Mariah wrote the song “Petals” with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Big Jim for her 1999 studio album, Rainbow. “I can't say exactly what it means because it's very personal,” Mariah told Blues & Soul in 1999. “The reason I called it ‘Petals’ is because it's about relationships that are now static and I don't think I could ever really pull them back in. It's also about parts of my life that are now gone. ‘Petals’ is the last song I recorded for the album. The bridge addresses my anger about those people who saw me in a really bad state but just let it go. These are the people who are supposed to be close to me but they were afraid to say anything. There are people that I want to say certain things to and I hope they hear it and get it on a lot of levels.”
I've often wondered if there's
Ever been a perfect family
I've always longed for undividedness
And sought stability
A flower taught me how to pray
But as I grew, that flower changed
She started failing in the wind
Like golden petals scattering
And I miss you dandelion
And even love you
And I wish there was a way
For me to trust you
But it hurts me every time I try to touch you
But I miss you dandelion
And even love you
I gravitated towards a patriarch
So young predictably
I was resigned to spend my life
With a maze of misery
A boy and a girl befriended me
We're bonded through despondency
I stayed so long but finally
I fled to save my sanity
And I miss you little sis and
Little brother
And I hope you realize
I'll always love you
And although you're struggling
You will recover
And I miss you little sis and
Little brother
So many I considered
Closest to me
Turned on a dime and sold me
Out dutifully
Although that knife was chipping
Away at me
They turned their eyes away and
Went home to sleep…
And I missed a lot of life
But I'll recover
Though I know you really like
To see me suffer
Still I wish that you and I'd
Forgive each other
'Cause I miss you, Valentine
And really loved you
I really loved you —
I tried so hard
But you drove me away
To preserve my sanity —
And I found the strength
To break away
Fly…
Written by Mariah Carey, James Harris III, Terry Lewis, James Wright.
Produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Mariah Carey.
