“Vision Of Love” was released as Mariah's debut single on May 15, 1990. “I wrote ‘Vision Of Love’ right after I signed my record deal with Columbia. It's a celebration of how I was feeling at the time and it's a very personal song,” Mariah said in 1991. “It's not really just a love song, it's about feeling good. I was at a very big turning point in my life at the time, so it's kind of about everything going on for me. I really didn't think that ‘Vision Of Love’ was going to be a big Pop hit because it wasn't like everything that was going on at the time — it wasn't a Dance record, it wasn't a Rap song, it wasn't Heavy Metal. It really didn't fit any particular format to me, and I was pleasantly surprise that it caught on the way it did. It makes me feel great because it's one of my favorite songs I've written.”
The song, written by Mariah and Ben Margulies, was produced by Rhett Lawrence, with additional production by Narada Michael Walden. “They described her as a girl who was 18 and had the most incredible voice you've ever heard,” Lawrence said. “I literally got goosebumps on my arms when I heard her sing. I couldn't believe the power and maturity in her voice.”
After debuting at number seventy-three on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of June 2, 1990, “Vision Of Love” became Mariah's first number-one single on its tenth week, spending four consecutive weeks atop the chart. “Vision Of Love” won the Grammy award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, the Soul Train Music Award for Best Female R&B/Soul Single, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 9, 2019.
“Vision Of Love” also enjoyed international success, topping the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and becoming Mariah's first Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number nine during the week of September 15, 1990. In Australia, “Vision Of Love” spent four consecutive weeks in the Top 10, peaking at number nine, and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
Director Andy Morahan, who had previously directed George Michael's “Faith,” was chosen to direct the “Vision Of Love” music video. “We decided that we would concentrate on her performance along with a very impressionistic view of her alone in a spacious New York penthouse apartment, overlooking the Manhattan skyline at night,” Morahan explained in 2020. “So it had an epic, cinematic scale.” The label, however, wasn't happy with the final product and the video was never released.
The “Vision Of Love” music video was filmed in June 1990. Jeb Brien was chosen as the director, with Bojan Bazelli serving as director of photography.
In the United States, “Vision Of Love” was released on Cassette, including excerpts of three songs from Mariah's debut album (“Prisoner,” “All In You Mind” and “Someday”) as the B-side.
In Europe, the “Vision Of Love” Single was released on 3" CD and 7" Vinyl including the debut album medley. The Maxi Single — released on 3" CD and 12" Vinyl — also includes the song “Sent From Up Above.”
Released on July 23, 1990, on Cassette and 7" Vinyl the UK Single includes “Vision Of Love” and “Sent From Up Above.” The Maxi Single, which adds the medley of “Prisoner,” “All In You Mind” and “Someday,” was released on CD and 12" Vinyl.
The “Vision Of Love” Single was released on July 2, 1990, in Australia. It was available on CD, 7" Vinyl and Cassette, including the debut album medley with excerpts from “Prisoner,” “All In You Mind” and “Someday.”
“Vision Of Love” was issued on 3" CD in Japan on August 22, 1990, including the debut album medley as the bonus track.
Treated me kind
Sweet destiny
Carried me through desperation
To the one that was waiting for me
It took so long
Still I believed
Somehow the one that I needed
Would find me eventually
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given to me
Prayed through the nights
Felt so alone
Suffered from alienation
Carried the weight on my own
Had to be strong
So I believed
And now I know I've succeeded
In finding the place I conceived
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given to me
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given me
I've realized a dream
And I visualized
The love that came to be
Feel so alive
I'm so thankful that I've received
The answer that heaven has sent down to me
You treated me kind
Sweet destiny
And I'll be eternally grateful
Holding you so close to me
Prayed through the nights
So faithfully
Knowing the one that I needed
Would find me eventually
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given to me
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you turned out to be
Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Rhett Lawrence. Additional production: Narada Michael Walden.
