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This next song, this is about, basically, relationships. We're dealing with relationships here. It's like when you've waited all night long for somebody to come home and they finally come home, and it's the morning and... you yourself are like, "where is this MF'er?"... I'm talking about a serious subject here. This is a serious situation that I'm talking about. This is from, well I told you the remix album is gonna be out and I'm singing this with Mary J. Blige and I'm really excited about it. But right now I'm gonna do it alone. It’s called "It's a Wrap".

– Mariah Carey before introducing the song on the Angels Advocate Tour on January 16th, 2010 at MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Ledyard, CT.

"It's a Wrap" is the eighth track from Mariah Carey's twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. It was released by Island Records on September 28, 2009. The song samples The Love Unlimited Orchestra's "I Belong to You", written by Barry Wright, earning him songwriting credit alongside Carey. The song also interpolates the high note from Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way."

Critical reception[]

"It's a Wrap" garnered generally positive reviews from music critics. Mesfin Fekadu for The Associated Press wrote that "It's a Wrap" "joins tracks like "Vision of Love", "Always Be My Baby" and "We Belong Together" as a classic Mariah song." He also notes that "even though she's spitting venom, Carey's cooing on the doo-wop sounding song is so sensuous and sweet." Ty Jordan for GStyle Magazine praised "the getupouttamyhouse attitude of the song". Asun for Insight Magazine praised Carey's "knowledge of music history" due to its Love Unlimited sample and Aretha Franklin interpolation.

TikTok resurgence[]

In January 2023, a sped-up version of "It's a Wrap" became a viral challenge on TikTok, in which Carey herself participated and included an actual wrap in her video. The new-found appreciation for the song by a younger generation prompted it to achieve several streaming milestones and to be released as a buzz single. A four-track digital EP of the song comprising the original song, a sped-up version, the Mary J. Blige remix and a new shortened version of the song, running just over three minutes, was released on February 10, 2023.

On October 13, 2023, a black vinyl version of the It's a Wrap EP was made available for pre-order on several retailers online, while a limited edition translucent tan vinyl was made available for pre-order on Urban Legends, UMG's R&B and hip-hop catalog imprint. Both versions were released on December 1, 2023.[1][2]

Visualizer[]

On October 13, 2023, a visualizer featuring animated drawings of Carey to the sound of the sped up version of the song was posted on Carey's YouTube channel.[3]

Live performances[]

During the last date of Carey's residency at the Pearl Theater, Carey debuted the song with an impromptu snippet.

The song was performed live on Lopez Tonight, as well as "Obsessed" on December 16, 2009, and aired the following day.

The song was also part of the Angels Advocate Tour setlist, being performed on every date except at the shows in New York City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Columbus, Chicago, Grand Prairie, Phoenix, on the second Los Angeles show and Las Vegas.

Thirteen years after its last live performance, Carey brought the song back into her repertoire for LA Pride on June 10, 2023, her 2023 Christmas tour, Merry Christmas One and All!, and her performance at the Saadiyat Nights festival on January 6, 2024, where it was included in a medley of hits performed towards the end of the show. The song was also performed at the Soul Beach Music Festival on May 25, 2024.

Track listings and formats[]

  • It's a Wrap EP
  1. "It's a Wrap" — 3:58
  2. "It's a Wrap" (Sped Up) — 2:44
  3. "It's a Wrap" (feat. Mary J. Blige) — 4:08
  4. "It's a Wrap" (Edit) — 3:01

Trivia[]

  • Both the sped-up and edited versions of "It's a Wrap" feature a slightly different instrumentation, similar to the live arrangement performed during the Memoirs era, with a silent break during the line "Don't make me go call Maury Povich," which is not present on the original song.

Remix[]

A remix featuring Mary J. Blige, recorded for Carey's shelved remix album Angels Advocate, which was originally set for a March 2010 release, was included as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of her fourteenth studio album, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse. The remix does not feature any new vocals from Carey, but features new background vocals and ad libs recorded by Blige.

Gallery[]

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
Yet another early morning
And you walk in like it's nothing
Hold up hold up hold tight
Ain't no donuts ain't no coffee
See I, know you seen me
Calling and calling
I should crack you
Right in your forehead

[Pre-Chorus]
Let me take a breath
And regain my composure
Told you one more time if you f'ed up, it's over
[Chorus]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
You're dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
Baby, it's a wrap
Shoo-do-do-do-do
Shoo-do-do-do-do
For you, baby
It's a wrap
It's a wrap for you, boy
It's a wrap
Aww, baby
Ooh-we, ooh-ooh
E-ooh-ooh

[Verse 2]
If I ever misrepresented
My self image, then I'm sorry
I was oh so acquiescent
But I learned my lesson
Boy, you're sorry
Bump-bump-bump
All out in the open
Don't make me go call Maury Povich

You might also like

[Pre-Chorus]
Let me take a breath
And regain my composure
Told you one more time if you f'ed
Up it's over

[Chorus]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
You dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
Baby, it's a wrap
Shoo-do-do-do-do
Shoo-do-do-do-do
For you, baby
It's a wrap
It's a wrap for you, boy
It's a wrap
Aww, baby

[Bridge]
Put all of your shit in the elevator
It's goin' down like a denominator
Tryin' to keep holdin' on holding on
Boy, let me go
You gon' wake my neighbors
Get away from my door
That was your last shot
You ain't coming back
It's the Martini I mean it baby
It's a wrap
[Pre-Chorus]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
You dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong

[Outro]
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
(Boy, I'm checkin' the gate)
Baby
Shoo-do-do-do-do
Shoo-do-do-do-do
(I told you)
Baby
(I told you)
It's a wrap
(If you f'ed up one more time, it's over)
It's a wrap for you boy
It's a wrap
(So get up out my face, I'm hung over)
Aww, baby
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
(Been sitting here)
(All night leave me alone)
Baby
(Since quarter to three I been)
Shoo-do-do-do-do
Shoo-do-do-do-do
(Drinkin' Patrón)
Baby
(Watch the credits roll)
It's a wrap
(It's a wrap)
It's a wrap
(Ha)

[Intro: Mary J. Blige]
Now for the deluxe...
Now Mariah, you know I love you
I've loved you all my life
But I wouldn't be a friend or even a fan
If I didn't give you the real
You've been hanging on to this dude
Knowing he doing you dirty
Why don't you just cut this guy loose?
You know, tell him it's a wrap
Because you better than that
And you Mariah Carey, remember?
Shit
[Verse 1: Mariah Carey]
Yet another early morning
And you walk in like it's nothing
Hold up hold up hold tight
Ain't no donuts ain't no coffee
See I, know you seen me
Calling and calling
I should crack you
Right in your forehead

[Pre-Chorus: Mariah Carey]
Let me take a breath
And regain my composure
Told you one more time if you f'ed
Up it's over

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
You're dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
Baby it's a wrap
Shoo-do-do-do-do shoo-do-do-do-do
For you baby
It's a wrap
It's a wrap for you boy
It's a wrap
Aww baby
Ooh-we oooh-oooh
E-ooh-ooh

You might also like

[Verse 2: Mary J. Blige]
If I ever misrepresented
My self image, then I'm sorry
I was oh so acquiescent
But I learned my lesson
Boy you're sorry
Bump-bump-bump-bump
All out in the open
Don't make me go call Maury Povich

[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
Let me take a breath
And regain my composure
Told you one more time if you f'ed
Up it's over

[Pre-Chorus: Mary J. Blige]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
You dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
Baby it's a wrap
For you baby
It's a wrap
It's a wrap for you boy
It's a wrap
Aww baby

[Bridge: Mariah Carey & Both]
Put all your shit in the elevator
It's goin' down like a denominator
Tryin to keep holdin' on holding on
Boy let me go
You gon' wake my neighbors, get away from my door
That was your last shot
You ain't comin back
It's the Martini I mean it baby
It's a wrap

[Chorus: Mariah Carey & Mary J. Blige]
When it's gone, it's gone
It's gone, it's gone
(Let him go, let him go)
You're dead wrong, so wrong
So wrong, so wrong
(You dead wrong)
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
(Boy I'm checkin' the gate)
(You don't need him, you don't need him)
Baby
Shoo-do-do-do-do shoo-do-do-do-do
(I told you)
Baby
(I told you)
(I told you)
It's a wrap
(If you f'ed up one more time it's over)
It's a wrap for you boy
It's a wrap
(So get up out my face I'm hung over)
Aww baby
So just scoo-do-do-do-do
Scoo-do-do-do-do
(Been sitting here)
(All night leave me alone)
Baby
(Since quarter to three i been)
Shoo-do-do-do-do shoo-do-do-do-do
(Drinkin' Patrón)
Baby
(Watch the credits roll)
It's a wrap
(It's a wrap)
It's a wrap
(Ha)

References[]

  1. Mariah Carey Trends (Fan Page) [@MariahTrends]. (2023, October 13). .@MariahCarey to release the “It’s A Wrap - EP” on vinyl for the first time ever. Out December 1st. Check local [Post]. X. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  2. Mariah Carey - It's A Wrap – Urban Legends Store. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  3. Mariah Carey. (2023, October 11). Mariah Carey - It's A Wrap (Sped Up / Visualizer) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
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