George Michael vs. Mariah Carey | Head 2 Head 🗣️

On the 5th edition of Head 2 Head, George Michael and Mariah Carey duke it over Michael’s classic, “One More Try.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing and contrasting their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  For our 5th head-to-head, the source material is 🎙 George Michael, specifically the song, 🎵 “One More Try” from his Grammy-winning, multiplatinum masterpiece, 💿 Faith. The two artists going head-to-head are Michael and 🎙 Mariah Carey. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. George Michael, “One More Try”

💿 Faith • 🏷 Sony • 📅 1987

“‘Cause teacher / There are things that I don’t want to learn / And the last one I had / Made me cry.” Woo! The timeless “One More Try” was a no. 1 from 💿 Faith.  DUH, of course it was – it’s da bomb! Faith, of course, was the biggest album of George Michaels’ career and scored the highly coveted Grammy for Album of the Year.  If you’ve never partaken of Faith, you definitely should – it’s a superb pop album.  But let’s stay focused on “One More Try,” shall we?

This ballad definitely plays to Michaels’ strengths, allowing him to flaunt his gorgeous tone.  Honestly, Michael possessed a one-of-a-kind voice that shines like a diamond here. As far as the production, it definitely sounds idiomatic of the 1980s.  While this electric keyboard fueled number isn’t incredibly flashy, it feels totally right.  This is the perfect canvas for Michael to paint upon vocally.

It is, of course, Michaels’ 🎼✍ songwriting and his vocal performance that steal the show.  This is a prime example of something that is rarer these days – a pop artist writing a song solely alone.  The result, of course, is a truly authentic song that benefits from simplicity and sheer artistry.  The chorus, of course, is the centerpiece, and it’s “mm, mm, good!”  The subject? Love and heartbreak!

“And teacher
There are things that I still have to learn
But the one thing I have is my pride
Oh, so I don’t want to learn to
Hold you, touch you
Think that you’re mine
Because there ain’t no joy
For an uptown boy
Who just isn’t willin’ to try.” 

2. Mariah Carey, “One More Try”

💿 Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2014

It takes a juggernaut to follow a juggernaut, and 🎙 Mariah Carey is a juggernaut.  The 🏆 Grammy winning singer has recorded numerous covers – this ain’t her first rodeo.  Overall, ‘The Elusive Chanteuse’ does this “One More Try” justice, wowing as always with her expressive tone.  She never over sings, but does ‘power up’ towards the end, which is fitting.  Also, got to shout out that angelic upper register, which she facilitates with incredible ease.

While Carey mostly plays true to the original, there are some changes that work quite well on the version gracing 💿 Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse.  Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of background vocals. The overall vocal arrangement definitely shines; those harmonies are pretty sweet and help to fill out the production. Also, expectedly, Carey, 🎛 Jermaine Dupri, and 🎛 Bryan-Michael Cox freshen up the sound, making it more 2010s than 1980s.  Still, ultimately, those tweaks are subtle and don’t dare affect the sanctity of the original.

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

George Michael or Mariah Carey?  While I gave Carey a draw in her battle with Harry Nilsson covering Badfinger’s “Without You”,  she won’t be winning this one! Michael’s original remains king.  Even when Carey covers it, she does little to alter the original.  Why? Because it doesn’t need to be altered – it’s classic to the nth degree.

George Michael vs. Mariah Carey: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 5 [📷: Brent Faulkner, Def Jam, The Musical Hype, Sony, Valentin Tikhonov from Pixabay]