Are you feeling Christmassy right now? If you aren't, let me recommend you something that will straight away put you in the Christmas mood.
Last week, I bought this Christmas CD and I have been listening to it ever since. Yes, I am talking about Mariah Carey's latest and newest Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You!
I absolutely love this CD! It is undeniably, a classy and cool album totally suited for the holiday season! Believe it or not, I love every single song on this album! But of course, knowing that I am a big fan of Mariah, you may think I am biased, right?
Well, you can now judge for yourself! I have put up snippets of each song from the album in this post today for your listening pleasure!
The first track is a short 23-second orchestral intro of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town without any singing from Mariah so I shall skip that. The intro however leads nicely to the very first single from the album titled Oh Santa!
Oh Santa! is catchy, sweet, endearing and playful all at the same time! It surely brings back the Christmas cheer in a delightful way! Listening to this just makes me want to dance! Not surprisingly, it debuted at No.1 on Billboard's Holiday Digital Songs Chart and amazingly went from No.12 right up to No.1 in just its second week on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart!
Due to some technical problems, I was not able to put up snippets of certain songs like this third track, O Little Town Of Bethlehem/Little Drummer Boy so you may want to listen from YouTube HERE. Listen to how she sang "ra pa pum pum" on the 1.45th minute. Lovely! She sang the whole song with such grace and warmth and with just the right amount of vocal acrobatics which she's known for!
Christmas Time Is In The Air Again is absolutely one of my most favourite songs on the album. It is an original song written by Mariah herself and I find it exceptionally classy, romantic and elegant - enough to stir that emotions inside me. This song definitely showcases Mariah's songwriting skill! Of course, award winning Marc Shaiman's orchestration contributed a lot to the magical feeling of this song!
The First Noel/Born Is The King is a nice medley to listen to, with Mariah belting out the word "Noel" in her signature melismatic way. I love it! Listen HERE.
When Christmas Comes is another original song written by Mariah. My, she's such a fantastic songwriter! This jazzy song reminds me of her Emancipation Of Mimi album and I just can't stop listening to it!
Here Comes Santa Claus is a classic which is made to sound modern, trendy and with all the right hooks! I really, really adore Mariah's version of Here Comes Santa Claus!! The song is infectious! You must listen to this HERE!
Honestly, I have never heard of Charlie Brown Christmas before but it sounds good to me! Well, at least it makes me feel Chrismassy!
O Come All Ye Faithful is one song you must listen as we are introduced to the operatic voice of Patricia, Mariah's mother! Yes, listen to this powerful duet of mother and daughter, the former singing in operatic style and the latter in pop and R&B ! Simply mesmerizing! Watch the video below.
The 10th track on the album, O Holy Night is a recorded live performance of the same title taken from Mariah's previous Christmas album. As such, I have decided not to put up a snippet of the track here. Of course, this song remains one of my favourites on the older Merry Christmas album.
One Child is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard! Written by Mariah Carey, this is another showcase of her songwriting talents! It's truly amazing how she could come out with such beautiful melody and chords to match! Mariah did not do much vocal acrobatics here although I wished she did! But I have to say, the children choir is amazing and I am glad Mariah did not let her vocals overpower them.
All I Want For Christmas Is You needs no introduction. To date, it is already the world's most successful and best selling Christmas song. Every year since its release in 1994, this song is a chart-topper during the Christmas season. Mariah had just made this song "extra festive" for this album and if you want to know the difference between this one and the older version, check out the song!
Lastly, we have the traditional Auld Lang Syne - the New Year's anthem. A fitting end to a perfectly enjoyable album, it started with strong vocals from Mariah and then followed by a countdown which very cleverly turns this song into dance music! Totally a great song to start the new year!
I am really, really impressed with this album. This is exactly the type of Christmas music that I like! I was so used to her new hip hop style since The Emancipation Of Mimi that I was quite surprised that this Christmas album had very little of that but instead reminds me of Mariah of the 90's.
With lots of lush string orchestration and soaring vocals, Merry Christmas II You is indeed my favourite Christmas album of the year and perhaps for many years to come!
FIRST COMMENTER
First?
Wow! I must've gotten my xmas present early this year. Managed to be FC! XD
Merry Christmas, mate!
Yeah...just a little bit Christmassy. Haha :D
Really? It is that good bro? Her latest album? Then I should it give it a try.
Really? It is that good bro? Her latest album? Then I should it give it a try.
I wanna buy the album and try to listen to it to see if you are right bro. :p
Not feeling it just yet but hope to as time gets nearer and dearer..tQ for the lovely songs.
Love the first song 'Oh Santa'..
All I want for Christmas is You!!! Not you, panda :P But you, Santa! haha... I agree this is the most successful christmas song to date!!
aiseh... all video clips blocked here...
I like "All I want for Christmas is you". Thanks for the snippets and the video. Merry Christmas, Foong!
I love O Come All Ye Faithful. One of my favourites.
me, i started to download Christmas songs on my music player and play it all out loud...
we started placing some decors inside and outside our house to make it feel so christmassy..
i don't like Oh Santa..... hahah so current and i hate that LOL... you know... i love old songs haha and i like Christmas song with very soothing sounds like a lullaby
but i love Christmas Tome is in the air again and When C hristmas Comes
Charlie Brown Christmas is so MC... i hear the whistle style in there haha
Oh i have watched the version of C and his mother in Youtube... so great!!
of all the songs listed here
All I want for Christmas is You is MC's most notable version
I love Xmas songs..
Merry Christmas brother :)
Dude, are you going to host a Xmas party?...
you are introducing every single song in the album! this might just be the best collection to left playing throughout this merry season. :)
You started Christmas feelings!
Aloha from Hawaii
Comfort Spiral
><}}(°>
<°)}}><
So fast you bring us Christmas excitement!!
Before I buy that CD, maybe you can pinjam me first! Boleh??
Besides my prize, will you also give me a X'mas gift? Santa Foong, I have been a good boy whole year! LOL :)
Last weekend, I went to Karaoke and sang all the available Christmas songs! Alamak! All old songs only, outdated Karaoke! Cheh!
Merry
Christmas
To
Panda
Foong!!!!!
I LOVE OH SANTA! I've already downloaded it. sorry for not buying original. :P
And i love her version of O Holy Night too. One of my faves. Very jazzy. And I love Celine's version too. Both very different feelings to it. ;)
nice! love this album! not regret to buy it!1 ;)
oooh, really standard Mariah Carey fans huh?? bought the album and blog so detail about each song here..
i never buy christmas albums lah, already have enough of them in shopping malls already.. hahaha~~ :D
the same case to CNY albums, i really never interested to get one.. already have enough bombarding in the malls~~ :D
Merry Xmas!
xmas is comminnggggg! :D
Merry Christmas and a happy 2010 ^_^
A great FIRST blog!
Yes, I can feel the Christmas mood already! Thanks for sharing Foong! ;)
P/S: I want a Christmas gift. Thanks :P
can't wait for X'mas.
lina, congrats for being first! : )
jam, merry christmas to you! : )
tekkaus, go buy the album! : )
bananaz, once you listen to this album, you will feel the Christmassy mood straight away! : )
iamthewitch, not me? Why?! LOL!!
khengsiong, go back home and play the clips here again! : )
happysurfer, you are welcome! : )
mei teng, yes O Come All Ye Faithful is a classic and made nicer by MC here :)
bluedreamer27, Merry Christmas!!
Christmas Time Is In The Air Again is my absolute favourite!!
When Christmas Comes is also very nice!
Haha! You like MC's whistle style of singing? : )
wenn, I think most people do! : )
bengbeng, Merry Christmas! : )
TZ, no I am not going to play host, but I'm visiting many open houses! : )
levian, yes every single song! Haha! And yes, this is a really good Christmas album even if you are not a Mariah Carey fan!
cloudia, Merry Christmas! : )
twilight, wow! You go karaoke to sing Christmas songs?! LOL! Thanks for spamming haha! Merry Christmas to you! : )
kyh, you like Oh Santa? High5! Oh, don't apologize to me, I did not sing it! Haha!!
I love Celine's version of O Holy Night too! Very powerful vocals!
caroline, yeah no regrets at all! Really nice album - love all the songs in it! : )
SK, of course I bought the album and of course I blogged about it! Haha!
You never buy Christmas albums? maybe becoz you don't celebrate it!
Oh, but I never buy CNY albums too! LOL!!
pete, Merry Xmas to you too! : )
ken, enjoy your Christmas holidays! : )
kelvin, thanks! Same to you too! : )
comedyrocks.com, thanks!! I'll take that as a compliment! : )
bluecrystaldude, haha! I am Panda, not Santa! LOL!
life ramblings, me too! : )