Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)

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"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)"
Single by Mariah Carey
from the album Rainbow
Released	2000
Format	CD single, CD maxi single, cassette single, 7" single, 12" maxi single
Genre	Pop
Length	4:32
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Mariah Carey, Diane Warren
Producer(s)	Mariah Carey, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Chart positions
#4 (Canada) #27 (Brazil) #28 (U.S.) — credited as "Crybaby" #65 (Netherlands)
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"Thank God I Found You" (2000)	"Crybaby"/"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" (2000)	"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (2000)

"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" is a song written by American singer Mariah Carey and Diane Warren, and produced by Carey, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Carey's ninth album Rainbow (1999). It was released as the album's third single in 2000 (see 2000 in music) as a double A-side with "Crybaby". It was the center of a public fight between Carey and Sony Music/Columbia Records concerning Carey's struggle to get it released and Sony's alleged lack of promotion.

Contents 1 Composition and meaning 2 Chart performance 3 Music videos and remixes 4 Charts

[edit] Composition and meaning

Carey co-wrote the song with Diane Warren, though Warren does not usually share songwriting credit. Although there were no conflicts during the recording process, the pair had minor disagreements during the songwriting stages: Carey said that Warren liked to repeat lyrical phrases often. "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" was the first and only composition that Carey and Warren have collaborated on.

The song's protagonist details the struggles of dealing with people who put you down, and how to overcome these struggles through faith, courage, and the power of God. Carey explains in the song's lyrics how although people can try to make her feel down and depressed, no matter what happens, she can't let them win: "There's a light in me that shines brightly. They can try but they can't take that away from me". Because the song contains a personal message, it was given the subtitle "Mariah's Theme".

[edit] Chart performance

The release of the song as a single was surrounded by conflict between Carey and Sony Music/Columbia Records. Because of Billboard magazine rules, charting credit was given not to "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" but to "Crybaby", the song it shared a double A-side with. For information on the controversy involving the song and its chart performance as a double A-side, see Crybaby (song).

"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" was successful as a dance single in the United States, reaching the top ten on the dance Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. It was only released in a few non-U.S. markets, and was not promoted with "Crybaby" in those. It was a top five hit in Canada, reached the top forty in Brazil, and peaked at number sixty-five in the Netherlands.

In later years the song was popular with Carey's fans, as it usually won a website contest for what she would sing during her 2003 Charmbracelet World Tour.

[edit] Music videos and remixes

Two music videos were shot for "Can't Take That Away", both directed by Sanaa Hamri. The creation of the video involved some of Carey's fans: she invited them via her website to send in videoclips of themselves, telling her of the hardships in their lives and how "Can't Take That Away" had inspired them. A contest was held, and videoclips from five fans were chosen for inclusion in the video. The clips were featured in the video's introduction, where Carey reacts to her fan's struggles which included personal insecurities, the problems of being part of a racial or social minority, and being victimized by verbal harassment.

The original edit of the music video featured Carey crying in an apartment as she watches on television the stories of several people who had overcome their hardships. The people featured in these stories include Venus and Serena Williams and Carey's nephew Shawn. She then walks out onto the balcony on the apartment into the pouring rain while waving her arms, hands, and body as she cries. Her depression is resolved when the rain stops and a rainbow forms, prompting her to smile.

The video was quickly pulled after its released because it contained some technical errors. The clips of the people on Carey's television had their struggles captioned in dark text on a dark background, making it difficult to read. There were also continuity errors during the rainy balcony scene, as Carey's shirt would alternate between being soaking wet and dry. Consequently, a new music video was completed, which retained the clips of Carey's fans at the beginning but fixed the captions and replaced most of the interior shots of Carey with new footage. Carey, now in a new and more furnished apartment, does not go out into the rain but instead stays in her living room. The ending is similar to the original, with a rainbow resolving Carey's sadness, although this clip ends with the rainbow overlooking the entire city.

Most remixes of "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)" were released in the U.S. only, although a few can be found elsewhere. David Morales produced the "Morales club mix", which uses the song's original vocals with similar chord progressions to those of the original, and the "Morales Triumphant mix", which contains re-recorded vocals and new lyrics which transform the song into a jazz-like mix with harmonica sections. Carey also added a spoken section.

[edit] Charts

Chart (2000)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1	28
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	6
U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40	21
Canada Singles Chart	4
Brazil Singles Chart	27
Netherlands Top 100 Singles	65

¹ "Crybaby"/"Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)".