Juxtaposition: Mariah Carey vs. Mandy Moore ('Can't Let Go' vs. 'Walk Me Home')

A few years ago, our colleague Tae wrote a post in which he pondered the sonic similarities between Glenn Frey's 'The One You Love,' and Taylor Dayne's 'Tell It To My Heart.'  Although Tae may have thought he was taking crazy pills when he developed his self-described "crackpot theory," he was ultimately vindicated when some commenters on his post concurred with his musings.  

In a similar vein, I am here to present another, quite possibly, eccentric hypothesis.

Has anybody else noticed how the choruses of Mariah Carey's 'Can't Let Go,' and Mandy Moore's 'Walk Me Home' sound nearly identical?  Take a listen to the chorus of Mariah's song at the 1:04 mark in her video;  then, listen to the chorus of Mandy's song at the 1:12 mark in her video.   Although the tempos and tones of the two songs are distinct, the remaining similarities to my ear are uncanny.

Now, I have done some amateur sleuthing on the internet to see if anyone else shares this view, including other blogs and forums, and apparently I am on my own island with this theory.  Is there anybody else out there who agrees with me?

Check out the potential similarities for yourself by streaming the respective music videos in the players below:

Mariah Carey - 'Can't Let Go'

Mandy Moore - 'Walk Me Home'

Caught On Tape: Mandy Moore - 'Candy'

"You know who you are,
Your love is as sweet as candy,
I'll be forever yours,
Love always, Mandy."

So states the spoken portion of Mandy Moore's first and biggest single, 1999's 'Candy.' One taste of this delectibly sweet pop anthem, and the country was craving the song like, well....candy. Sure, the lyrics are cutesy and contrived, but how else can one express the feelings of an inexperienced teen crush. Ms. Moore was only 16 when the single became a hit and boosted her to the ranks of pop princess; a current trend of singers which included Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. With a voice that exceeded her age, and a video that fit snugly into the mold of late-90s pop music, Moore achieved widespread success and fame.

Like the video for Britney's '...Baby One More Time' before it, 'Candy' was oddly appealing. Oddly to the extent that legions of grown men were finding a sixteen year-old girl attractive - something that is generally frowned upon in society. Of course, looking back at it now, Moore looks younger than ever. Which makes it all the more humorous.

The video depicts a typical day in upper-middle-class suburbia. Teens dressing in the latest trends, cruising down the street in their VW Beetles and mopeds, hanging at the local burger joint, and most of all, choreographing dance routines in the middle of a skate park. All of the things that 98% of the world wishes it had the resources to do. Bubbly and upbeat, it's no wonder the track was like sugar to the hearts of so many.