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"Save the Day" is the fourteenth track and lead single, from Mariah's compilation album, The Rarities. The song is a collaboration with singer, Lauryn Hill. The song was released on August 21, 2020.[1]

The release of this single is part of the #MC30 celebration commemorating 30 years since the release of Mariah's eponymous debut album.

Background[]

"Save The Day" was written and produced by Mariah and Jermaine Dupri in 2011. Originally, the idea was to reunite a variety of musicians to conceive the song as a charity single. On February 12, 2011, Jermaine Dupri tweeted:

If this song comes out the way I want it, it’s gonna be incredible.

At the occasion, he mentioned Mariah herself, Taylor Swift, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly and Drake on the tweet. Also in 2011, Dupri expressed his feelings about the world’s scenario at that time and the inspiration for the song:

There’s a lot happening in the world right now. We hope to create something special with other great musicians that moves people and can make them understand they CAN do something positive to make their lives and the world better. […] The inspiration for the song comes from Points of Light Institute, the largest enabler of voluntary action in the nation, an organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world.


Although, the record never saw the light of day. A year later, Mariah tweeted the song was “in a holding pattern for a very special reason.. to be revealed at a later date.”[2] In 2020, amid the Coronavirus pandemic, the song was released. The pandemic as well as various social issues occurring at the time is believed be a prominent inspiration behind the track's release.

The track samples the Fugees' 1996 hit "Killing Me Softly" from their sophomore album The Score.[3]

Promotion[]

Mariah first announced the release of this song during her Good Morning America appearance in August of 2020.[4] On the eve of the single's release, Mariah premiered the song by hosting a Zoom party which included fans and journalists.[5] Carey appeared on the Zoom call with boyfriend Bryan Tanaka and was later joined by producer pal Jermaine Dupri, who produced the track. [6]

Music video[]

The music video for "Save the Day" premiered on September 13, 2020 during the woman's championship event at the 2020 open. It was filmed outside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The video was also uploaded to YouTube but has since been deleted.[7] Additionally, the video featured clips of prominent female tennis stars like Venus and Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and more. On September 12, Mariah tweeted: Thank you @USOpen for this amazing TV Premiere of my song "Save The Day". Couldn't be more honored and moved to share the message of the song with these incredible female champions.[8] Also on the video's debut date, Mariah released behind the scenes footage of the music video.[9]

Lyric video[]

A lyric video for the song animated by Neil Dvorak, Numidas Prasarn and Jim Batt was released on October 23, 2020. It features a tribute to Breonna Taylor Fredrick Douglas, John Lewis, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, The LGBT+ community and essential workers who handled the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] Throughout, the video, watercolor was used to showcase the lyrics and drawings.

Charts and Streams[]

'"Save the Day" has peaked at #4 on the iTunes US charts and #5 on iTunes Worldwide.[11] After one week of the single's release, it has gained over 50,000 sales and 5 million streams in total.[11] The song debuted at #2 on Billboard's R&B Digital Song Sales chart, #6 on the R&B/Hip-hop digital song sales chart, #12 on the Hot R&B songs chart and #15 on the digital song sales chart.

Lyrics[]

[Intro: Mariah Carey]
We're all in this together
You're my only hope
And it's too divided, too deep to understand
But if we don't do it, tell me, who will?
Oh, we always say these words that don't mean too much
I wonder, where is the love?
It's curious
The fear still holding us down
One day, will we look up?

[Verse 1: Mariah Carey]
You got a right to your own opinion
But when it comes to the world we live in
Isn't it time that we start rebuilding
All of the things that have basically crumbled?
We all tend to forget that
We all cease to exist if
Wе all live for ourselves
If nobody bothеrs to find a solution

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't
We won't ever learn to save the day, woah, oh
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't
We won't ever learn to save the day

[Verse 2: Mariah Carey]
We're all in this together
You're my only hope (Only hope)
And it's too divided, too deep to understand
But if we don't do it, tell me, who will? Yeah
Always say these words that don't mean too much
I wonder, where is the love?
It's curious
That fear still holding us back
One day, will we look up?
It's up to us

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't
We won't ever learn to save the day, woah, oh
(To save the day, to save the day)
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't (Come on, come on)
(Will we?) We won't ever learn to save the day
(Ever learn, no)

[Bridge: Mariah Carey & Lauryn Hill]
La-la-la, la, la-la, la
Woah, la
Woah, la (Ah, ah, ah)
La

[Chorus: Mariah Carey]
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't
We won't ever learn to save the day, woah, oh (To save the day)
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't (And she won't)
We won't ever learn to save the day, woah, oh (I'ma have to learn to save the day)
If he won't, and she won't, and they won't, then we won't (All God's children, all God's children)
We won't ever learn to save the day (All God's children, to save the day)

[Outro: Mariah Carey]
We gon' learn, we gon' learn
Said we gotta learn

Trivia[]

  • On September 10, 2020 Mariah posted a snippet of her singing the song in a car with boyfriend Bryan Tanaka.[12]

Gallery[]

References[]

The Rarities
October 2, 2020 • 2:16:25 • Columbia & Legacy Records
Songs
Released All I Live ForCan You Hear MeClose My EyesCool on YouDo You Think Of MeEverything Fades AwayHere We Go Around AgainI PrayLoverboy (Firecracker Original Version)Lullaby of BirdlandMesmerizedOne NightOut Here on My OwnSave The DaySlipping Away
Artists
Mariah CareyLauryn Hill
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