"My All" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
from her sixth studio album, ''
Butterfly
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
'' (1997). It was released as the album's fifth single overall and second commercial single on April 21, 1998, by
. The song was written and produced by Carey and
Walter Afanasieff. "My All" is built around
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
guitar
chord melodies, and makes subtle use of Latin percussion throughout the first chorus, before taking on a more conventional
R&B-style beat. Carey was inspired to write the song and use Latin inspired melodies after a trip to Puerto Rico, where she was influenced by the culture. The song's lyrics tell of a lonely woman declaring she would give "her all" to have just one more night with her estranged lover. It is the first song Carey wrote for the ''Butterfly'' album.
The music video for the song was released in March 1998. It shows many scenes of Carey laying on a submerged vessel in a large body of water, while lamenting her lost lover. Towards the video's climax, Carey and her love interest climb atop a lighthouse and caress each other under the night's sky. "My All" was performed live on various occasions, including the 1998
World Music Awards
The World Music Awards was an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event was based in Monte Carlo. Awards were presented to the worl ...
and
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards was a film awards ceremony, founded by Blockbuster Entertainment, Inc., that ran from 1995 until 2001, and ended with the decision to cancel the 2002 awards following concerns after the September 11 attacks. ...
, ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', ''
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' is an American daytime variety show, variety television talk show created, hosted, and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It premiered on June 10, 1996, and concluded after six seasons on June 27, 200 ...
'' and various European television and music chart programs. The song was also part of Carey's 1998
Butterfly World Tour
The Butterfly World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour promoted Carey's album ''Butterfly'' (1997), and included songs from several of her previous albums. The tour visited Asia, Australia and th ...
, and was performed during many future tours and concerts.
House music
House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 115–130 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground ...
producer
David Morales
David Morales (; born August 21, 1961) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer.
David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Mar ...
remixed the song, which was performed live as a medley with the original.
"My All" received acclaim from music critics and charted strongly throughout various music markets. In the United States, the song became Carey's thirteenth chart topper on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
, and was certified double-
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Throughout Europe, the song performed moderately, peaking at number four in the United Kingdom and in the top ten in Belgium (Wallonia), France, Spain and Switzerland. In France, due to strong sales, the song was certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
by the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in ...
(SNEP).
Background
Carey began writing and composing themes for ''
Butterfly
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
'' by the end of 1996.
She considered this period in time to be a "redefining moment for herself," as she began making the music she truly loved,
R&B and
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
. Additionally, Carey began incorporating other musical genres into her songwriting, assisting her in developing new ideas and melodies.
Carey expressed how the mixed emotions she felt at that point in her life helped develop the song, as she would "pour herself and emotions into anything she was writing at the time."
In an interview with
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. "Fred" Bronson (born January 10, 1949) is an American journalist, author and writer. He is the author of books related to number one songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and other books related to various music charts as well. He ...
, Carey expressed how a visit to Puerto Rico and the current emotions in her life inspired her to write "My All":
I had gone to Puerto Rico and was influenced by Latin music at that moment. When I came back, the melody was in my head. It was at a melancholy point in my life and the song reflects the yearning that was going on inside of me. It was like being in a situation but you want to break free and you can't, so you're confined yet you're releasing those emotions through the lyrics and the actual act of singing. That's why think a lot of people felt very strongly about that song, because the emotion is clear when you listen to it.
Carey began to infuse her personality into her work, something that showed throughout various tracks.
During her stay, she was influenced by the Latin culture, and began harmonizing and singing the music she heard there. When she arrived back to New York, she already had the melody developed, and soon began working on the song in San Francisco with Afanasieff.
In her 2020 memoir, ''
The Meaning of Mariah Carey
''The Meaning of Mariah Carey'' is a memoir by Mariah Carey, released on September 29, 2020. It was written with Michaela Angela Davis, and was published by Andy Cohen Books, an imprint of Henry Holt, as well as in an audiobook format read by ...
'', Carey revealed how "My All" was also inspired by a secret romantic rendezvous she and baseball player
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974), nicknamed "the Captain", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) caree ...
had during her time in Puerto Rico.
Recording
Carey and Afanasieff had worked together since her
debut album in 1990. Together, they had written some of Carey's biggest hits at the time, including "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
" and "
One Sweet Day
"One Sweet Day" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and American vocal group Boyz II Men. The song was released on , as the second single from the former's fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995) by Columbia Records. The artis ...
."
"My All" would be the last time the two would collaborate, as he is absent from the writing credits in her follow-up album, ''
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...
'' (1999). During the recording of the song, Carey and then-husband
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American businessman, record executive, television producer, theater producer, film producer, investor, and serial entrepreneur. Mottola is the chairman of Mottola Media Group, co-founder of Nter ...
were in the midst of their divorce. Afanasieff, who had developed relationships with the two of them, was caught in the middle. He spoke of the difficulties he had recording "My All" with Carey, as their relationship had already strained during the divorce.
Afanasieff had been employed by Mottola and
, and had worked extensively with Carey in the studio.
In an interview with Fred Bronson, Afanasieff spoke in depth of the personal problems he experienced with Carey in 1997:
I needed to maintain a very strong relationship with Tommy ottola
Ottola is an arrondissement in the Collines department of Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Savalou. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin
...
During that period, the beginning of their end, I had to stay away more than normal from her because she was going through a rough time. She felt that shutting her relationship with Tommy was also a cleansing of who she was. She felt that part of what she was dropping was the shmaltzy pop singer ballad kind of stuff he was adamant about. I had to make my exit and say 'Mariah, you need to redefine yourself, that's fine. I'm here doing what I do and if and when you want to come back and do it again, I'm here.
"My All" was written in Carey's home-studio in upstate New York, and was recorded in Afanasieff's recording studio in San Francisco. After she presented him with the melody she had developed in Puerto Rico, he began playing chords on the piano, while Carey sang the tune and directed him.
After they produced the chorus, Carey wrote the lyrics, while he added a drum groove to the basic melody. According to Afanasieff, "My All" had tapped into both their Latin backgrounds. While she hadn't spent much time with her Venezuelan paternal grandfather, Carey said the music was "definitely subconsciously in me."
On the other hand, Afanasieff was born in Brazil, and had heard Russian and Brazilian music his whole life.
In an interview with Fred Bronson, Afanasieff described the steps they took to record the song:
I remember being in the back part of the studio, and we were sitting there late at night and writing. I was strolling through some sounds and came upon a particular sound from a steel acoustic guitar. I played these really beautiful chord changes that eventually led to 'My All.' She started singing and I started playing, and we came up with the basis for the song. I put a little drum groove down and it was one of the easier songs to write with her.
Composition
"My All" is a slow-tempo
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
, that blends
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music Music genre, genre, originating from African Americans, African-American musicians in the 1980s that combines rhythm and blues with elements of Pop music, pop, Soul music, soul, funk, Hip-hop, ...
beats and
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
guitar and
chord melodies, making subtle use of Latin percussion in the first chorus.
The song is described as having a "lush sound" and featured synthetic guitar
arpeggio
An arpeggio () is a type of Chord (music), chord in which the Musical note, notes that compose a chord are individually sounded in a progressive rising or descending order. Arpeggios on keyboard instruments may be called rolled chords.
Arpe ...
s that were produced in the studio.
"My All" was compared to
Toni Braxton
Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven ...
's music style, described as "slink, slow-jam R&B sounds."
The song is set in signature common time and written in the key of
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative major is B-flat major and its parallel major is G major.
The G natural minor scale is:
Changes n ...
. It features a basic chord progression of Gm-Cm-D7-Gm.
Carey's
vocal range
Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
in the song spans from the low note of B
2 to the high note of F
5, with the piano and guitar pieces range from G3 to G5.
The track was very different than anything Carey had ever recorded, incorporating strong "Latin cultured background."
The instrumentation and vocal arrangement used in the song was compared to
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced 26 number-one R&B hits and
won 13 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 ...
' productions, due to its "soft R&B coos and guitar melodies."
Critical reception
"My All" received acclaim from music critics.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
chose the song as one of the three "track choices" from the album.
Daryl Easlea for
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
said it "encapsulates her more traditional, straight
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
approach with
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
overtones."
Larry Flick
Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the musi ...
from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' praised the song, calling it an "anthemic gem." He also described it as "sparkling with a
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
flavor that's mildly reminiscent of
Toni Braxton
Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven ...
's landmark '
Un-break My Heart
"Un-Break My Heart" is a song by American singer Toni Braxton for her second studio album, '' Secrets'' (1996). The song was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. It was released as the second single from the album on October 7, ...
'."
While reviewing the album, Flick also reviewed the
Morales
Morales is a Spanish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Alfredo Morales (born 1990), American footballer
* Alvaro Morales (disambiguation), several people
* Amado Morales (born 1947), Puerto Rican javelin thrower
* Bartolomé Mo ...
remix, writing "Morales straddles the fence between
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* Buenos Aires Underground, a rapid transit system
* London Underground, a rapid transit system
* ...
aggression and
pop-radio fluff with deceptive ease, crafting a track anchored with a muscular bassline and embellished with vibrant synths. It's 10 minutes of pure
disco
Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...
bliss."
David Browne from ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' praised the song's instrumentation, noting "with its gently plucked guitars, is the best
Babyface
Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
track Babyface never produced."
Another editor, Mark Bautz, felt it stand up as one of "the best pop tunes of the '90s." In 2018, the magazine described it as a "let-the-candles-burn" ballad "put through a slow-burn
flamenco
Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
filter and zhuzhed up with some serious sensuality and
Spanish guitar." A reviewer from ''
The Hartford Courant
The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is advertised as the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven an ...
'' wrote that Carey's voice "flows like molasses, accompanied by a lead guitar in the sexy "My All"." ''
Virginian Pilot
''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Hampton Roads, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virgi ...
'' described the song as Carey's trademark "lush pop ballad" that has been "tailor-made" for movie themes. Richard Harrington from ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' felt it's "another yearning ballad with Babyface-style romantic extremism". At the 2nd
Record Awards, "My All" won the award for Foreign Radio Hit of the Year.
Chart performance
Although "My All" was the fifth single released from ''Butterfly'', it was only the second commercial worldwide release.
The song debuted at number two on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart behind
Next
NeXT, Inc. (later NeXT Computer, Inc. and NeXT Software, Inc.) was an American technology company headquartered in Redwood City, California that specialized in computer workstations for higher education and business markets, and later develope ...
's "
Too Close" with 21 million radio airplay audience impressions and sales of 122,000 units. According to ''Billboard'', the single was "deeply discounted". It eventually became Carey's 13th chart topper in the United States, placing her in fourth place for most number ones in the US.
Also, it gave Carey the honor of having the most number ones for a female artist. It stayed atop the
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
for one week, and was certified double-
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), denoting shipments of over two million units.
"My All" peaked at number four on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, and eighteen on the
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
chart.
It finished number seventeen on the ''Billboard'' end of year chart, and ninety-nine on the end of decade chart.
In Canada, the song entered the
Canadian ''RPM'' Chart at number 89 during the week of May 18, 1998. In its fifth week, the song peaked at number 28, spending 16 weeks in the chart before exiting the week of August 31.
"My All" performed weakly in Australia, peaking at number 39 while spending only two weeks on the
ARIA Top-40.
In Belgium (Wallonia), it peaked at number nine, and spent 14 weeks on the
Ultratop
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created in 1995 on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organiz ...
singles chart.
The song performed well in France, peaking at number six and spending 24 weeks fluctuating in the French singles chart.
"My All" was certified
silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
by the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in ...
(SNEP), denoting shipments of 125,000 units throughout France.
The song performed moderately in Ireland, peaking at number 21, and spending seven weeks on the
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
.
In Norway and Sweden, it peaked at numbers 14 and 15, respectively.
The song charted well in Switzerland, spending 21 weeks in the top-100, and peaking at number seven.
In the United Kingdom, "My All" debuted and peaked at number four on the
UK Singles Chart on June 13, 1998, the highest new entry of the week.
The song spent eight weeks on the singles chart, until the week of August 1, 1998, where it dropped outside the top-100.
Sales in the UK are estimated at 160,000 units.
Remixes and other versions
"My All" features two remixes: the first is a
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music Music genre, genre, originating from African Americans, African-American musicians in the 1980s that combines rhythm and blues with elements of Pop music, pop, Soul music, soul, funk, Hip-hop, ...
version titled, "My All/Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix).
Carey re-recorded her vocals for the song, while building it around a sample from the
Loose Ends song "
Stay a Little While, Child." Carey's vocal interpolation blends the first verse and chorus of "My All" with the verse and chorus of "Stay a Little While, Child."
It was produced by
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...
and features raps from
Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz were an American hip hop duo, composed of rappers Sean "Lord Tariq" Hamilton and Peter "Peter Gunz" Pankey, from The Bronx, New York. They are best known for their 1997 single " Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)", which reached th ...
. The single also features a version without any rap verses. The second remix is a dance version mixed by
David Morales
David Morales (; born August 21, 1961) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer.
David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Mar ...
.
The dance remix is known as the Classic Club Mix; it was Carey's first collaboration with Morales that did not feature entirely new vocals. Consequently, the song is fairly close to the original chord progressions of the album version, though some new vocals were added. The remix was performed live as a medley with the original during many of Carey's live concert tours.
Carey recorded a Spanish version of "My All" titled, "Mi Todo." Unlike with "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
" (1993) and "
Open Arms" (1995), Carey recorded the Spanish version of the song in a different key from the original English version.
The first line of the song had been mistranslated and was grammatically incorrect. Carey later mentioned on her website that she would no longer record Spanish versions of her songs until she could verify the correct lyrics and pronunciation.
"Mi Todo" was remixed as well, however only being released as a promotional single in Mexico.
Music videos
"My All" and the "My All/Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix) featured different music videos. The video for "My All" was shot entirely in black and white in
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
, and was directed by fashion photographer
Herb Ritts
Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952 – December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on b ...
.
The video begins with Carey lying on an overturned vessel on a beach, staring into the night sky, lamenting her estranged lover. As the scenes progress, Carey's love interest is seen atop a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean, searching for his lost companion. Further scenes show Carey laying on a large conch shell, wet and vulnerable.
Soon after, she begins walking on a path of large white flowers, until she reaches the top of the lighthouse where she is rejoined with her lover. After the song's second verse, Carey and the man begin caressing each other, and embracing atop the lighthouse. After they share an intimate moment, Carey is shown walking back on the trail of white flowers, smiling and happy. The scenes of Carey lying in the shell and in front of the flowers were inspired by
Sandro Botticelli
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), better known as Sandro Botticelli ( ; ) or simply known as Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 1 ...
's painting ''
The Birth of Venus
''The Birth of Venus'' ( ) is a painting by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, probably executed in the mid-1480s. It depicts the goddess Venus (mythology), Venus arriving at the shore after her birth, when she had emerged from the sea ful ...
''.
According to author Chris Nickson, the snippets of Carey on the overturned vessel showed her vulnerability without her loved one, truly highlighting the yearning emphasized in the song.
Sony Music Video released "My All" on
VHS
VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s.
Ma ...
on April 21, 1998; it peaked at number six on the US ''Billboard'' Music Video Sales chart and sold 6,000 copies by June of that year according to
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate Data, LLC (formerly MRC Data and P-MRC Data) is a provider of music and entertainment data. Established as a joint-venture in 2020, it brought together Nielsen Music, Alpha Data (formerly BuzzAngle Music) and Variety Business Intellige ...
.
A music video was also filmed for the So So Def remix. Directed by
Diane Martel
Diane Martel (also known as Bucky Chrome and Diamond Martel) is an American music video director and choreographer. As a music video director, she has worked with Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Sting and Jennifer Lopez. One of her ...
, it was shot in a grainy fashion to simulate a home video.
The video features cameo appearances by Dupri, Tariq and Gunz. It begins with scenes of Carey and Dupri at a small in-home gathering, lounging and enjoying each other's company. As the video progresses, the other two featured hip-hop musicians appear at the house, alongside various other guests. They begin to dance to music, while sipping on cocktails by the pool. As the video reaches its climax, scenes of Carey singing in an outdoor garden are shown, while the others join her on the pool deck.
Live performances

"My All" was performed on several live television appearances, as well as most of Carey's tours following the song's release.
Carey first sang "My All" on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on November 15, 1997. The performance featured guitar player.
Later, Carey performed the song at the 1998
World Music Awards
The World Music Awards was an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event was based in Monte Carlo. Awards were presented to the worl ...
, completing both the original and dance remix as a medley. The performance was via-satellite from Carey's tour at the time, which was broadcast onto a large screen. At the
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards was a film awards ceremony, founded by Blockbuster Entertainment, Inc., that ran from 1995 until 2001, and ended with the decision to cancel the 2002 awards following concerns after the September 11 attacks. ...
in 1998, Carey sang the original version of the song, featuring a full orchestra and live backup vocals.
Carey was one of the five featured performers at the
1998 VH1 Divas, where she sang "My All" as well as the dance remix. The song was performed on the British music chart program, ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'', where a live medley of the original and dance versions were performed.
"My All" was performed during Carey's
Butterfly World Tour
The Butterfly World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour promoted Carey's album ''Butterfly'' (1997), and included songs from several of her previous albums. The tour visited Asia, Australia and th ...
in 1998. For the performances in Japan, Carey featured a Latin guitarist and backing vocals. The guitarist was present during the song's recital throughout the entire tour, replacing the orchestra used during her television appearances. For the shows, Carey wore a beige outfit, with varying hairstyles. Neither remix version was performed during the tour.
For her
Rainbow World Tour
The Rainbow World Tour was the fourth concert tour in 2000 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and supports her seventh studio album ''Rainbow'' (1999). The tour started in Europe on February 14, in Antwerp, Belgium, also an itinerary th ...
(2000) Carey performed the original version of the song, once again featuring the orchestra and live female background vocals. 2 years later on December 7, 2002, Carey performed the original version of "My All" in front of a crowd of 50,000 people, at the closing ceremony concert of the
Mexican ''Teletón'', which took place in the country's
Azteca Stadium
Estadio Azteca () (officially known as Estadio Banorte for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium located in Coyoacán, Mexico City. It is the official home of football team Club América, as well as the Mexico national team. The stadium ...
. Since the
Charmbracelet World Tour
The Charmbracelet World Tour was the fifth worldwide concert tour in 2003–2004 by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey in support of her ninth studio album '' Charmbracelet'' (2002). The tour started on June 21, 2003 in Seoul, South Korea, a ...
in 2004, Carey has not performed the full version of the original, substituting it for the dance remix after the second verse. During the shows in the
Adventures of Mimi
The Adventures of Mimi was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was the sixth concert tour of her then-sixteen-year career, and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name, in addition ...
tour, Carey donned a black bikini and matching cape, while featuring one male and two female background singers. On the
Angels Advocate Tour
The Angels Advocate Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. The tour supported her twelfth studio album, '' Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'' (2009). The tour played 23 shows, visiting the United States and Cana ...
(2010), she performed the original and dance remix versions, wearing a red outfit while performing the song seated. Again, the original and dance remix was performed as a medley, featuring the same backup from the previous tour. After completing the song, Carey was whisked away by a shirtless male dancer, and carried off the stage for a costume change, as the back-up continued into the dance version.
Cover versions
On February 25, 2014,
Alisa Kozhikina
Alisa Alekseyevna Kozhikina (, born 22 June 2003) is a Russian singer. In 2014, she became the first person to win '' The Voice Kids Russia''. Later that year she represented Russia at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Malta with her so ...
, the representative of
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
to the
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 was the 12th edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and took place, for the first time, in Malta. This was the third time that the contest was hosted by the winning country. Maltese national broad ...
, won in the Grand Finals of
Golos Deti, the Russian kids' edition of
The Voice, performing a Russian version of the song called "Vsyo".
In 2020, Australian singer Greg Gould recorded a Spanglish version as a duet with Emily Williams for his album 1998.
Carey is credited as a songwriter on
Astrid Sonne's 2024 song "Give my all," which interpolates the lyrics of the earlier Carey track.
Formats and track listings
* US CD single
# "My All" – 3:51
# "Breakdown" – 4:58
* US CD maxi single
# "My All" (Album Version) – 3:51
# "My All" (Classic Club Mix) – 9:06
# "Breakdown" (The Mo Thugs Remix) – 4:58
# "The Roof" (Remix With Mobb Deep) – 5:29
# "Fly Away" (Fly Away Club Mix) – 9:50
* US CD and 12-inch maxi single
# "My All/Stay Awhile" (So So Def Mix With Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz) – 4:33
# "My All/Stay Awhile" (So So Def Mix Without Rap) – 3:46
# "My All" (Morales My Club Mix) – 7:08
# "My All" (Morales Def Club Mix) – 7:16
# "The Roof" (Morales Funky Club Mix) – 8:28
* ''My All'' MC30 EP
# "My All / Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix) – 4:45
# "My All / Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix without Rap) – 3:34
# "My All" (Full Crew Radio Mix) – 3:59
# "My All" (Classic Radio Club Mix) – 4:17
# "My All" (Morales "My" Club Mix) – 7:11
# "My All" (Morales "Def" Club Mix) – 7:17
# "My All" (Morales Classic Club Mix) – 9:15
# "My All" (VH1 Divas Live) – 5:28
* ''Mariah en Español'' MC30 EP
# "Héroe" – 4:17
# "El Amor Que Soñé" – 3:29
# "Mi Todo" – 3:51
# "Mi Todo" (Versión Por Una Noche Más) – 3:25
# "Mi Todo" (Versión Mi Fiesta) – 4:30
# "Mi Todo" (Por Una Noche Más En Los Clubs) – 7:04
# "Mi Todo" (Por Una Noche Más Instrumental) – 3:24
* European 2-track CD single
# "My All" (Album Version) – 3:51
# "My All" (Classic Radio Club Mix) – 4:15
* European CD maxi-single
# "My All" (Album Version) – 3:51
# "My All" (Morales Classic Radio Mix) – 4:21
# "My All" (Morales Classic Club Mix) – 9:06
# "The Roof" (Mobb Deep Edit) featuring
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep was an American Hip-hop, hip hop duo formed in Queens, New York (state), New York in 1990. Consisting of rappers/songwriters/record producers Prodigy (rapper), Prodigy and Havoc (musician), Havoc, they are considered to be among the pr ...
- 4:23
* ''My All / Stay Awhile'' European CD maxi-single
# "My All / Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix) featuring Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz – 4:43
# "My All / Stay Awhile" (So So Def Remix Without Rap) – 3:49
# "My All" (Morales "Def" Club Mix) – 7:16
# "My All" (Full Crew Main Mix) - 4:38
* ''My All / The Roof'' European CD maxi-single
# "My All" (Album Version) – 3:51
# "The Roof" (Album Version) - 5:14
# "My All" (Classic Radio Club Mix) – 4:15
* US 12-inch single
# "My All" (Classic Club Mix) – 9:06
# "The Roof" (Mobb Deep Mix) – 5:29
# "Breakdown" (The Mo'Thugs Remix) – 4:58
# "Fly Away" (Butterfly Reprise) (Fly Away Club Mix) – 9:50
* European 12-inch single
# "My All" (Classic Club Mix) – 9:06
# "My All" (My Club Mix) – 7:08
# "My All" (Album Version) – 3:51
# "My All" (Classic Radio Club Mix) – 4:15
Credits and personnel
Credits and personnel are adapted from the ''Butterfly'' liner notes.
Recording
* Recorded at Crave Studios (New York City), WallyWorld (California) and
The Hit Factory
The Hit Factory is a recording studio in New York City owned and operated by Troy Germano.
History
In 1969, songwriter Jerry Ragavoy opened a recording studio in New York City and named it ''The Hit Factory.'' On March 6, 1975, Edward Germano, ...
(New York City)
* Mixed at Crave Studios (New York City)
* Mastered at Gateway Mastering (
Portland, Maine
Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
)
Management
* Published by
Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Rye Songs (
BMI)/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC and WallyWorld Music
* All rights administered by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing LLC (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is an American music publisher. Responsible for publishing the largest quantity of music, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021, it is part of Sony ...
Personnel
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
See also
*
List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1998
A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
References
Further reading
*
*
{{Authority control
1997 songs
1998 singles
1990s ballads
Mariah Carey songs
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Music videos directed by Diane Martel
Pop ballads
Contemporary R&B ballads
Music videos directed by Herb Ritts
Black-and-white music videos
Songs written by Walter Afanasieff
Songs written by Mariah Carey
Song recordings produced by Walter Afanasieff
Columbia Records singles
Sony Music singles
Torch songs
Latin pop songs
Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical