Mariah wrote “Fly Like A Bird” with James “Big Jim” Wright for her 2005 album, The Emancipation Of Mimi. “It's very different from most of the album because it's an inspirational song. It kind of talks about what's going on in the world as well,” Mariah said in 2005. “I loved performing that song in the studio because I was very inspired by the lyrics and by the spiritual content of the song. So that's one of my favorites on the album.”
“Fly Like A Bird” was announced as a radio single with a radio-impact date of April 3, 2006. There were also plans for a music video that would be filmed in New York in late March. “We don't have a lot of time to do it,” Mariah told MTV. “It's not a big-budget thing. But it doesn't need to be. It just needs to be about the song, capturing the song and the emotion of it.” The plans were eventually cancelled and the song was never officially released.
Producers Tracy Young, Maurice Joshua and David Harness were commissioned to remix the song, but the remixes remain unreleased.
| Song | Remix | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| Fly Like A Bird | Tracy's Needin' You Remix
Produced by Tracy Young. |
8:35 |
| Fly Like A Bird | Tracy's Needin' You Radio Mix
Produced by Tracy Young. |
3:31 |
| Fly Like A Bird | David Harness Remix
Produced by David Harness. |
7:12 |
| Fly Like A Bird | Maurice Joshua Club Mix
Produced by Maurice Joshua. |
7:25 |
Somehow I know that there's a place up above
With no more hurt and struggling
Free of all atrocities and suffering
Because I feel the unconditional love
From one who cares enough for me
To erase all my burdens and let me be free to
Fly like a bird, take to the sky
I need you now Lord, carry me high
Don't let the world break me tonight
I need the strength of you by my side
Sometimes this life can be so cold
I pray you'll come and carry me home
Can we recover, will the world ever be
A place of peace and harmony
With no war and with no brutality
If we loved each other we would find victory
But in this harsh reality
Sometimes I'm so despondent that I feel the need to
Fly like a bird, take to the sky
I need you now Lord, carry me high
Don't let the world break me tonight
I need the strength of you by my side
Sometimes this life can be so cold
I pray you'll come and carry me home
I need you
Right now, right now Lord
Need You right here by my side
Keep your head to the sky (Keep your head up)
With God's love you'll survive (With God's love you'll survive)
Fly like a bird, take to the sky
I need you now Lord, carry me high (I need you Lord oh Lord)
Don't let the world break me tonight (Please don't you let the world)
I need the strength of you by my side (The world, the world break me tonight)
Sometimes this life can be so cold (Tonight, tonight)
I pray you'll come and carry me home (I pray you'll come and take me home)
Carry me high
Fly like a bird, take to the sky (I need)
I need you now Lord, carry me high (I need you Lord)
Don't let the world break me tonight (Carry me higher Lord)
I need the strength of you by my side (Cause I need the strength of you to survive)
Sometimes this life can be so cold (Life can be so cold)
I pray you'll come and carry me home (Oh carry me home)
(Oh carry me home)
Carry me high, high, high
Carry me high, high, high
Carry me high, high, high (I need you to come and carry me higher Lord)
Carry me high, high, high (Carry me higher Lord)
Carry me high, high, high (Yeah yeah yeah…)
Carry me high, high, high
Carry me home (Higher Jesus)
Carry me higher Lord
Written by Mariah Carey, James Wright.
Produced by Mariah Carey and James “Big Jim” Wright.
