Joshua Finkelstein | Perth, Western Australia Australia | 10/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"1. (Album Version) (3:55) - I used to be IN LOVE with this song. It was a hit for Brenda K. Starr a while ago. It is a nice soft ballad with a slow fade-out at the end. Mariah's vocals are fantastic and the ache in her voice seems so real! A really beautiful ballad but not in the league of 'My All', 'Love Takes Time', 'Thank God I Found You' etc. However, it did get to #4 on Billboard Hot 100 Singles charts!2. (Stevie J. Clean Remix) (5:03) - Mariah has changed the lyrics to this so the vocals are different. It also features raps from Mocha & Amil. This is a great r 'n' b/hip-hop remix. It's a soft "clean" sort-of song. Mariah doesn't sing too much of it and there's more rap on this track than normal for her but altogether great if you like this sort-of stuff.3. (Morales' Classic Club Mix) (9:04) - This is your typical Mariah/Morales club mix. It's got Mariah's great vocals over Morales' great clubbed up backing. What could go wrong? A lot could! A lot has gone wrong in some of the OTHER Mariah/Morales collaborations but not this one. However, a shorter version of this is available on the Australian 'I Still Believe' single under the name of 'Morales Dance Mix Edit' which is 3:51, chopping off a massive 5 minutes and 11 seconds! But you'll probably find it extremely hard to find this so unless you already have the shorter version, chances are you won't be able to get the shorter version. You WILL be able to get the longer version: on this single.4. I Still Believe/Pure Imagination (Damizza Reemix) (4:32) - Another r'n' b/hip-hop remix in the same vein as the Stevie J. Clean remix of this same song and the Make It Last remix of Thank God I Found You. This also features raps, this time by Da Brat & Krayzie Bone. You may think you recognise these names: you're right! Krayzie Bone rapped on 'Breakdown' and Da Brat rapped on the Mr Dupri Mix of 'Always Be My Baby', the So So Def Mix of 'Honey' and the Remix of 'Heartbreaker'. She is also starring along-side Mariah in the upcoming movie "All That Glitters". Anyway, back to the song, this is a really great remix with, like the 2nd track, the lyrics are changed, the vocals resung and the raps taking up a bigger part of the song than normal with Mariah. Still a great remix unless you don't like rap/r 'n' b/hip-hop.5. (The Kings Mix) (8:04) - You might be thinking, wait a minute, this track isn't listed on Amazon. Well, you're right: it's not LISTED but it is on the single. Another remix done by David Morales. A really wicked up-tempo club mix with one problem. Where did the lyrics go? No, it's not an instrumental and it's got more singing than most dubs: it's not the vocals that are missing but the lyrics. I know I'm not making any sense so I'll try again: She doesn't actually single the chorus and verses etc. Rather, she sings 'Oh, I, I still believe, in you and me, I have a dream, baby, oh, oh, I still believe, yes I do!" and on like that. If you don't like this type of thing, maybe this remix isn't for you but normally I don't like this stuff but in this case, I do! For those of you with the Eve of Souls Mix of 'I Still Believe', listen up: The music on this track is completely different but the vocals are the same (except there is more of them on The Kings Mix than there is on the Eve of Souls Mix).Overall, well worth the money!"
Beautiful Song + Great Mixes
Westley | Stuck in my head | 08/16/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Mariah Carey paid tribute to her mentor, Brenda K. Starr, by covering her biggest hit - "I Still Believe," which went to #13 on the Top 100 in 1988. Mariah's cover was included on her #1's CD and released as a single - peaking at #4 on the Top 100 in 1999 and certified for platinum sales. The album version is a beautiful ballad about believing that a relationship can be rekindled. In addition, four remixes are included.
The Stevie J. Clean Remix makes terrific use of Amil's mechanistic rapping and adds chirping bird effects. This remix is still essentially a ballad, although it's has a more up-tempo R&B sound. Of course, a Mariah Carey remix single wouldn't be complete without a Classic Club Mix by David Morales. He has incredible talent for molding ballads into dance floor burners, and he doesn't disappoint with this remix that clocks in at over nine minutes.
Damizza Reemix featuring Krayzie Bone and Da Brat incorporates elements of the classic "Pure Imagination" from the 1971 movie "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." Merging these two songs is pure brilliance, and they sound seamless together. Furthermore, Krazyie Bone from Bone thugs-n-harmony is the perfect accompaniment. The Kings Mix (which is not included on the track listing here for some reason) clocks in at over eight minutes with wailing vocals and female background singers; it's the weakest track here. Overall, this CD with its remixes is one of Mariah's best - highly recommended.
"
Hot HOT!!
MCFanfrom1995 | North Carolina, USA | 10/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I love this song. It's a remake of Brenda K. Star's song. This is one of my favorite singles ever. MC's voice is great. As always! The remixes are some of the best ever. Guest stars do their thang!! Here's the breakdown:
1) Album Version-5/5-MC is WONDERFUL through this whole song. Her voice never lets you down. Of course, when has it? I love this, should have been #1!!
2) Stevie J. Clean Remix-Featuring Mocha & Amil-5/5-This is an AWSOME remix, great beat and great guest rap artist. I can't stop listening to this remix, one of the best ever, Top 5 of all time!! I normally think remixes take away from the original; however, this is better than the original.
3) Morales' Classic Club Mix-5/5-Never been a fan of club remixes, but this one is great! I love this remix! Great to dance to at home, a party, or at a club!
I Still Believe/Pure Imagination---
4) Damizza Reemix (no that's not a type-o, like that on the back of the CD?) Featuring Krayzie Bone & Da Brat-5/5- This is such a great remix! I have never liked many of Da Brat's songs, but her rap on here is a stand out, I wish MC didn't edit it. I love MC's backing vocals as Brat raps. Such a great song, this should have been a remix-single...#1 I'm telling ya!! LOL! Better than the original!!
5) The Kings Mix-5/5-I love this !! MC's voice sounds somewhat different, I can't explain it, kind of horse, but still sounds awesome as normal. GREAT remix!! You gotta bob ya head!!
OVERALL-SUPER!!! Get this single NOW!!!! Great remixes, beats, pictures of MC, and you WILL LOVE IT!!!! I never leave home without it! This song made it to #4 on Billboard Hot 100, should have been #1!!
"
The most creative maxi-single I've ever heard.
Deep83 | Ca United States | 04/06/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A maxi single is usually just really long dance remixes of a song, which can get kind of boring. I've always admired Marah's take on them, though. These are not just remixes, these are total REINTERPRETATIONS. Every track on this CD sounds completely different. This is definitely one of her best singles, too bad all of them are out of print. I highly recommend that you buy it used, that's how I got it."
One of the best maxi-singles ever.
tyler | 01/31/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is why I love Mariah Carey. Only she puts this much effort into her remixes and singles. All five tracks in ths CD contain different vocal tracks, which means she recorded this song five times!! She knows how to make great hip-hop and dance remixes, and this is why I'm suck a huge fan.
1) I STLL BELIEVE (ALBUM VERSION) - This is a nice ballad cover of Brenda K Starr's orginal. It's basically a typical pop ballad. Her voice doesn' soun as strong as it usually does, but it fits because she sounds more vulnerable, which we don't hear very often.
2) I STILL BELIEVE (STEVIE J. CLEAN REMIX FEATURING MOCHA & AMIL) - This is ok, but it sounds more like a shocase for Amil and Mocha than for Mariah. She sings in a nie soft voice, and the lyrics are basically the same as the original, but with a completely new melody. The mid-tempo beat is not bad but it sounds very late-90's. This is a good remix, but not one that Mariah is remembered for. I this is one of the only CD's where you can find it though.
3) I STILL BELIEVE (MORALE'S CLASSIC CLUB MIX) - I fellin love wih the radio edit version of this one, because that's the version that was played on my radio station when this song came out in early 1999. I love the music, and in my opinion, this sounds better than the ballad version. Although the vocals do soun like they are the same as the original, you can tell at some parts that they are in fact, re-recorded. Also, the extra vocals at te end of the song, are beautiful. Mariah and David Morales makes amazing remixes together, and it this mix showcases that. This is my favorite mix of ISB.
4. I STILL BELIEVE/PURE IMAGINATION (DAMIZZA REEMIX FEATURING KRAYZIE BONE & DA BRAT) - Only Mariah Carey could take a song from "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory", use it one of her songs and make it work! This remix is so smooth because Krayzie Bone and Mariah's voices sound fantastic together. It's a very relaxing sound. This remix over-shadowed the original version, and became a hit of it's own.
5. I STILL BELIEVE (THE KINGS MIX) - David Morales also did this mix, but it sounds completely different than track 3. It takes the song to a comletely different level, because there are not many vocals in this one at all, it has a lot of adlibs from Mariah in it. It' tailor made for the dane clubs. The siren noises sound really cool, and they fit the fast, driving beat.
Overall, this is a fantastic maxi-single. All the tracks are different, so you are really getting your money's worth. Im not surprised that this was a huge sales hit, hitting #4 on the Hot 100, because it's a very well-packaged single (as are all her other ones).