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Why “All I want for Christmas is You” Captures our Hearts 30 Years Later

There could be a moment when you’re shopping in a crowded mall or pouring your third cup of egg nog in between laughing with your guests when thirteen chimes come over the speakers and stop you. The dramatic intro holds your attention as you build up your voice to sing decently along to Mariah’s angelic voice from the gods. As you hum along, your body rhythm begins to move and fall in line with the chorus; like the body is so captivated by the sound, it sacrifices itself as another instrument the song doesn’t need. The melody brings a childlike feel, with visions of snowball fights, baking cookies, and opening presents on Christmas day. “All I Want for Christmas is Youwill be what people need to get in the holiday spirit, but do you know what type of impact it truly holds?

In 1993, her then-husband, music exec Tommy Mottola, asked the songstress Mariah Carey and co-writer Walter Afanasieff to write a Christmas album, which would later become her debut holiday album, Merry Christmas, 1994. It was unheard of for new artists to put out a Christmas album or single during their peak.

“She always thought it should be done later in her career.” Afanasieff tells MSN.com. But with some convincing Carey, Afanasieff collaborated on the beloved song in 15 minutes of writing. Instead of the traditional route with the holiday classic, singing about a wonderful Christmas, snow outside, etc., she penned it as a “positive love song that can be dedicated to anybody.”

The goal was to create a timeless piece. Around that time, you needed a bit of courage to promote a Christmas album among those already under household names. Legends dominated the holiday category, and new artists taking up space seemed too risky. Heavy hitters like White Christmas by Bing Crosby or Nat King Coles’ The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) held the top spot for festive numbers.  

To imagine such a tune, Carey needed inspiration. From a modest childhood growing up in Long Island, NY, she expressed that her Christmas holidays were very different from the imaginative world she created in today’s market. Before putting words to paper, “she decorated a tree and watched It’s a Wonderful Life and tried to get in the mood.” she told Cosmopolitan.com.

It makes sense to do such traditions to evoke the holiday season – she imagined what she wanted the song to feel like, resemble, and if everyone could relate. The help of Afanasieff, they wrote the lyrics to represent an upbeat love song. The lyrics resemble an open love letter to its receiver. The wish is to be with a loved one on Christmas Day regardless of all the holiday cheer around them. A yearning to feel the presence of love: a present that could make anyone’s heart smile.

Writing words down can be easy – it’s the music that follows, and orchestrating can be a lot. The sound behind the lyrics pulls it all together and creates magic for the waves of its listeners—the sound influenced by the ballet The Nut Cracker and record producer and songwriter Phil Spector.

The Nutcracker, a classical ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, features a dance number called The Sugar Plum Fairy. It featured a celesta and a bell piano and created the infamous 13 chimes you hear at the beginning. The celesta chimes in the beginning of “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The chimes create a “glittering crystal-like sound.” according to Insider Art. Chimes became a primary sound in 20th-century music.

The influence of the Nutcracker gave Phil Spector the idea of a “wall of sound.” A mix of pop and rock songs into an ensemble tripling the sound of instruments used. Spector made the album A Christmas Gift for You featuring the Ronettes. Carey used Tchaikovsky and Spectors’ celesta and wall of sound to curate the perfect tone for her single.

The song itself is known for not belonging to a single genre. It features 13 different chords, Motown vocals, nine types of percussions, and more instruments than you can name. Carey’s hit has made a significant change in 21st-century culture. In the 2010s, it regained its popularity and became a phenomenon. Due to viral choreographed videos or sing-a-longs, the song has impacted the Christmas season.

Appealing to cross-generations garnered 1.78 billion streams on Spotify alone. Mimi has earned US $3 Million in annual royalties in addition to the $60 million in royalties during the song’s release 30 years ago. The holiday classic has not only touched the charts but hearts as well. Viral renditions of the melody caught Carey’s eye. Primarily, it is a video featuring a 4th grader with autism named Knox belting out his soul to the classic in his school’s winter program.   Knox’s parents shared that “his autism didn’t stop him from defying others expectations.” Blackenterprise.com  The song brought him joy. Carey saw and tweeted back that this moment is why she does what she does.  

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