If you don’t know Mariah, where have you been? Mariah Carey comes around every year with her hit song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” which charts #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 every year once the holidays begin before returning to the deep freezer after the holidays end. We end the year with Mariah and begin the year with Mariah as the song charts high a few days after New Year’s and then does not come back up until the holiday season comes back around. She has also put out plenty of other songs though most people don’t seem interested in those songs, only her “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Though that song is a hit every year she also has another Christmas song, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” which also charts during the holiday season. It isn’t as big as “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” but it still comes with the rise and fall of the holiday season. Even Google has recognized her and if you search for her on Google, using this link, or just typing in Mariah Carey, an interactive snow button will appear on the screen.
There is a popular joke that even Mariah herself has taken part in that she “defrosts” after Halloween. Of course, after the holidays she freezes back up and comes back around the following holiday season. Mariah was a big name in pop music not so long ago; however, she still comes around every holiday season. We believe she will continue to come around for many years to come until someone else tops her hit song. Mariah playing into her own jokes just made her iconic. This joke will most likely come around every year as it is something that circles the internet. Even when her song isn’t charting, the joke remains on the internet and continues to be made.
Of course, Mariah doesn’t have the only popular Christmas song that’s played a million times on Star 104.5 between Halloween and New Year’s Eve. Here are a few other songs that have caught our ear this year and add some variety to some of the “classics” that might be a bit overplayed.
For our first authors’ pick we have “Wonderful Christmas Time”, while its not my favorite for the very complex ideas introduced in the song or complexity of it I find it interesting. I think what must have happened was that it was Christmas morning and Paul McCartney got a synthesizer under the tree. I imagine he went into his garage and recorded the entire thing within an hour or two. Looking under the credits we can see that EVERY part of this song was done by McCartney, including the children’s choir. We were discussing it in my family and my father pointed out maybe its song was more influential than we realized basically creating the 80s as people know them. It was released in 1979 after all. Listen to this song, do you think there enough synth in it?
The second authors’ pick for this publication is “Christmas Tree Farm” by the one and only, Taylor Swift. The song just works. She keeps it real in the song about the “stress and holiday shopping traffic”. She says “But I close my eyes and I’m somewhere else/just like, magic/ in my heart is a Christmas tree farm.” It can be seen as a relatable song, as Christmas tree farm would be a perfect place to go to relieve the stress of the holiday season. While not everyone experiences stress around the holidays, those who do tend to should find this song to be somewhat meaningful.
After all our exams let’s settle down and enjoy the break, whether or not you’re celebrating Christmas or any other holiday. Christmas music is meant to be warm and comforting bringing joy and holiday spirit no matter what your favorite song is. Many of the students we spoke to about Mariah and her song shared a similar sentiment summed up in the junior Jace Savory’s statement, “She’s ok; the song is catchy but people play it constantly and at the end of the month I want it to burn in hell.” Enjoy your break, and legitimately spend time with people important to you. Put down your school books and phone and listen to some Christmas music.
