THE YEAR IS 1995!
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Musically, “Fantasy” is based on “Genius Of Love” a 1981 track by the Tom Tom Club. At one point, Carey even recites some of the same lyrics:
I’m in heaven
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend
There’s no beginning and there is no end“Genius Of Love” was popular in dance clubs but wasn’t a huge hit, peaking at #31 in America. This made it a great song to sample, as most listeners weren’t familiar with it and the groove is inescapable. Carey added lyrics about a guy who is so wonderful, being with him feels like a fantasy.
- “Fantasy” was Carey’s ninth #1 hit in the US. It was also only the second single to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The first was “You Are Not Alone” by Michael Jackson.
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This song is central to the plot of the 2021 movie Free Guy. When Ryan Reynolds’ character hears his “fantasy” girl playing the song, he breaks free from his routine and sets out on a path of discovery. The song appears a few different times in the film, including under the end credits. At one point, a cover version sung by Jodie Comer, who plays Reynolds’ virtual love interest, is used.
According to Shawn Levy, who directed the film, it was Reynolds’ idea to use the song. Reynolds, who is also a producer on the film, is a big Mariah Carey fan and an acquaintance of the singer. When she screened a rough cut of the film, she gave her enthusiastic approval to use the song.
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Her first album was released in 1990. By the end of the decade, she had 14 #1 hits and her seven albums had sold a staggering 46 million just in America, making her the best-selling female singer of the ’90s.
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