Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas (1994)

Reason for Listening:
I saw "All I Want For Christmas Is You" on the Hot 100.
#39 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Week of 20191123).
Last Week: - | Peak: 3 | Weeks on Chart: 31.
Note that the track eventually managed to top the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of 20201221.

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I've previously listened to this album several times over the past holidays. I look forward to listening to the deluxe anniversary edition on Spotify this holiday.

Deluxe Anniversary edition cover

Released 19941101.
10 songs. 38:00. Merry Christmas (1994)
10+1 songs. 38:00+01:19. Merry Christmas (International) (1994)
10+1+1 songs. 38:00+01:19+02:45. Merry Christmas (Reissue) (2005)
10+1 & 18 songs. 38:00+01:19 & 60:57. Merry Christmas (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) (2019)
10+1 & 18+1 songs. 38:00+01:19 & 60:57+04:55. Merry Christmas (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) (Japan) (2019)
Wikipedia

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Notes:
--20191120--
First listen. Deluxe.
~Disc 1~

Songs in bold are the bonus tracks on various editions.
5: "All I Want for Christmas Is You";
4: "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town";
3: "Joy to the World"; "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)";
2: "O Holy Night"; "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"; "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)"; "Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child";
1: "Silent Night"; "Jesus Born on This Day"; "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen";

~Disc 2~
I'm not sure how I feel about the intro and all the commentary on "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town." I think various live non-album commentary works when listening to the recorded version, but in this case it didn't work for me. I still gave the song a "2."
I initially felt neutral about "Lil Snowman" and waited to see how the song would evolve. It never clicked for me and so I moved it to "-1."
The So So Def Remix has a nice sound to it but it is not better than the original.
I do, however, like the vocals at about 2:47. Starting at 2:36 she sings "Santa won't you bring me the one I really need | won't you please bring my baby to me..."** which ends with bringing "me" up high into what is considered a staple of Mariah Carey. The next verse overlaps. I don't recall the same high-toned vocals in the original. [I checked and they were different. A further check on Wikipedia confirms that "the remix contains new vocals" (see All I Want for Christmas (Wikipedia.org))]
I like the So So Def Remix much more than the New Dance Mix.
I took a break from the album and tried listening to the 2010 version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" on Merry Christmas II You. I was hoping that it would contain vocals similar to the So So Def remix but it did not. With that being said, it is subtly better than the original.
The Celebration Mix of "Joy to the World" sounds like it belongs in a DDR game.

3: "All I Want for Christmas is You" (*); "Joy to the World" (*); "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)" (*); "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (Anniversary Mix);
2: "Silent Night" (*); "Jesus Born on This Day" (*); "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"*; "Oh Santa!"; "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (So So Def Remix) (ft. Jermaine Dupri & Bow Wow);
1: "Sugar Plum Fairy Introlude"; "Christmas Time Is in the Air Again"; "All I Want for Christmas is You" (Mariah's New Dance Mix Extended 2009); "Sugar Plum Fairy Introlude" (Acapella);
0: "When Christmas Comes" (with John Legend); "The Star"; "Joy to the World" (Celebration Mix); "Joy to the World" (Flava Mix);
-1: "Lil Snowman";
*Live at The Cathedral of St. John The Divine.

Summary:
I enjoy this album during the holiday season and have been known to occasionally listen to it outside the holiday season as well.

The second disc on the Deluxe Anniversary edition has some repetitive content but I can see myself substituting some of the tracks form the second disc into the first disc and tacking on some of the novel content, such as the "Sugar Plum Fairy Introlude."

As for favorite song, I initially thought it would be "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" but after listening to "All I Want for Christmas Is You" several times I switched to "All I Want for Christmas Is You." I then changed the song rating for the song from a "3" to a "5."

Overall Rating (Standard): 4.6/5
Overall Rating (Deluxe): 4.2/5
Favorite Song: "All I Want for Christmas Is You"
Second Favorite Song: "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"

**Technically the lyrics are "Won't you please bring my baby to me quickly" but I can't hear her sing "quickly."

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#41 on the Billboard 200 (Week of 20191123).
Last Week: 35 | Peak: 3 | Weeks on Chart: 84

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Standard edition cover

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--20201204--
Second listen. Deluxe Disc 1.
~Disc 1~
After listening to Carrie Underwood's holiday album, My Gift, I decided to dive straight into Mariah Carey's first holiday album, Merry Christmas. The main difference between the two albums is that Merry Christmas is more contemporary.

5: "All I Want for Christmas is You";
4: None
3: "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)"; "Joy to the World"; "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town";
2: "Silent Night"; "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"; "Jesus Born on This Day"; "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)"; "Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child"; "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen";
1: "O Holy Night";

Summary:
In my mind, the album is a classic. But it's interesting to consider that it is a contemporary holiday album. In any case, my ratings this year mostly line up with my ratings from last year. With that being said, I would increase the overall rating from 4.6 to 5.0.

Overall Rating (Standard): 5.0/5
Favorite Song: "All I Want for Christmas Is You"