Someday

“Someday” was released on December 13, 1990, as the third single from Mariah's debut album. “I wrote ‘Someday’ a while ago. It's one of the oldest songs on the album and I wrote it with Ben [Margulies].” Mariah explained in 1990. “He was playing this drum groove and some chords, and we put the song together. I took it home, wrote the lyrics and we had it on the shelf for a long time. It was one of the original songs on the demo that got me my record deal, so I guess it was good luck in a sense."

“That started out as a bass line, sort of a drum-machine, almost hip-hop type groove,” Margulies explained. “It evolved out of an improvisational track with some very strong changes and a very strong harmonic structure. Mariah has an ability to improvise vocally and come up with great melody lines, great hooks. We generally work on a chorus first, but she would sing melody ideas through her verse sections and it came about that way.”

Ric Wake was the producer chosen to work on the song. “I loved that song right from the beginning,” he told Billboard. “Tommy gave me a tape of 12 songs and, at the time, I think someone else was going to to it, it was up in the air. Then Mariah called me up one day and said, ‘I'd love you to do it if you want to do it.’ It was great — I'm glad she called me.”

“Someday” became Mariah's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of March 9, 1991. The song spent two weeks at number one and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on February 12, 1991.

Remixes

The “Someday” remixes, produced by Shep Pettibone, became Mariah's first number-one on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart during the week of March 16, 1991.

Music Video

The music video for “Someday” was filmed in October 1990 at New Jersey's Bayonne High School and directed by Larry Jordan. “Since the song is called ‘Someday,’ I would make it about me as a little girl liking some little boy and him ignoring me and me sort of saying to him ‘Someday, you're gonna be wishing for me!’,” Mariah said about the video. “The director and I, Larry Jordan, sat down and we worked out different scenes. He came up with some things, and I came up with some things, and we shot it in a high school in Bayonne, New Jersey and we had all these young kids between the ages of 6 to 12 dancing in the video, it was so much fun.”

An extended version of the music video, using the 12" Jackswing mix of “Someday” was included on Mariah's first home video release, The First Vision.

Live Performances

Releases

United States

In the United States, the “Someday” CD Maxi Single includes four remixes of the song: New 7" Jackswing, New 7" Straight, New 12" Jackswing and Pianoapercaloopapella; and the song “Alone In Love.” A different set of remixes were included on the Cassette Maxi Single and 12" Vinyl: New 12" House, Pianoapercapella, New 12" Jackswing, New 7" Straight and “Alone In Love.” “Someday” was also released on Cassette Single, including the 7" Jackswing remix of the song as well as “Alone In Love.”

Europe

In Europe, the “Someday” Single, issued on Cassette, 3" CD and 7" Vinyl, includes the 7" Straight and 7" Jackswing remixes of the song. The Maxi Single, issued both on 3" and 5" CD as well as on 12" Vinyl, includes the 12" House, 12" Jackswing and Pianoapercaloopapella remixes.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom saw the release of two “Someday” Maxi Singles on December 24, 1990. CD 1 includes three remixes of the song: 7" Jackswing, 7" Straight and 12" House. CD 2 was issued on a Picture Disc including the 7" Jackswing Mix of “Someday” and three songs from Mariah's debut album: “Vision Of Love,” “Love Takes Time” and “Alone In Love.” The “Someday” Single was issued on Cassette and 7" Vinyl, including the 7" Jackswing Mix of the song and “Alone In Love.” “Someday” was also available on 12" Vinyl, including the 12" House, 12" Jackswing and Pianoapercaloopapella remixes.

Australia

In Australia, “Someday” was available on CD, cassette, 12" and 7" vinyl.

Japan

“Someday” was originally released on January 21, 1991, in Japan. The 3" CD Single includes the song “Alone In Love” as the B-side. An additional Maxi Single became available one month later, on February 21, 1991. The 5" “Dance Special” CD includes four remixes of “Someday” (New 7" Jackswing, New 7" Straight, New 12" Jackswing and Pianoapercapella) and “Alone In Love.”

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Lyrics

Someday

You were so blind to let me go
You had it all but didn't know
No one you'll find will ever be
Closer to all your dreams than me
Believing the grass would be greener
You told yourself “I just don't need her now”
But I know you'll soon discover
You're never satisfied with any other

Someday Oo Someday
One you gave away will be the only one you're wishing for
Someday hey hey
Boy you're gonna pay 'cause baby I'm the one who's keeping score

You'll change your mind and call my name
Soon as you find they're all the same
And when you find yourself alone
Don't come back crying
You should have known
Believe me I'm not pretending
It's not hard to predict
This ending now
'Cause I know you'll soon discover
You're needing me in spite of all the others

Someday Oo Someday
One you gave away will be the only one you're wishing for
Someday hey hey
Boy you're gonna pay 'cause baby I'm the one who's keeping score

Maybe now you just can't conceive
That there'll ever come a time
When you're cold and lonely
Baby, how could you ever believe
That another could replace me
The one and only
But when your down
In your time of need
And you're thinking that you
Might be coming back to own me
Just think again 'cause
I won't need your love anymore!

Someday Oo Someday
One you gave away will be the only one you're wishing for
Someday hey hey
Boy you're gonna pay 'cause baby I'm the one who's keeping score


Written by Mariah Carey, Ben Margulies.
Produced by Ric Wake.