commercial heights of Carey's previous releases, and eventually lead to the annulment of her record contract with Virgin.
Following the events, as well as the release of Carey's succeeding album, Charmbracelet
(2002), she began working on new material for The Emancipation of Mimi
(2005). Aside from the dance-influenced tracks and the ballads, Carey created a concept, in which a song's lyrics would reach out to God. She created the song's choral lyrics, melody and main instrumentation, before calling James "Big Jim" Wright for a collaboration. During their meeting, Wright helped Carey arrange the song's chord structure, as well as produce the introduction, while Carey finished the rest of the lyrics. Once completing "Fly Like a Bird", Carey had her pastor, Clarence Keaton, read two verses from the Bible on the song, "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning" during the introduction, and "He said 'He'll never forsake you, or leave you alone' Trust him". According to Carey, the song, as well as the Biblical verses, were included on her "comeback album" because they helped her get through many difficult situations in the past. She described moments that were difficult growing up, during which she reached out to God, as well as during her breakdown, when she used such verses to give her faith. Carey explained how although the verses helped her greatly, no one had ever said them to her. For this reason, she wanted to make sure they were there for fans and listeners to hear, in order to give them faith and assurance lest they be in a grave situation.
from the project. Simultaneously promoted alongside "Say Somethin'
, the song was released on April 3, 2006 to urban radio
and gospel stations, while the latter to mainstream Top 40
channels. Tom Ferguson from Billboard
did not agree with releasing both singles concurrently, as he had given "Say Somethin'" a negative review. According to Ferguson, while the latter had radio appeal, its "scantily produced drum'n'bass" only distracted, concluding "'Fly Like A Bird' is a classic: why muddy the water with this release."
ballad
, drawing influence from Gospel
, soul
and R&B
music genres. It incorporates music from several musical instruments, including the organ
, bass drum
and trumpet
. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing
, the song is set in common time
with a moderate tempo
of 54 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of B minor
with Carey's vocal range spanning from the low-note of F3 to the high-note of E5. The song's chorus
has a chord progression
of Fm7-Bm-G/A-Bmaj7 in the verses, while changing into Gmaj7 during the bridge
. Lyrically, "Fly Like a Bird" boasts a prayer in which the protagonist asks God for help during difficult times, and to carry them "higher and higher". Cintra Wilson from LA Weekly
described the song's lyrics in depth, as well as where she felt the yearning lyrics stemmed from:
Entertainment Weekly
s Tom Sinclair described the song as a "veritable prayer that explicitly references God", and highlighted the lines "Sometimes this life can be so cold / I pray you'll come and carry me home, Carry me higher, higher, higher." According to Carey, the song holds deep lyrical meaning for herself, as well as her fans. She compared it to older emotional ballads from her career, and described the sentiment they held for many fans "Usually, I'll have an introspective bleak-outlook-on-life song. In the past it's been 'Petals' or 'Close My Eyes'. Those were the ones that the hard-core fans related to most. But this has a hopefulness to it. That's why it's one of my favorites, too." Additionally, Carey outed Keaton's verse during the song's introduction as her favorite part of the song, and included it as a guide for fans, due to the help it had given her in the past:
called Carey's voice as "one-in-a-million", and wrote "she's never been shy about showing off with frequently annoying octave-spanning trills – and her instrument seems to be intact; witness the display of bravado on 'Fly Like a Bird'." When describing the song, Dina Passaro from Newsday
wrote "This songstress is back and better than ever!" and claimed Carey "sounds awesome and tears it apart". Tom Ferguson from Billboard
called the track a "classic", and wrote "the re-crowned diva delivers a consummate vocal." Similarly, in a separate review for the song, Ferguson went into detail regarding Carey's performance in "Fly Like a Bird":
Entertainment Weekly
s Tom Sinclair outed the song as a "heart-on-my-sleeve number", and called it the "crux of the album". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
felt the song "made Mariah likeable again" and wrote "[its] an inspirational ballad that's equal parts 'Butterfly
' and 'Hero
'." A writer from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
compared it to Carey's debut single, "Vision of Love
", and called it one of the best cuts from The Emancipation of Mimi
. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
from Allmusic gave the song a mixed review, criticizing the condition of Carey's voice, "As good as those Wright-helmed cuts are, they are also the times that the mixes slip and don't hide the flaws in Mariah's voice, and it sounds as airy, thin, and damaged as it did on Charmbracelet
."
" (featuring Snoop Dogg
, the sixth single from The Emancipation of Mimi), was released to pop and rhythmic radio stations. "Fly Like a Bird" failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
, instead reaching number four on Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart, which represents the twenty-five songs below the Hot 100's number 100 position that have not yet appeared on the Hot 100. It peaked at number nineteen on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart and topped the Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart for six weeks. The song experienced longevity in the urban market, reaching its peak on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in its twenty-fourth week.
reported that Carey would film a music video for "Fly Like a Bird" at the end of March 2006. According to Carey, the video had already been conceptualized by mid-March, with a script featuring Carey, Keaton and a church choir as the main focuses. In an later interview, Carey said, "We don't have a lot of time to do it. It's not a big-budget thing. But it doesn't need to be. It just needs to be about the song, capturing the song and the emotion of it." While plans for the video's filming were made, a final version was never released or commissioned.
, Carey launched the stateside release of the album on Good Morning America
, in the form of an interview and five-piece outdoor concert. The concert, taking place in Times Square
, and featuring the largest crowd in the plaza since the 2004 New Years Eve celebration, Carey performed the first three singles from the album, as well as "Fly Like a Bird" and "Make It Happen" (1991). Months later, following the tragic events involving Hurricane Katrina
in the Gulf Coast
throughout August 2005, she was featured as a head-lining performer at the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit. Carey, wearing a non-formal ensemble of a pink tank-top and blue jeans, performed "Fly Like a Bird" alongside a large church choir
. According to Nielsen Media Research
, the special was viewed by over twenty-four million United States citizens, airing on over twelve different cable channels and in ninety-five countries. Following the beginning of 2006, and the continued charting of the album, Carey was nominated for eight Grammy Awards, the most she had received in one night throughout her career. Due to the continued success of The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey decided to return to the Grammy stage for the 48th annual ceremony, held on February 8, 2006, for the first time since 1996. The performance opened with a pre-taped video of Carey discussing the importance of religion and God in her life, and how it helped her get through difficult times as a child and adult. Following the video, she appeared on stage wearing a white Chanel
evening gown, and began with a shortened version of "We Belong Together". Following its completion, the spotlight focused on Carey's now-deceased pastor Clarence Keaton, who opened "Fly Like a Bird" with a passage from the Bible
, also featured in the studio recording of the song. Mid-way through the song, a black temporary wall was removed, revealing a large choir, who joined Carey for the song's gospel climax. After completing her performance, "Fly Like a Bird" induced the night's only standing ovation, prompting Teri Hatcher
, who was presenting the next award, to exclaim "It's like we've all just been saved."
Critics raved about Carey performance following the completion of the ceremony, with Jon Pareles
from The New York Times
saying "once she was worked up, she moaned, growled and swooped to the high and low extremes of her voice in "Fly Like a Bird". A writer from USA Today
complimented her recital of both songs, writing "Carey certainly earned the right to savor the spotlight this year. But the diva made room for Walker's booming baritone in 'Bird', her fluttering homage to Minnie Ripperton." Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly
called Carey the "comeback queen" and wrote "Its what her voice did, soaring into the rafters like only Carey's can." Roger Friedman from Fox News outed the performance as "the number that sent the audience into a frenzy". On April 9, 2008, reality competition American Idol
aired its second annual charity event, titled Idol Gives Back
. Backed up by Randy Jackson
on the bass
, Carey appeared on stage as the last head-lining performer of the evening. Mid-way through the performance, a large church choir walked on stage in blue garbs, and provided the gospel climax for the song. Ann Powers from the Los Angeles Times
called the song an "inspirational show-stopper" and felt Carey's vocal's were "patented impossible notes". In regards to the performance, Katie Byrne from MTV News
wrote "Carey was at her over-the-top best, with a full gospel choir and the high notes that made her famous." Aside from several televised performances, Carey included "Fly Like a Bird" on the set-lists of all her tours following its release. During Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour
(2006) stop at Madison Square Garden
, the song was dedicated to Ol' Dirty Bastard
, who died in 2004 from an accidental drug overdose. The performance had to be re-done, as Carey's pastor, Clarence Keaton, missed his cue for the Biblical verses, and was forced to be found backstage and ushered to the spotlight. Four years later, Carey performed the song throughout her Angels Advocate Tour
, only dedicating it to Keaton, who passed away on July 3, 2009. Editor and journalist Thomas Kintner from the Hartford Courant felt that during her live recital of "Fly Like a Bird", Carey "displayed power and sky-scraping pitch".
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, first released on April 3, 2006 by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
as a promotional single
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
from her tenth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
(2005). Written and produced by Carey and James "Big Jim" Wright, the song draws influence from Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
music genres. Its arrangement is built on piano chords and guitar melodies, and features Carey's deceased pastor Clarence Keaton, who recites two Biblical verses during the song's introduction and bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
. Carey described "Fly Like a Bird" as the most personal and religious track from The Emancipation of Mimi, with its lyrics featuring a veritable prayer to God: "Fly like a bird, take to the sky, I need you now Lord, carry me high!".
At the time of its release, "Fly Like a Bird" received general acclaim from music critics. While many praised Carey's strong vocal performance throughout its climax, many pinpointed on its lyrical content and compared it to Carey's debut song, "Vision of Love
Vision of Love
"Vision of Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It served as Carey's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album. Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, "Vision of Love" was released on May 15, 1990 by Columbia Records. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for...
". Released as the final single from its parent album, the song was only sent to adult contemporary and gospel radio stations, during the same time "Say Somethin'
Say Somethin'
"Say Somethin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Snoop Dogg, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell Williams, and produced by The Neptunes as the fifth single from Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . The song is one of few from Carey's catalog in...
" was commissioned to mainstream channels. Carey performed the song on several high profile industry events, including the 48th annual Grammy Awards, the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit, and Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
. Additionally, Carey included the song on the set-lists for all her succeeding tours since its release.
Background and recording
Following record-breaking success throughout the 1990s, Carey departed from Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
after the release of Rainbow
Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)
Rainbow is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on November 2, 1999, by Columbia Records. The album followed the same pattern as Carey's previous album, Butterfly , in which she began her transition into the R&B market. Rainbow contains a mix of...
(1999). Almost a year later, she signed an unprecedented $100 million five-album record contract with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, and began work on a film and soundtrack project titled Glitter. Prior to its release on September 11, 2001, Carey suffered an "emotional and physical breakdown", and was subsequently hospitalized over a period of several weeks. Glitter became a box-office bomb, earning less than eight million dollars, and receiving scathing reviews. The soundtrack, while faring slightly better, failed to reach the critical or commercial heights of Carey's previous releases, and eventually lead to the annulment of her record contract with Virgin.
Following the events, as well as the release of Carey's succeeding album, Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying...
(2002), she began working on new material for The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
(2005). Aside from the dance-influenced tracks and the ballads, Carey created a concept, in which a song's lyrics would reach out to God. She created the song's choral lyrics, melody and main instrumentation, before calling James "Big Jim" Wright for a collaboration. During their meeting, Wright helped Carey arrange the song's chord structure, as well as produce the introduction, while Carey finished the rest of the lyrics. Once completing "Fly Like a Bird", Carey had her pastor, Clarence Keaton, read two verses from the Bible on the song, "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning" during the introduction, and "He said 'He'll never forsake you, or leave you alone' Trust him". According to Carey, the song, as well as the Biblical verses, were included on her "comeback album" because they helped her get through many difficult situations in the past. She described moments that were difficult growing up, during which she reached out to God, as well as during her breakdown, when she used such verses to give her faith. Carey explained how although the verses helped her greatly, no one had ever said them to her. For this reason, she wanted to make sure they were there for fans and listeners to hear, in order to give them faith and assurance lest they be in a grave situation.
Release
Following the extended chart success of The Emancipation of Mimi, "Fly Like a Bird" was released as a promotional singlePromotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
from the project. Simultaneously promoted alongside "Say Somethin'
Say Somethin'
"Say Somethin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Snoop Dogg, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell Williams, and produced by The Neptunes as the fifth single from Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . The song is one of few from Carey's catalog in...
, the song was released on April 3, 2006 to urban radio
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
and gospel stations, while the latter to mainstream Top 40
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
channels. Tom Ferguson from Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
did not agree with releasing both singles concurrently, as he had given "Say Somethin'" a negative review. According to Ferguson, while the latter had radio appeal, its "scantily produced drum'n'bass" only distracted, concluding "'Fly Like A Bird' is a classic: why muddy the water with this release."
Composition
"Fly Like a Bird" is a mid-tempoTempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, drawing influence from Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
music genres. It incorporates music from several musical instruments, including the organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
and trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, the song is set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
with a moderate tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 54 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
with Carey's vocal range spanning from the low-note of F3 to the high-note of E5. The song's chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
has a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of Fm7-Bm-G/A-Bmaj7 in the verses, while changing into Gmaj7 during the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
. Lyrically, "Fly Like a Bird" boasts a prayer in which the protagonist asks God for help during difficult times, and to carry them "higher and higher". Cintra Wilson from LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
described the song's lyrics in depth, as well as where she felt the yearning lyrics stemmed from:
'Fly Like A Bird', is a kitchen-sink, hyper-produced gospel number, but is really quite moving. There is a real, human yearning for mercy in it — Mariah’s true cry for help from a place of near-suicidal despair: 'Sometimes this life can be so cold /(Lord) I pray you'll come and carry me home'. But there’s a lot of hope and faith in this wounded voice: Carey keeps, with touching conviction, a firm grip on the idea that some higher, divine intelligence out there loves her, even if nobody else does; even if she is lost to herself. It comes across emotionally, because her heart is fully in it — Mimi has been beaten, humiliated, heartbroken; joys have been slapped out of her hands quicker than she could appreciate them. She’s deeply confused, and God, she really needs help. Hell: We’ve all been there.
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Tom Sinclair described the song as a "veritable prayer that explicitly references God", and highlighted the lines "Sometimes this life can be so cold / I pray you'll come and carry me home, Carry me higher, higher, higher." According to Carey, the song holds deep lyrical meaning for herself, as well as her fans. She compared it to older emotional ballads from her career, and described the sentiment they held for many fans "Usually, I'll have an introspective bleak-outlook-on-life song. In the past it's been 'Petals' or 'Close My Eyes'. Those were the ones that the hard-core fans related to most. But this has a hopefulness to it. That's why it's one of my favorites, too." Additionally, Carey outed Keaton's verse during the song's introduction as her favorite part of the song, and included it as a guide for fans, due to the help it had given her in the past:
'To me the most important thing is the message he says in the beginning of the song,' she notes. 'Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.' I felt like a lot of people may not hear that message and a lot of people need to. It wasn't to be preachy. A lot of times people will hear songs that I write that are not the typical songs people look at as 'Mariah Carey songs.'
Critical reception
"Fly Like a Bird" received general acclaim from music critics, many of whom praised Carey's gospel-flavored vocal performance, as well as the song's lyrical content. Critic Jim DeRogatis from the Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
called Carey's voice as "one-in-a-million", and wrote "she's never been shy about showing off with frequently annoying octave-spanning trills – and her instrument seems to be intact; witness the display of bravado on 'Fly Like a Bird'." When describing the song, Dina Passaro from Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
wrote "This songstress is back and better than ever!" and claimed Carey "sounds awesome and tears it apart". Tom Ferguson from Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
called the track a "classic", and wrote "the re-crowned diva delivers a consummate vocal." Similarly, in a separate review for the song, Ferguson went into detail regarding Carey's performance in "Fly Like a Bird":
The Emancipation of Mimi spawns yet another career-redefining hit in the sweet, soulful "Fly Like a Bird", an honest-to-God religious mantra about redemption. Set against a low-key, organ-spiced groove that recalls mid-'70s R&B, Carey opens with a pretty, wispy vocal and buoyant harmonies throughout the first chorus before she waves her arms, parts the clouds and wails to the heavens as a mile-high wall of gospel background vocals joins in for the crescendo. The flight of 'Bird' from humble call for deliverance into a frenzied ecclesiastic hymn is utterly spine-tingling. A joyful noise.
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Tom Sinclair outed the song as a "heart-on-my-sleeve number", and called it the "crux of the album". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
felt the song "made Mariah likeable again" and wrote "[its] an inspirational ballad that's equal parts 'Butterfly
Butterfly (Mariah Carey song)
"Butterfly" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her sixth studio album, Butterfly. It was released as the second single from the album on December 1, 1997 by Columbia Records. The song was written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff; both of them producing and arranging the song as...
' and 'Hero
Hero (Mariah Carey song)
"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box . Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
'." A writer from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
compared it to Carey's debut single, "Vision of Love
Vision of Love
"Vision of Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It served as Carey's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album. Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, "Vision of Love" was released on May 15, 1990 by Columbia Records. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for...
", and called it one of the best cuts from The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
from Allmusic gave the song a mixed review, criticizing the condition of Carey's voice, "As good as those Wright-helmed cuts are, they are also the times that the mixes slip and don't hide the flaws in Mariah's voice, and it sounds as airy, thin, and damaged as it did on Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying...
."
Commercial performance
During April 2006, "Fly Like a Bird" was released to US urban and adult contemporary radio stations, at the same time "Say Somethin'Say Somethin'
"Say Somethin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was written by Carey, Snoop Dogg, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell Williams, and produced by The Neptunes as the fifth single from Carey's tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . The song is one of few from Carey's catalog in...
" (featuring Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, the sixth single from The Emancipation of Mimi), was released to pop and rhythmic radio stations. "Fly Like a Bird" failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, instead reaching number four on Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart, which represents the twenty-five songs below the Hot 100's number 100 position that have not yet appeared on the Hot 100. It peaked at number nineteen on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart and topped the Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart for six weeks. The song experienced longevity in the urban market, reaching its peak on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in its twenty-fourth week.
Music video
Following the radio premiere of "Say Somethin'", as well as the video release, MTV NewsMTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
reported that Carey would film a music video for "Fly Like a Bird" at the end of March 2006. According to Carey, the video had already been conceptualized by mid-March, with a script featuring Carey, Keaton and a church choir as the main focuses. In an later interview, Carey said, "We don't have a lot of time to do it. It's not a big-budget thing. But it doesn't need to be. It just needs to be about the song, capturing the song and the emotion of it." While plans for the video's filming were made, a final version was never released or commissioned.
Live performances
Following the European promotional tour for The Emancipation of MimiThe Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
, Carey launched the stateside release of the album on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, in the form of an interview and five-piece outdoor concert. The concert, taking place in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, and featuring the largest crowd in the plaza since the 2004 New Years Eve celebration, Carey performed the first three singles from the album, as well as "Fly Like a Bird" and "Make It Happen" (1991). Months later, following the tragic events involving Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
throughout August 2005, she was featured as a head-lining performer at the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast concert charity benefit. Carey, wearing a non-formal ensemble of a pink tank-top and blue jeans, performed "Fly Like a Bird" alongside a large church choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, the special was viewed by over twenty-four million United States citizens, airing on over twelve different cable channels and in ninety-five countries. Following the beginning of 2006, and the continued charting of the album, Carey was nominated for eight Grammy Awards, the most she had received in one night throughout her career. Due to the continued success of The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey decided to return to the Grammy stage for the 48th annual ceremony, held on February 8, 2006, for the first time since 1996. The performance opened with a pre-taped video of Carey discussing the importance of religion and God in her life, and how it helped her get through difficult times as a child and adult. Following the video, she appeared on stage wearing a white Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
evening gown, and began with a shortened version of "We Belong Together". Following its completion, the spotlight focused on Carey's now-deceased pastor Clarence Keaton, who opened "Fly Like a Bird" with a passage from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, also featured in the studio recording of the song. Mid-way through the song, a black temporary wall was removed, revealing a large choir, who joined Carey for the song's gospel climax. After completing her performance, "Fly Like a Bird" induced the night's only standing ovation, prompting Teri Hatcher
Teri Hatcher
Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress, writer, and presenter. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman...
, who was presenting the next award, to exclaim "It's like we've all just been saved."
Critics raved about Carey performance following the completion of the ceremony, with Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
saying "once she was worked up, she moaned, growled and swooped to the high and low extremes of her voice in "Fly Like a Bird". A writer from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
complimented her recital of both songs, writing "Carey certainly earned the right to savor the spotlight this year. But the diva made room for Walker's booming baritone in 'Bird', her fluttering homage to Minnie Ripperton." Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called Carey the "comeback queen" and wrote "Its what her voice did, soaring into the rafters like only Carey's can." Roger Friedman from Fox News outed the performance as "the number that sent the audience into a frenzy". On April 9, 2008, reality competition American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
aired its second annual charity event, titled Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
. Backed up by Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
on the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Carey appeared on stage as the last head-lining performer of the evening. Mid-way through the performance, a large church choir walked on stage in blue garbs, and provided the gospel climax for the song. Ann Powers from the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called the song an "inspirational show-stopper" and felt Carey's vocal's were "patented impossible notes". In regards to the performance, Katie Byrne from MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
wrote "Carey was at her over-the-top best, with a full gospel choir and the high notes that made her famous." Aside from several televised performances, Carey included "Fly Like a Bird" on the set-lists of all her tours following its release. During Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour
The Adventures of Mimi Tour
The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American R&B singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was one of a few tours in her then-sixteen year career and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name...
(2006) stop at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, the song was dedicated to Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
, who died in 2004 from an accidental drug overdose. The performance had to be re-done, as Carey's pastor, Clarence Keaton, missed his cue for the Biblical verses, and was forced to be found backstage and ushered to the spotlight. Four years later, Carey performed the song throughout her Angels Advocate Tour
Angels Advocate Tour
The Angels Advocate Tour is the seventh concert tour by American R&B singer Mariah Carey, in support of her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. The tour visited North America, also Egypt, Brazil and Singapore...
, only dedicating it to Keaton, who passed away on July 3, 2009. Editor and journalist Thomas Kintner from the Hartford Courant felt that during her live recital of "Fly Like a Bird", Carey "displayed power and sky-scraping pitch".
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the The Emancipation of Mimi liner notes.- SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
– Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, James "Big Jim" Wright - ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
– Mariah Carey, James "Big Jim" Wright - Background vocals – Mariah Carey, Mary Ann Tatum, Melonie Daniels, Trey LorenzTrey LorenzTrey Lorenz is an African American singer and songwriter. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and is a graduate of Wilson High School.-Biography:...
, Sherry Tatum, Courtney Bradley, Rev. Dr. Clarence Keaton - Engineers – Brian Garten, Dana Jon Chapelle
- Assistant engineer – Jason Finkel, Michael Leedy, Manuel Farolfi, Riccardo Durante
- Mixer – Phil TanPhil TanPhil Tan is an Atlanta, GA-based music/audio engineer.He is a 3-time Grammy Award recipient, as mixing engineer for Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" , Ludacris' "Release Therapy" and Rihanna's "Only Girl " .Among the artists on Tan's list of credits: Jill Scott, Jennifer...
(mixed at Right Track Studios, NYC) - Mastering – Herb Powers
- Additional keyboards – Loris Holland
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
4 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 66 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
19 |