Old Music Tuesday: Mariah Carey

It is nearly impossible for me to think about my childhood without thinking of Mariah Carey. Her music was present in several stages. It all seems funny to me now that she's kind of trashy and cougar-y.

Seven songs made the list. Some are inseparable.

1, 2, & 3. Vision of Love, Someday, and Emotions- For a solid chunk of my childhood, I lived in the house that was built by my great-grandfather. My mom and stepdad bought it when I was about 7 (I think) from some other family. It was so neat to be in the house where my grandmother grew up, where my mother played as a child.

My mom spent a great deal of time remodeling the basement to make it a usable space. I spent so much time down there playing by myself. I can smell the damp, old den. I hung Christmas lights and plugged in my boom box and had dance parties alone. It seems like I would spend hours down there, and Mariah Carey was always a part of the party. I remember the beat-up cases for the two M.C. cassette tapes I had. I'd listen to one side, flip it over, switch tapes, and repeat. I had never heard anyone who could sing that high.

4. Dreamlover- At this point I was obsessed with Disney princess movies and the thought of a "dreamlover" to "come rescue me" sounded night. Now, from what he was rescuing me at the ripe old age of eight, I do not know. However, I distinctly remember dressing up in an old dress of my mothers that I had designated the "princess dress" and singing this song.

5, 6, & 7. Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, and One Sweet Day (ft. Boyz II Men)- I have tons of memories of the entire 1996 Daydream album, but I guess the one I find most amusing is from 5th grade. On a cold and rainy day, we stayed inside from recess. Fortunately for me, I remembered to bring my walkman and my new M.C. tape. Little did I know this would make me the most popular girl in the classroom for the day. I had several people around me, all taking turns listening to their favorite songs while we played Connect Four.