The Queen Returns For Her Most Gripping Work Yet!

My Life (1994)

1. Intro

Dialing once again as a then young Puffy calls Mary, only this time, she actually picks up! Puffy is just hyped about Mary's album while she seems rather distressed...hmmmm....as we lead into...

2. "Mary Jane (All Night Long)"

Beautifully combining samples of Mary Jane's "All Night Long", Rick James' "Mary Jane" and Tendy Pendergrass' "Close The Door", "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" is a sweet, sultry rendition with a beat you can't help but bounce to. I love how classy Mary keeps this song as the lyrics are more suggestive than sexually explicit. It's a clever amalgamation of samples and Mary's oh so stylishly soulful vocals. It's honestly one of my favorite songs from her discography as she mixes old school grooves with her already signature hip hop brassiness. A unbelievably stunning track that unfortunately under performed as a single which is a shame because I sure with the right music video would have been ATLEAST a moderate hit!

(A+)

3. "You Bring Me Joy"

In this infectious R&B/hip hop track, "You Bring Me Joy" will do the same as Mary's man has to her! It's such an excellently produced track with bouncy beat that is infused with a triumphant played with such precision. The message of the song is undeniably happy and you can't help but sing a long to the brisk, beautiful groove of the song. Another standout for sure from the album and one I definitely will be going back to! ;)

(A)

4. Marvin Interlude

A smooth and soulful break between Mary as Mary sings contently sings about only wanting to be with the man she loves as we lead into...

5. "I'm the Only Woman"

WOW!! I really love this track! From it's slick groove to Mary's painful vocals as she sings about an estranged relationship she is between her and her former lover as she begs him to reconsider he's choices in other women as she reminds him that she is the only one for him. I love Mary's vulnerability on this track as you can tell she is drawing from real life from her tumultuous relationship with K-Chi Hailey at the time. It feels so raw, riveting and real as Mary contemplates and wonders if he'll truly be happy without her!! Not to mention I just can't get that melancholy melody out of my head and those stunning background vocals that Mary so well sings. This is another standout on the album and we're only what? 3 songs in!! Love it! 

(A+) 

6. K. Murray Interlude

We hear samples of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya?" as someone pulls in and stops (Keith Murray I guess by the interlude's title as we go to the next track....)

7. "My Life"

In this sorrowful, autobiographical title track, Mary sings with yet again vulnerability but a strong sense of strength she has been imbued with as well as she sings "If you looked at my life/And seen what I've seen". This song is a tragic yet hopeful tale of how surreal not only Mary's life at the time was but life in general is. It's painful, brutal and relentless but you can preserve depending on the ideal and mentality that you have. It's shocking considering the then 23 year old speaks with a wisdom and knowledge that feels authentic and relatable. Wow! Another stunning track!! I'm just SOO floored by this album so far! O_O

(A+)

8. "You Gotta Believe"

Ooooo, this is some good R&B here!!! From the sweet, smooth crisp beat to the heartfelt lyrics, I love the entire production that the song has. Mary is almost at a state of desperation as she sings with her heart and soul that she deserves the love and trust of the man in her life. It's such a beautiful song as Mary's vocals alone have such a raw, saddening delivery that really capture what the track is going for. Whoever produced this album really deserves credit as well as the production effortlessly elevates Mary's vocal performance!

(A)

9. "I Never Wanna Live Without You"

Clocking in at a little over 6 minutes, Mary sings about the joys of love and how irresistible it can be. And while some of the lyrics can be a bit cheesy with Mary even singing at one point that she wants to "wish upon a star", the overall production is sickeningly smooth and Mary's voice carries the song with a solid confidence that you would expect from her. I can see this is the kind of song you cuddle up next to your bae near a fire and just see where things go that cold night. It's a very enjoyable track, although it could have been trimmed to be a little shorter. lol

(B+)

10. "I'm Going Down"

Channeling the days of classic soul, Mary's covers this vintage single with vigor and vocal veracity that is just so wonderful to hear. This isn't just another well done rendition, Mary uses her own internal struggle to charge through this song with a sensational sweetness yet blissful sorrow as she urges the man she loves that her world hasn't be the same without him. Once again, another profound and powerful track!

(A+) 

11. My Life Interlude

Mary sings her heart out during this interlude, reminding listeners she is still in pain but thankful and is blessed....

12. "Be With You"

This is a pretty nice track but there is nothing too special about it as Mary continues to want be with the man of her desire. This has a classic 90s R&B production to it and it all sounds well crafted but I'm just not blown away by this track like the previous ones so far. But like I said, Mary can do no wrong vocally (well...so far at least! lol) It's definitely an enjoyable track but just not one that stands out among an album of ridiculously strong tracks.

(B)

13. "Mary's Joint"

Mmmmm, I love the smoothness of this track!! 90s R&B just had this almost hypnotic trance it would put you in that just can't stop you from bobbing your head and this is one of it's highlights. I just just love listening to Mary's silky vocal delivery riding the beat as she sings about her man and the reasons he is so special to her. I also love, LOVE the background harmonies so much. Very solid track!

(B)

14. "Don't Go"

Mary is in a state of begging and pleading to her man not to go and how could you resist her soulful inflections of "Baby don't go/I love you so"s??? The production is strong, with a chant of Baby Don't Go being repeated in the background as Mary roars and growls out her vocals more here than ever before. While some might find that irritating, I enjoy this more aggressive vocal performance as she doesn't overdo it. As Mary's heart has been stolen, you can't help but sing along.

(B+)

15. "I Love You"

Sampling Isaac Hayes' "Ike Wood" and DJ Hollywood's "Hollywood's World", "I Love You" feels like a run of the mill track that is pretty average to me. The samples work fine, Mary sounds fine, the production is overall...fine....but I don't just doesn't stick out to me as standout and just kinds of fades away toward the end of the track.

(C+)

16. "No One Else"

Now this has a nice hard hitting beat I can bob to and Mary sings this with a better urgency than the last song. Mary sings of a man who can't give her that loving like he does. I enjoy this track immensely for that but I'm just really looking forward to the next track....

(B+)

17. "Be Happy"

Ending this stellar album is Mary's personal and painful outcry to find inner joy and serenity before she can ever fall in love. I love the rich R&B beat mixed with Mary's stunning vocal delivery as this could be one of, if not my favorite song by her. It truly shines as the best track on the album as the best is left for last! The song is a reminder of Mary's perseverance over her inner struggles and the immense reflection she has endured because of it.It's the kind of song that will make cry tears of joy and put a smile on your face hoping you will find that inner bliss you so desperately want!

(A+)

18. (You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman *Bonus Track*

On this extended version of this classic album, Mary once again puts her spin on old classic, this time Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Feel Like a) Natural Woman and it's another fitting end to the album. Nothing much else to say as Mary does the song justice!

(B+)

How does one Queen of Hip Hop Soul follow up a promising debut like "What's The 411?" Well she looks inward by trailing a path of pain, heartache and sorrow with an album simply called "My Life". No better title could be more appropriate for an album as once again (I need to stop saying that) Mary uses her brass knuckles attitude, gifted soulful vocals and streetwise mentality with Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' MUCH improved production using various old school samples to enrich Mary's personal pleas of sexual and affectionate acceptance. Add in her issues with drugs and alcohol at the time, and you truly have one of the best R&B albums of all time. An album finding once again moderate success doesn't matter, as "My Life" solidified Mary's place in pop culture with an album that has more than stood the test the time. It's the kind of album you can just pick up and let the feels come out. Songs like "My Life" will have you in tears of sadness while songs like "Be Happy" with give you hope despite feeling hopeless prior to listening to it. I can't praise this album as Mary and Puffy really made an exceptional team back then. It's a shame they had a falling out after the album's release and went on to make copycat artists like Faith Evans (let's be real! -_-) But I want to praise Mary even more for being so unapologetic about how real she got on this album which is what great artists aren't afraid to do. To do this so early in her career shows she was willing to be at her most vulnerable to show people how strong of a singer she was as well as artist.

"Dealing with a string of personal issues from alcoholism, drugs and a tumultuous relationship with singer K-Chi Hailey, Mary channeled her woes and frustration into probably her finest work yet with "My Life", an autobiographical journey through pain, problems and powerful reflection of a very young woman trying so desperately to love herself and find love despite the ongoing agonizing struggles of life itself."

(A+)