Ballads (2008). Background and recording Throughout 1986, Carey had already begun writing music while in high school. After composing a song with her friend, Gavin Christopher (of "Once You Get Started" fame), Carey met a young drummer and songwriter, Ben Margulies. After initially meeting and becoming friends, the pair began spending time in his father's old studio, writing material and composing new songs. Together, the first song they compiled was titled "Here We Go Around Again." As the year wore on, they had composed seven songs for Carey's demo tape; of them was the rough and unfinished version of "Vision of Love". In an interview with Fred Bronson, Carey described how she met and came to work with Margulies. "We needed someone to play keyboards for a song I did with Gavin Christopher. We called someone and he couldn't come, so by accident we stumbled on Ben. Ben came to the session, and he can't really play keyboards very well-he's really more of a drummer-but after that day, we kept in touch, and we just sort of clicked as writers. After meeting Brenda K. Starr and being introduced to Tommy Mottola, the future head of Sony Music Entertainment (as well as Carey's future husband), the song was re-done in a professional studio, with the assistance of two producers. Carey flew to Los Angeles to work with Rhett Lawrence, one of the album's main producers. After hearing the original version of the song, Lawrence described it as having a "'50s sort of shuffle." After Carey agreed to alter the song, Lawrence contemporized its tempo. "Vision of Love" was recorded at the Skyline Studios in New York, and featured Lawrence at the keyboard, Margulies on the drums, bassist Marcus Miller, drum programmer Ren Klyce and guitarist Jimmy Ripp. Lawrence took Carey's vocals from the original demo version, and used them as background vocals for the song's final version. After adding different instrumentation to the song, Lawrence and Narada Michael Walden produced "Vision of Love." Music and lyrics "Vision of Love" is a pop and R&B love song with gospel and soul influences. It incorporates heavy backup vocals during the song's bridge and features usage of Carey's whistle register and melisma. Author Chris Nickson described the song and its vocals: "['Vision of Love'] was the perfect introduction to her voice. With an ideal slow-dancing tempo, it still managed to swing, with Mariah's background