Mariah Carey's version, based on Harry Nilsson's version rather than the Badfinger original, was released as the third single of Music Box in the first quarter of 1994, and in the United States it was released on 24 January 1994, just over a week after Nilsson had died following a heart attack on 15 January 1994. In the U.S. it was promoted as a double A-side with "Never Forget You". Carey said that she decided to cover the song when she heard it in a restaurant (although when performing the song in Tokyo, she said she listened to it when she was a little girl). Her version has been considered very popular on talent shows. "Without You" was later included on some non-U.S. pressings of her compilation album #1's (1998), and her 2001 compilation, Greatest Hits.
David Browne of Entertainment Weekly called it a "by-the-numbers remake of Nilsson's melodramatic 1972 hit." Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone called this song "likeliest contender" for ballads like "I Will Always Love You" and he praised "Carey dips into her lower register and is accompanied by backup singers (including herself) magnified to sound like a mighty gospel chorus."
"Without You" reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top 40 for 21 weeks and on the chart for 23. It reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay and number 3 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales. Both radio airplay and sales were strong, and it was certified gold by the RIAA. It was ranked 16 on the Hot 100 1994 year-end charts.
"Without You" remains Carey's biggest hit across Europe. It became her first UK number 1 single, and still remains her only number 1 there as a solo artist. It debuted at number 1 on the chart and stayed at number 1 for four weeks. It was also her first chart-topper in Italy, but was most successful in Switzerland (with ten non-consecutive weeks at number 1) and the Netherlands (twelve weeks). It also topped the singles chart in Germany for four weeks and Austria for eight weeks, where Carey's success had previously been limited. It also topped the Swedish Singles Chart for eight weeks, was number 1 in Ireland for five weeks and in New Zealand for one week. It was able to make the top three in Canada, France, Norway and Australia. It was certified platinum in Australia by ARIA and in Germany and Austria by IFPI. It was also certified gold in New Zealand by RIANZ and in France by SNEP.
The song is one of only two Carey singles certified Gold in the UK with sales of 445,000.
Badfinger Without You (original)
Harry Nilsson Without You
Without You
Mariah Carey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
No, I can't forget tomorrow
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it's only fair that I should let you know
What you should know
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't give
I can't give anymore
Well, I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
(No, can't live)
(No, I can't live)
No, no, no, no, I can't live
(No, can't live)
If living is without you (no, I can't live)
I can't live
I can't give anymore
Can't live (no, can't live)
(No, I can't live)
The lyrics to Mariah Carey's song "Without You" speak of the heart-wrenching pain that comes from losing a loved one. The singer is lamenting over the fact that she had someone in her life who brought her so much joy, but she let them go, and now she's left with a profound sense of sadness and loss. The haunting melody and lyrics express the deep emotion of knowing that life will never be the same without that special person.
The opening lines state that she cannot forget the evening when the person left her life. The memory of their face leaving is etched in her mind, and it's a painful reminder of how things ended. She acknowledges that this is just the way the story goes, meaning that sometimes things don't work out, and we have to accept that.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I can't live if living is without you" three times, emphasizing the depth of her feelings. She feels that her life is incomplete without this person, and she cannot give or do anything without them. The final lines of the song signify that this emptiness she feels is consuming her entirely, and she can't go back to the way things were before.
Line by Line Meaning
No, I can't forget this evening
I am unable to erase the memory of this particular night
Or your face as you were leaving
Especially not the image of your face as you departed
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
However, I understand that this is just the natural course of events
You always smile, but in your eyes
Even though you put on a brave face, I can see the sorrow in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
It is evidently clear how much pain you are hiding
No, I can't forget tomorrow
I am also unable to forget the coming days
When I think of all my sorrow
The remembrance of all the pain that is yet to come just adds to the already unbearable misery
When I had you there but then I let you go
It's hard to bear the guilt of letting go of the most important person in my life
And now it's only fair that I should let you know
I acknowledge that it's not right to keep this to myself and you deserve to know the truth
What you should know
I need to tell you that I can't live without you
I can't live
My existence is impossible
If living is without you
unless you are by my side
I can't give anymore
I am unable to offer anything further
No, no, no, no, I can't live
I can't stress enough that living without you is out of the question
(No, can't live)
(No, I can't live)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Peter William Ham, Thomas Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@quiellsillva2767
No, I can't forget this evening
And your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
No, I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there, but then I let you go
And now it's only fair that I should let you know
What you should know
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live if living is without you
I can't give, I can't give anymore
Well I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
(Oh! I can't live)
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
@Ozymandias-
A message to the future generations. Don't let this song die.
@solfalcon3044
Beautiful interpretation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns3fJAP4bck
@dungdoan9987
YES! So far, nobody else can sing like she does, NO.
@derekewart5017
I saw MJ live on the Dangerous Tour, I tried to get tickets for Mariah the following year but failed. Wish I'd got to see her too 😭
@gencliktrajedisi301
NEVER
@swapnapais8379
You are right you never realise what you had but only after you have lost the person ..
@popland1977
When she was at her best she was genuinely one of the best. A gold standard in singing. A true singer's singer
@bestlagudjdave.m6045
The good song ..
@alevtinasolonikova5690
Pop Land ii
@sandrooliveira3101
Opp