Description
Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas II You – Vinyl Record
Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas II You, released on November 2, 2010, is the long-anticipated follow-up to her massively successful 1994 holiday album Merry Christmas. While the original Merry Christmas had established Carey as a modern queen of Christmas—with the now-ubiquitous “All I Want for Christmas Is You”—the sequel revisits and expands upon that festive legacy, blending classic Christmas standards, new original compositions, and gospel-infused ballads with her signature vocal acrobatics and lush, often cinematic arrangements.
The album arrives at an interesting juncture in Carey’s career. By 2010, she was already two decades into her superstar trajectory and had weathered both commercial peaks and critical reassessments. With Merry Christmas II You, she reasserts not only her vocal prowess but also her deep connection to the traditions of gospel, soul, and R&B—elements that had underpinned her artistry since the beginning but take on new prominence here, especially in the album’s more spiritually grounded moments.
One of the major highlights is the brand-new song “Oh Santa!”, a bright, Motown-inspired track that was released as the album’s lead single. With its handclaps, retro rhythm, and buoyant melody, the song evokes 1960s girl-group soul while maintaining a contemporary polish. It quickly became a holiday favorite, even charting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Holiday Digital Songs and Adult Contemporary charts. A decade later, in 2020, the song was re-recorded with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, further cementing its status as a modern seasonal classic.
The album also features a reimagined version of her earlier smash “All I Want for Christmas Is You”—this time presented in an “Extra Festive” arrangement. While the new version doesn’t stray too far from the original, it adds subtle orchestral flourishes and vocal embellishments that show off Carey’s matured voice and more intricate arranging sensibility.
Beyond the pop-leaning tracks, Merry Christmas II You delves deeply into gospel and classical holiday fare, most notably on the stunning “O Holy Night – Live from WPC in South Central Los Angeles,” which captures Carey in a live gospel setting with a church choir, delivering one of her most emotionally raw and technically precise vocal performances. Another standout is “O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus”, featuring her mother, opera singer Patricia Carey. This duet is not just a family collaboration but a symbolic passing of vocal and spiritual traditions between generations—delivered with a soaring arrangement that blends classical grandeur with gospel fire.
The original songs written for the album, including “Christmas Time Is in the Air Again” and “When Christmas Comes”, showcase Carey’s love for old-school, lounge-style arrangements reminiscent of the Great American Songbook. These tracks evoke holiday standards from the 1940s and 1950s, with lush strings, jazz piano, and warm horn sections. “When Christmas Comes” was later re-released as a duet with John Legend, adding even more soul to its romantic holiday message.
What distinguishes Merry Christmas II You from other holiday albums is its remarkable balance of nostalgia, reverence, and modernity. Mariah Carey approaches Christmas music not as background cheer but as an emotional and spiritual experience. She celebrates joy, reflects on faith, and leans into themes of family and longing, particularly through her intricate harmonies and gospel-rooted arrangements.
Critically, the album received positive reviews, with many praising its genre diversity, strong vocal performances, and the quality of the new material. Commercially, it performed well for a seasonal release, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200, making it one of the few Christmas albums to debut in the top five, and it became a perennial seller during holiday seasons.
In the broader context of Mariah Carey’s discography, Merry Christmas II You doesn’t just capitalize on the success of her original 1994 holiday classic—it deepens her legacy as the premier pop vocalist of Christmas music in the modern era. It’s not simply a sequel—it’s a companion piece that amplifies the emotional depth, musical sophistication, and spiritual resonance of the holiday season.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Intro
Oh Santa!
O Little Town Of Bethlehem / Little Drummer Boy Medley
Christmas Time Is In The Air Again
The First Noel / Born Is The King Interlude 4:32
When Christmas Comes
Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) / Housetop Celebration
Charlie Brown Christmas
O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus
O Holy Night – Live From WPC In South Central Los Angeles
One Child
All I Want For Christmas Is You – Extra Festive
Auld Lang Syne – The New Year’s Anthem
