"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It is a cover of the original song written and recorded by Phil Collins. Carey co-produced the song with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for her seventh studio album Rainbow (1999). It was released on 29 May 2000 as the fifth and final single from the album, by Columbia Records. It was her final single release with Sony Music, until the release of "Infinity" in 2015.
Although the song was promoted as part of Rainbow in the United States, it was not released as a commercial or a radio single there. The song peaked at number two in Norway, while reaching the top 20 in numerous European countries. The music video for Carey's version of the song, directed by Paul Misbehoven, consists of a montage of clips of Carey singing the song from her various Rainbow World Tour stops. Another version of the song, with Irish boy band Westlife, was also released, and reached number one on the UK chart.
Contents
Critical reception
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" received positive reviews. Danyel Smith of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Listeners with an eye on the tabloids could read her close, ringing interpretation of Phil Collins' 1984 hit, 'Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)', as a postmortem on her bittersweet affair with Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter and a poignant evocation of the couple's shared mixed-race heritage ('You're the only one who really knew me at all')." Los Angeles Times' Elysa Gardner called this cover "surprisingly faithful, forthright" and "she resists her tendency to over-embellish notes and focuses on what really matters: the melody and lyrics".
MTV Asia editor Dara Cook wrote: "Mariah festoons herself in Phil Collins' 1980s melodic garb, appropriately pret a porter with overwrought emotion. She delicately ascends the sparely accompanied first verses—but alas, that damn drum roll soon sounds and the bouffant strings and vocal gymnastics ensue." Rolling Stone's Arion Berger was not happy with the cover selection which he called a "drippy Eighties power-pop hit".
Westlife duet version
Carey later released a duet version of the song, simply titled "Against All Odds", featuring newly recorded vocals by Irish boy band Westlife. The song was released as the first single from the band's second album, Coast to Coast (2000). The song was released on September 15, 2000. Carey's vocals from the solo version were retained for the duet, though a new instrumental track was produced by Carey and Steve Mac, featuring a more organic sound with violins. The music video shows Carey and Westlife recording the song and exploring the island of Capri by boat.
The single debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, selling 112,000 copies. It remained at number one in its second week, selling a further 78,500 copies. The song became Carey's second to top the UK Singles Chart and Westlife's sixth consecutive number one. As of November 2021, the song has sold 507,000 copies in the country. It is Westlife's sixth biggest selling single (paid-for sales and combined sales categories) of all-time and their fifteenth most streamed single in the United Kingdom.
The song also spent two weeks at number one in Scotland and three in Ireland. It peaked at number three on the continental chart, European Hot 100 Singles. Its chart success in European countries led to its inclusion on the international editions of Carey's compilation albums Greatest Hits (2001) and #1 to Infinity (2015).
Track listings
Mariah Carey version:
12" single
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Pound Boys main mix) – 9:09
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Pound Boys radio edit) – 3:37
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Pound Boys deep dub) – 8:12
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Pound Boys dub) – 6:56
CD single
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" – 3:25
"Crybaby" – 5:19
"Thank God I Found You" (Stargate radio edit) – 4:21
"Can't Take That Away" (Morales club mix edit) – 3:57
Mariah Carey featuring Westlife version:
UK CD single 1
"Against All Odds" – 3:21
"Against All Odds" (Pound Boys main mix) – 9:09
"Against All Odds" (Mariah only version) – 3:21
"Westlife Interview" (CD extra video version)
UK CD single 2
"Against All Odds" – 3:21
"Against All Odds" (Westlife only version) – 3:21
Certifications and sales
Westlife remix