Mariah Carey loved writing her more 'obscure songs' over chart-topping hits

Mariah Carey was recently honored by Broadcast Music, Inc. for her songwriting skills, and while accepting the honor she revealed that some of the songs dearest to her heart aren’t necessarily the chart-toppers we’ve all become to know and love.

Carey explained of such hits as “We Belong Together” and “Touch My Body” that "I still love those songs," but, "I love the obscure songs because they're very close to my heart. Especially a song called, 'Close My Eyes' -- that's like my life story."

According to CNN, the proud mother of twins Moroccan and Monroe, cites a couple of songs from her 1995 hit album Daydream as some of those she’s most proud of writing. She said songs like "Underneath The Stars," "Looking In" and "I Am Free" are extremely meaningful to her but weren’t the radio hits that songs like “Hero” became.

In “Close My Eyes,” Carey sings "I was a wayward child, with the weight of the world that I held deep inside. Life was a winding road, and I learned many things little ones shouldn't know." The chorus reveals Carey singing "But I closed my eyes, steadied my feet on the ground, raised my head to the sky. And though times rolled by, still I feel like a child as I look at the moon. ... Maybe I grew up a little too soon."

The Grammy winner went on to say that being recognized for her songwriting is a huge honor. "This (BMI Icon) award is so amazing because ... this is really about songwriting and there have been many times that people have told me throughout my career that: 'This song has changed my life,' 'This song helped me get through the death of a family member,' " she said. "And as the writer of that song ... there's no greater feeling than that."

The Los Angeles Times reports that Carey has had 18 No. 1 hits appear on the Billboard Hot 100 during the span of her career. Her career is so successful, in fact, that she’s only behind the Beatles, who beat her by 2 songs. She ties with Elvis Presley for solo acts, however.

BMI President and Chief Executive Del Bryant praised Carey at the event, gushing “She is the best songwriter in the history of music. I knew that BMI had to have her. Mariah, 'we belong together.' Is that a cheap shot? Today we take for granted the synthesis of hip-hop and R&B. [But] it was Mariah’s vision.”