Everything Fades Away

"Everything Fades Away"
General information
Artist	Mariah Carey
Released	August 31, 1993
Recorded	1993
Genre	Soul & Pop
Length	5:25
Albums	The Rarities Music Box
Label	Columbia Records
Songwriter(s)	Mariah Carey Walter Afanasieff
Producer(s)	Mariah Carey Walter Afanasieff
The Rarities Chronology
"Do You Think Of Me"
"Everything Fades Away"
"All I Live For"
Music video

“Everything Fades Away” is one of the two international bonus tracks recorded by Mariah Carey for her third studio album, “Music Box.”  The song was written and produced by Mariah and Walter Afanasieff. It was released on August 31, 1993 through Columbia Records and serves as the B-side to Hero.

The song was also re-released as the fourth track on Mariah's eight compilation album, The Rarities.

Background

"Everything Fades Away" was originally released as a b-side on the CD single of "Hero." Walter Afanasieff who is one of the producers and song-writers of the track, has discussed some details of the song in an interview with Soul Culture in 2011:

“	“We kind of did a song on every album that had a similarity to each other and it was a little wave that her and I caught on the first real big project we worked on together, which was the album Emotions. There was this chord progression we always liked to remind ourselves of. It was one of those times where we ended up writing a song that really was just a very comfortable place that we would always go into. It was something that naturally came out. There were a couple of songs that we ended up with. My favorite song from the Music Box album wasn’t on the US version, but it was on the international version of the album it was “Everything Fades Away.” It kind of broke my heart to be honest.	”
– Soul Culture - Return To The Classics “MARIAH CAREY'S MUSIC BOX LP (1993) REVISITED WITH CO-WRITER WALTER AFANASIEFF” by Chris Williams, July 3, 2011

“	“Record companies always have their rules. They always feel like there’s too many songs on an album or not enough songs on an album or not enough of this kind of song on an album. It’s usually a decision made by a corporate mind and they’re usually wrong. “Everything Fades Away” one was of the favorites that many Europeans always say and I had wished it went on the American release. Because it didn’t make the American release we put the other song ‘All I've Ever Wanted’ on the album. It’s in that area of where it was a ballad type of song and it was really comfortable for us.”	”
– Soul Culture - Return To The Classics “MARIAH CAREY'S MUSIC BOX LP (1993) REVISITED WITH CO-WRITER WALTER AFANASIEFF” by Chris Williams, July 3, 2011

Within the booklet of The Rarities, there is a short quote for each song. The quote for "Everything Fades Away" reads:

“	One of the more personal songs I wrote during this era. This was a B-side on the “Hero” single and never got the attention I feel it deserves. I guess the label didn’t quite know how to categorize it musically at the time, but it’s an early indicator of a place I would end up exploring further down the road.	”
– The Rarities liner notes, 2020

Live performances

Mariah along with her background singers performed a snippet of the song during the fourth leg of "The Butterfly Returns" residency. On March 1, 2020, Mariah posted a YouTube video of herself and background singers singing the background vocal harmonies of the song during rehearsals. She was joined by Daniel Moore, Trey Lorenz, Maryann Tatum, Takeytha Johnson and special guest JoJo.

Videos

Mariah Carey - Everything Fades Away

Everything Fades Away - Mariah Carey (Lyrics)

Mariah Carey - "Everything Fades Away" - Backstage Rehearsals (with JoJo)

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Mariah Carey]
Baby, don't tell me you miss me, you love me
Don't whisper gently that you can't forget me tonight
Tonight
'Cause I've heard it all before
Just turn away, don't play that game
Baby, I don't want to anymore

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Let it all fade away
Don't you know the love is gone
It's too late
Everything fades away
Nothing ever stays the same, baby
No, no, no

[Verse 2: Mariah Carey]
Don't tell me you're sorry you hurt me
How many times can I give in?
How many battles can you win?
Oh, don't beg for mercy tonight
Tonight
'Cause I can't take anymore
Just turn around, don't break me down
Baby, I don't love you like before

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Let it all fade away
Don't you know that love is gone?
It's too late, oh
Everything fades away
Nothing ever stays the same, baby
Oh, oh

[Bridge 1: Will Downing]
So hard for me to let you go
Don't leave me standing in the cold
Oh baby, give it one more chance
I know that we can make it last

[Bridge 2: Will Downing]
Just let me love you one more time
'Cause I don't wanna lose my mind
So hard for me to let you go
So hard for me to let you go

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Let it all fade away (Why don't you?)
Love is gone it's too late (The love is gone, baby, it's too late, oh)
Everything fades away (Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh)
Nothing ever stays the same, babe
Nothing ever stays the same
Oh, whoa, whoa

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Let it all fade away (Oh, let it fade away)
Love is gone, it's too late (The love is gone, baby, it's too late)
Everything fades away (Every, everything, fades away)
Nothing ever stays the same

[Outro: Mariah Carey]
It only fades, it only fades
Only fades, it only fades
Baby, don't tell me you miss me you love me
It only fades, it only fades
Only fades, it only fades (Whoa, oh)
Baby, don't tell me you miss me, you love me (Whoa, oh)
It only fades, it only fades
Only fades, it only fades (Whoa)
Baby don't tell me you miss me, you love me (Whoa, oh)
It only fades, it only fades
Only fades, it only fades (Whoa)
Baby, don't tell me you miss me

Trivia

• Mariah described the song as "one of her favorites" on February 29, 2020 during her "The Butterfly Returns" residency.
• This song is the first bonus track that Mariah released
• "Everything Fades Away" is the first bonus track of the Music Box album.