Synopsis

Mariah Carey rides through a rain-soaked New York night, drinking champagne and drifting into memories of a secret romantic encounter. Flashbacks show her meeting a former lover in a shadowy apartment before the pair share an intimate moment on a rooftop. Back in the present, Carey rises through the sunroof of her limousine, allowing the rain to wash over her as she relives the emotional intensity of that night. The clip turns nostalgia, desire, and regret into a moody urban romance.

Factoids & Trivia

• "The Roof" premiered on MTV on November 25, 1997, and was released as a single outside the United States. It came from Carey's 1997 album Butterfly.

• The song uses a prominent sample from Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones, Pt. II." Mobb Deep also appeared on the remix, which is why the video is often listed as "The Roof (Back in Time)."

• Carey later revealed that the song was inspired by a real romantic encounter with baseball player Derek Jeter. She discussed the relationship more openly in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

• The deliberately restrained visual marked a change from the large-scale spectacle of videos such as "Fantasy" and "Honey." Its rain, dim lighting, and fragmented memories emphasize the song's sensual but wistful mood.

• The video was later recognized by Slant magazine, which placed it at number 18 on its list of the 100 greatest music videos.