Melt Away

"Melt Away"
General information
Artist	Mariah Carey
Released	October 3, 1995
Studio	Crave Studios, NY and The Hit Factory, NY
Length	3:42
Album	Daydream
Label	Columbia Records
Songwriter(s)	Mariah Carey, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Producer(s)	Mariah Carey, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Daydream Chronology
"Long Ago"
"Melt Away"
"Forever"

Melt Away is the ninth track from Mariah's album, Daydream. The song was written by Mariah and Babyface and released on October 3, 1995 through Columbia Records.

Background

Mariah wrote the song "Melt Away" with Babyface. She would then produce the song herself. During the beginning of the song, Mariah can be heard utilizing her lower register. In 1995, Mariah talked about the background of the song and working with Babyface:

“	I really love working with Kenny (Babyface) because he’s smart and really easy to work with. I’m the kind of person where if someone starts playing something on the piano I can write a melody on top. It’s one of my favorite things to do. He’s the kind of person who can just sit down and come up with something, so we really vibe with each other. Believe it or not my natural voice is very low. A lot of times people think I talk like [Mariah puts on a squeaky little girl voice] “Hi! How are you?”. I was just experimenting on that song, singing an octave lower than where I normally would and Babyface said, “You should start it out like that because not a lot of people have that low range like that	”
– Mariah Via Blues & Soul (October 24, 1995)

Many people also thought that Mariah was singing the song with Babyface. In an interview with Vibe Magazine Mariah cleared this up this misconception:

“	A lot of people who wrote about the album thought that was Babyface singing at the beginning,“ she laughs. "I’m, like, hel-lo! He only sings in the background.”	”
– Mariah via Vibe (April 1996)

Critical reception

In his book, Mariah Carey Revisited, author Chris Nickson stated the following about the song:

“Melt Away,” which Mariah had written and performed with Babyface, by now a massive star in his own right, could just as easily have served as that single—but it never happened. A gorgeous slow jam, it lived up to its title, as the two voices really did melt into each other, after Mariah’s low “Barry White” introduction. It was curious that Mariah produced this track alone, given Babyface’s pedigree at the controls; but, there was no denying that she’d done a superb job, as the song glided into its chorus, as strong as any jam released in the nineties, and one that would find a lot of favor late at night with dancers.

Lyrics

[Verse 1]

You come to me with a casual flow
And suddenly my defenses start to go
When you talk to me in that sensual tone
It envelopes me and I lose my self-control

[Chorus]
And baby, I just melt away
Fall like rain
Every time I see your face, I go off (I got off)
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around
And baby, I could melt away in your arms

[Verse 2]
Imagining that you're taking it slow
And so tenderly
'Till the feeling overflows
When you look at me, I go soft and cave in
And I can't conceal that I'm slowly weakening

[Chorus]
And baby, I just melt away
Fall like rain
Every time I see your face, I go off (I got off)
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around
And baby, I could melt away in your arms

[Verse 3]
You and me in a cloud of reverie
Spin around inside my head unendingly
Thoughts run wild as I sit and rhapsodize
Paint pretty pictures of what I'd do if you were mine

[Chorus]
And baby, I just melt away
Fall like rain
Every time I see your face, I go off (I got off)
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around
And baby, I could melt away in your arms
And baby, I just melt away
Fall like rain
Every time I see your face, I go off
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around

And baby, I could melt away in your arms