10 Mariah Carey Holiday Songs That Are (Almost) as Good as 'All I ...
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From jubilant takes on classic carols to longing ballads that tug at your heartstrings, these songs (also) deserve a place in Carey's holiday canon
‘Tis the season to be jolly and no one brings joy to her fans — and yes, joy to the world — quite like Mariah Carey. The reigning Queen of Christmas has had a hold on the holidays since the Nineties, with the release of her festive hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” First released in 1994, the song celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and has become a staple on the radio, on streaming services and at holiday parties alike (It’s also once again hit Number One on the charts — a position it’s held the last five years in a row).
But Carey’s Christmas catalog is bigger than just one song. In fact, the singer and songwriter has recorded more than two dozen holiday tracks over her career, the majority of them appearing on 1994’s Merry Christmas and 2010’s Merry Christmas II You. While some of the songs are covers, many are also original tracks written by Carey herself.
As we enter into another holiday season, Rolling Stone is shining the spotlight on some of Carey’s lesser known Christmas songs. From jubilant takes on classic carols, to longing ballads that tug at your heartstrings, here are ten of Mariah Carey’s best Christmas songs outside of “All I Want for Christmas.”
“Hero” may be Carey’s best-known inspirational ballad, but the singer offered up a hopeful tune for the holidays in 2017 with “The Star,” a soaring, piano-driven track from the animated film of the same name. Inspired by the Star of Bethlehem from the nativity story, Carey urges listeners to “follow that star above you, should the world try to break you down.”
With a heartfelt delivery (and a cameo from Carey’s twins, Moroccan and Monroe in the closing seconds of the track), the song may have been released for Christmas, but it’s an uplifting anthem whose message resonates year round. Critics adored the soundtrack single too, with “The Star” nominated for the Best Original Song at the 75th Golden Globe Awards.
Carey co-wrote this song with Harvey Mason Jr. for the soundtrack to her 2017 animated holiday film, which follows little Mariah’s wish for a puppy on Christmas Day. Similar to the timelessness of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Lil Snowman” oozes retro appeal, with its surf rock-inspired guitar line and Little Richard-style tinkling on the keys. While Carey is best-known for her R&B stylings, “Lil Snowman” showcases a grittier side to her voice, which makes for a buoyant holiday listen, while also making the singer’s not-so-secret alt-rock album all the more intriguing.
‘When Christmas Comes’ Image Credit: YouTubeAn original song recorded for Merry Christmas II You, Carey later re-released the R&B track as a duet with John Legend. Backed by a live brass band and rollicking bass line, the song settles into a soulful groove that lights up dinner parties and holiday gatherings alike, while offering up a reminder to “kiss our worries and our cares away” during this time of year. While not as instantly catchy as some of her other material, “When Christmas Comes” is a slow burn with timeless appeal, and deserves a place in Carey’s holiday canon.
Darlene Love may have originally sung “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” but Carey was the one to take it to new heights after including the Phil Spector hit on 1994’s Merry Christmas. Now a standard at all her holiday shows, Carey’s version amps up the pleading lyrics of the soulful rock tune, while showcasing her multi-layered voice.
And while Love orginally called out Carey for using the “Queen of Christmas” title, the legendary singer later changed her tune after Carey revealed the inspiration behind recording “Baby Please Come Home.” “I listened to that song every year, and it was an homage to Darlene Love, the Queen of Christmas,” Carey said, adding that “[Love] can have that title forever.”
Carey teamed up with her late mother, Patricia, on her second Christmas album for this devotional medley, which combines “O Come All Ye Faithful” with Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Carey leads with the familiar carol before Patricia — a trained opera singer — enters with the sacred refrain from part II of Handel’s “Messiah.”
Though Carey wrote about an at-times tumultuous relationship with her mother in her 2020 memoir, things are merry and bright on this duet, with both voices blending in perfect harmony. Need more proof of their mother-daughter bond? Re-watch Carey’s 2010 ABC Christmas special, where the two performed this song together for the first — and only — time live. As Carey closes out the track with her famous whistle register, Patricia is seen standing next to her superstar daughter, beaming with pride.
Carey wrote “Christmas Time Is in the Air Again” with famed Broadway and film composer Marc Shaiman, and the result is a twinkling tune that’s perfect for soundtracking snowed-in days at the cabin and city nights by moonlight. Though it was released on her 2010 album, Merry Christmas II You, “Christmas Time” is a sweeping, nostalgia-tinged ballad, thanks to its orchestral accompaniment and Carey’s honeyed vocals, as sweet as pecan pie. As Carey sings on the sparkling track, “The dream is to share this Christmas cheer with you all year, and not wait till the morning when Christmas time is in the air again.”
Carey has never been shy about her faith — see The Emancipation of Mimi’s “Fly Like a Bird” or the overtly gospel stylings of “Heavenly (No Ways Tired / Can’t Give Up Now)” from 2014’s Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse — but her debut Christmas album marked one of the first times the big-voiced singer was able to truly let loose and lean into her spiritual side. While album closer “Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child” raises the chorus to the rafters, it’s the poignant “Jesus Born on This Day” that really showcases the reason for the season. Backed by a children’s choir and Carey’s impassioned delivery, the song starts out like a modern-day hymn before ascending into a full-on testament of praise. The story of Christmas has never sounded so divine.
‘O Holy Night’ Image Credit: YouTube‘O Holy Night’ is one of those Christmas carols that many singers attempt, but few can do justice. Carey somehow manages to not only conquer the song but also make it her own. Here, the Queen of Christmas is also the Queen of Melisma, diving into each note with abandon and zeal. An instrumental break gives the diva just enough time to steady her vocals, before the song is swept up in a grand finale of whistle tones and belts that takes the hymn to the heavens. When it comes to ‘O Holy Night,’ Carey’s version soars above the rest.
“We need joy more than ever,” Carey proclaimed at the Los Angeles stop of her 2024 “Christmas Time Tour,” which took place just days after Donald Trump won the election. Though Carey has stayed largely out of the political fray, she followed up her statement with a rousing rendition of this classic Christmas tune, which the singer transforms from church staple to club-ready anthem. Carey grunts, growls and powers her way through the four minute-long track, showing off her multi-octave voice while a backing choir adds a touch of gospel appeal. Whether you’ve had a year to forget, or are partying it up, Carey’s version of “Joy to the World” brings good tidings to us all.
‘Miss You Most (at Christmas Time)’ Image Credit: YouTubeAt its core, “All I Want for Christmas” is a wistful song, with Carey lamenting the thought of another holiday spent alone. Though it’s often interpreted as a love song, the lyrics to the singer’s perennial chart topper share more in common with a melancholic ballad, telling the story of a despondent woman who is seemingly unable to find happiness in anything around her, until her loved one returns home. “I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree,” she wails, “Santa won’t you bring me the one I really need? Won’t you please bring my baby to me?” You can almost hear her voice breaking.
The same sentiment echoes through “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time),” a solemn and tender standout from Carey’s best-selling Merry Christmas album. The confessional lyrics read like diary pages — “Everybody’s smiling, the whole world is rejoicing, and everyone’s embracing except for you and I,” Carey coos — and the singer’s delivery carries the words with emotional nuance rather than bombast. It’s one of the most beautiful songs Carey has ever written, with a heartfelt message that’s all too relatable at this time of year. “All I Want for Christmas” may be her holiday anthem, but this crestfallen carol shows that Carey can be at the top of her game, whether festive or forlorn.
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