Image Credit: Danny Feld/ABCYou know who’s super-fun around Christmastime? The grand dame of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” Mariah Carey, duh! Last night, the very pregnant pop diva premiered her ABC holiday special, Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To You, and it did not disappoint in the anti-Scrooge category. It very successfully put me in the holiday spirit! The highlights were many—you can watch the full 45-minute special after the jump—but here’s a guide to the three most important moments from the Carey Christmasfest, including corresponding time codes:
00:00: The diva’s special-opening rendition of sleigh-bell and school yard-chant happy new single “Oh, Santa!” was the perfect kick-off for the evening. This thumpy, joyful tune proves: Mariah just wants to have fun!
35:00: The launch of Mariah Carey’s duet of “O Come All Ye Faithful” with her opera-singer mother Patricia Carey. It becomes a diva-off, with both reaching the rafters for the highest note in history. Who wins? You can be the judge of that.
39:45: Mariah closes out the night with her Christmas standard, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” If that doesn’t put you in the spirit, then nothing will. There’s simply few things out there that are this joyful.
Now watch the whole special here (or just skip to my suggested highlight portions):
Do you j’adore the about-to-pop Mariah?
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More Mariah from EW.com:
Mariah Carey confirms pregnancy
20 Years Ago: Mariah Carey releases her first album
All About Mariah Carey
She was great. The voice better than ever. And did you catch her rendition
of Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas song? The lady can do jazz.
I thought in many instances, that the music overpowered her voice, as though her mic wasn’t doing it’s job.
What are you talking about? Her miscarriage was like 2 years ago?????? You’re just commenting about it now?????
Charlie Brown Christmas was absolutely a gem. Loved it!
Loved her rendition of the classic Peanuts tune.
That was the highlight of the show, but of course the ending was spectacular.
I loved that song on her holiday album and that she sang it quite good!
I loved the Charlie Brown Christmas performance. Jazz worthy!
I am very positive that she was lip synching, which is a huge disappointment. WTF?
I kind of thought so too!
Its called mixing down the live track. You can edit so much editing once its recorded live.
It’s live but because its a pre-recorded show they add vocals over her live ones so its better sound quality. A lot of shows do that.
Alan, let me give you a little tip. Everyone gets older. Everyone’s voice gets worse as they get older. Older artists often lip sync to help make up the differnce. some at 40, some at 50, some at 60. this is not new in the music biz. now please get over it – we all realize that she didnt sing every song without any backing vocals.
Not everyone’s voice withers with age. If you maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep up with your singing, a trained voice will maintain its tremulous timbre.
Look what happened to Whitney Houston’s voice ravaged by drug use and bad living. Her mom however did not abuse herself and maintained the lovely resonance and clarity in her voice. It all depends how an artist takes care of themselves. With that said, if Mariah did lose any brilliance in her voice, it would have been heard in her live or taped recordings. You cannot hide damage. Listen to Whitney’s last album for proof of that. Thanks.
I agree about the maintenance of one’s voice. Don’t know if she’s related to the Houston family, but Thelma “Don’t Leave Me This Way” Houston sang her disco funk song for a PBS show just 2 years ago and her voice was just as powerful and pure as it was back in 1979. She changed up the song, but she was also able to reach to those high notes on “oooooh baby, my heart is full of love and it’s love for you”, so yes a voice can age but I agree with proper training and good health without abusing oneself, you can have good vocals throughout your career.
She never lip syncs–she will always sing live without all the edits and dubs. She’s never into that lip synching (like the dance pop singers of now) because she wants to hear herself and the live band at the same time when performing.
I disagree. One, she has an aversion to doing that because she can SING and wants to give her fans a true concert; and two, I’ve heard her “not so great” performances and she didn’t use any editing to that stuff up. She performed the hell out of this show and I’m proud of her…I haven’t heard her voice like that in a long time (and this is from someone who can either take or leave Mariah).
That should read:
“…use any editing to fix that stuff up.”
There was no way she was lip synching on her Washinton President’s celebration special. You could see every mouth movement and twitch come through her live mic. The very thought of Mariah doing fake impressions of singing is ludicrous.
No Mariah was “not” lip synching. She may have been singing along with pre-recorded backup, but she was most assuredly singing for all her performances. I suppose all her verbage with the audience was lip synching too? Oh brother.
Charlie Brown Christmas was my favorite song besides her traditional holiday ending All I Want For Christmas Is You.
I felt the same also. Loved these 2 performances the best.
Beside her yearly visit of All I Want For Christmas, I too enjoyed her performance of Charlie Brown’s Christmas. Silky smooth rendition.
Her performance of Charlie Brown’s Christmas was the highlight of the show. I loved it.
I thought the Charlie Brown song was a highlight. Her voice was so beautiful.
it looks like her face is pregnant too.
I thought she looked pretty good for being pregnant. Mariah has had weight issues before but it looks to me like she’s having a healthy pregnancy.
I mean she fluctuated a bit (probably not more than 10 lbs) but who doesn’t with age?! Also, she has had at least one miscarriage that has been confirmed (and maybe a couple unconfirmed ones), so you may be referring to a time when she was pregnant – so that wouldn’t really be an issue but a necessity to a healthy pregnancy right?! If you must point out her differences in weight, i would use the word she has “fluctuated” in the past, instead of “issues”. You might have been the only one with the “issue” regarding HER weight!
hey paige, I’m willing to stake that there’s not such a great reflection in the mirror either for yourself. Green eyed monsters are lurking.
paige u sound very bitter and faces dont get pregnant.BOOYA U GREEN EYED MONSTER
I thought so, too but it was more of a happy thought. “Oh, look, she has a pregnant mommy face. Aww.”
You should’nt be hateful!
Because she is a veryy pretty woman, and her face is fine!
im thinking someone may be jealous..? (: its okay!
paige u need to shut the hell up, for ur imformation pregnat women gain weight in different places, her weight is in her face and breast so wat!!! u sound so ignorant
You know very well she’s pregnant Paige, not a nice thing to say at all. Mariah looks beautiful.
So her face isn’t part of her body? Oh that’s right, you’re just trying, trying I repeat, to be funny.
wow. Unbelievable comment Paige.
When you are expecting a little one Paige, perhaps you will retract your comment that you made on Ms Carey!
Mariah Carey’s Christmas albums are holiday favorites in my house. She is and always will be my favorite, fierce belting diva. Also, Mariah has managed to keep her voice intact and in good health. She sounds just as good in her 40s as she did in her 20s.
I agree.
INDEED! I mean she hit the notes all night, but she got me with singing “O Holy Night”. Ugh…I died! It sounded just like it did when she released her first Christmas album. She hit every note…it was gorgeous with minimal background singing (from her LIVE background singers). Loved it!
O Holy Night is one of my favourite Mariah Christmas songs. When she soars on those high notes, it just give me chills. Her voice is definitely one of a kind.
I’d prefer the “Fingernails on a Chalkboard Christmas Special.” It would be less painful to the ears.
Personally I prefer the fingernails “digging” into the crazy posters that knock such a legend as Mariah.
*sharpening mine as I type.
Yes, because no one is ever allowed to disagree with you. Mariah may be a big legend, but I’ve never understood why. Her voice is screechy and thin, and I wince every time she tries to hit hit a high note. It’s painful.
And yet you stood there for the whole hour watching and listening to those painful high notes.
A mouse complaining of screechy? haha. Go find yourself a cheese bit now or you will be the one that’s thin throughout the Winter.
Um, no I didn’t (and never said I did, so maybe you should reconsider your reading comprehension). I don’t need to watch her TV show to know that her singing will still be screechy and awful.
So you’re just hating on Mariah without even listening last night? Figures.
LOL!
You should probably consider your intelligence level of reviewing a performance you didnt see
Reviewing something you didn’t watch is restricted to Lisa Schwartzbaum.
Peyton, i belive u truly do like mariah , because y would u watch the entire hour if her voice is that bad?????
You misread Peyton’s post. Read it again. She’s obviously a fan and was referring to Nonny Mouse’s post, who was directing bad remarks on Mariah.
Had she been singing live, this would’ve been oh so much better. I love her, but the dubbed/lip-synched performances are wearing me out.
She was singing live with perhaps some backplay in her special, but she was surely singing live on the President’s Washington special. When they showed her up close you could see every single twitch and mouth movement from her comign through her live mic.
Love her, loved the special but it was beyond obvious that she was lip-syncing.
I agree – it was so obvious!
It was obvious she was singing with background singers. Her mic was live.
I appreciate that Carey has a great voice, but she did not let the beauty of the songs breathe, she butchered them to death with runs. Her O Holy Night was terrible and she has the voice to make it sing. Too bad. Again, not knocking her, I was honestly looking forward to the special and she was horrible. And the dubbing was way off.
Her melismatic style is what she is world renowned for along with her multiple octave range. Those attributes make what is Mariah Carey.
That’s what drew the millions of fans to her unique style that no one else possessed. She still has that elite whistle register. It’s as outstanding as ever.
There’s nothing wrong with her style. If you have the talent for melisma style, then you should use it. Christina Aguilera is very good at that too!
I appreciate singers that can use melisma. If it’s done correctly, it is artistic and heavenly interpretation.
Disgusting woman – just ask anyone who’s ever worked with her!
I did. I spoke to every last one of them, and they all say she’s great.
Did she fire you for trying to steal from her mikey? Yeah that must be it. LOSER!
The only disgusting thing I see is the hateful remarks left by you and others making snide remarks about Mariah. She owned the 1990s and had at least one Number 1 song in each year of the 1990s. She is an international superstar selling more than 180 million albums, singles and videos. Mariah is laughing last at you hateful people. Get a life and make something of yourself before b!tching about someone who’s already a superstar. Mariah is gracious and kind to her fans!
ALL YOU HATEFUL PEOPLE NEED TO STOP..ITS REDICULOUS GET A DAYUM LIFE
THANK YOU! Someone had to say it.
wow. Don’t understand all the hate filled messages. Really mikey was that comment necessary?
I was at the taping of this show last month, her voice sounded much better live than what was presented on TV last night. The editors butchered it up to silence the audiences screaming and shouting – it was a very lively show to watch in person – not the same recorded.
Thanks, Punky – that’s really good to hear! Why oh why do editors think we want to hear recordings when we watch something ‘live?’ Especially for someone like Mariah – come on!
Mariah is a no-talent has-been who is exploiting her pregnancy for every penny it is worth. Her last four albums have all bombed and she can’t even fill up a high school gymnasium for a concert.
Jealous much? I bet you’re such a loser in your own life.
Mariah isn’t a hasbeen and with the accolades and career achievements she’s already got, she never will be. She had the BEST SELLING ALBUM OF 2005 EMANCIPATION OF MIMI and that was just 3 albums ago!
You know what. For those that do become has beens, it’s better to have been a has been than a NEVER WAS as you will always be Mfan.
Actually I kind of agree she’s a has been. She’s obviously completely lost her voice because she now almost always lip syncs on every appearance. She also treats her staff like crap and is highly demanding. Also, she’s 41 years old and dresses like an 18-year old hooker. That enough for ya?
GFY Alan because obviously you are such a loser than no one else will.
Alan, your vitriol inspires pity in me. You earned it.
@Taye: so your lame response means that you know all of the above is true, or are you defending lip syncing, diva behaviour and old women dressing like sluts? Learn a more witty comeback and defend yourself with actual facts next time.
You shouldn’t talk about your own mom like that Alan. You got the Norman Bates complex.
OMG LOL!!!!!!!!!! Alan was actually talking about his own inner desires.
What? Diva behavior or dressing like a slut?
Mariah is 40, not 41 you nitwit!
Keep insulting me! I don’t care. It’s just childish and rude. Mariah’s basically an older fatter version of Ashlee Simpson or Britney Spears: None of them can sing. It’s all done in the studio. Your insults don’t bother me. (And I say this as someone who loved Mariah in the early 90s btw)
You are just making yourself look foolish with your drivel. You never really loved Mariah if you are making such comments. Have a good Christmas because I think you need some love.
“It’s just childish and rude”.
Pot meet Kettle.
Notice how not one person has defeneded or denied the lip syncing? All you’ve done is insult me! How bizarre. I have never insulted any of you personally the way you have insulted me. I just don’t like lip syncing or the way she dresses. Why is that such a crime?
Excuse me for intruding, but I’ve read where many posters say they didn’t care one way or another. So for me, it was a great show and I think Mariah is a gem. Sorry you don’t agree.
Alan, she wasn’t lip synching last night. then you say, “yes she was”, then i say, “no she wasn’t” and so on and so forth. how can you argue with someone who has an opinion, however wrong it may be? she has been singing live since the start of her career, and while she has lipsynched from time to time, last night was not one of them.
What I find really bizarre is how some people can hate on Mariah, who has never done anything publicly to merit such retribution.
For heaven’s sake, Mariah was not lip synching!
In what ways has Mariah exploited her pregnancy? My god, the extent that some go to where ridiculous comments run rampant.
Mariah looked and sounded great. She’s already made her mark in the music biz and has nothing more to prove. 18 HOT 100 number 1s and 78 weeks at the summit, Diamond award for best selling female vocalist of all time, Top song of the 90s and 2000s “One Sweet Day” and “We Belong Together”, and she’s going to be a mom soon. You haters need to drop the BS and focus on your lives in achieving your own goals instead of knocking someone that’s already an ICON in the music biz. It’s Christmas so have cheer and stop the hate.
Of course she sounded great. She was lip synching!
I love Mariah, but she’s not the “best selling female vocalist of all time”. According to the RIAA, Barbra Streisand has more platinum certifications than any other female artist, and The Guinness Book Of World Of Records has Madonna as the single female artist who’s sold the largest amount of records globally. Mariah is definitely up there, with 18 # 1s (more than any other woman), but she is not the biggest selling female recording artist.
When Billboard and World Music Awards gave Mariah the Diamond Awards at the turn of the century for best selling female vocalist, they’re indicating the amount of time that she has sold her numbers in the Soundscan era. So in the short amount of time that she had been out at that time (less than a decade) she is the best selling female vocalist. Also, according to Soundscan which started tracking album sales since 1991, Mariah has “sold” the most albums since that time period for a female vocalist. So, depending on which time frame you are talking about, Mariah is the Best Selling Female Vocalist at this time.
I understand that completely. Barbra Streisand has sold a lot, but she’s been in show business since 1965 and Mariah has been doing it since 1990 and from that standpoint, she has sold the most in the amount of time she has been out as an artist. Both ladies are great and have made outstanding achievements in their career for their unique style and voice!
Whenever Mariah is introduced on any of the award shows or talk shows, she’s always referred to as “The Best Selling Female Vocalist of All Time”, so is everyone wrong all over the world? No, I don’t think so.
I would have to say that breaking decade old records held by Elvis Presley and 4 Beatles is quite an outstanding feat by all means. I don’t understand the hatred a celebrity gets when they break milestones. Is it so horrible to do your best and be gracious at the same time? I’ve never heard Mariah brag about her accomplishments! She doesn’t ever need to do so either. Truly great artists just do what they do best and let their critics and fans make acknowledge their greatness!
LOL. People always hating on successful women of power. Taylor Swift is in good company. They’ll probably be hating on her when she’s 40 and a multi millionairess like Mariah. Get over it haters.
Taylor can be considered in the company of Mariah when she gains some talent and starts writing more substantial songs. As of now her commercial success says nothing about her future or musical legacy, because look at how many no-talents are successful too.
That’s stupid to say that someone that can generate megabucks of income is not talented. They may not be your cup of tea, but every artist that has made a name for themself is talented in some shape or form. To say that they are “no talents” is so ignorant because they appeal to a wide group that gives them validity. Taylor is talented alright, even though you do not think so. She may not be on the level of Mariah, but she has a level of talent that has attracted millions of fans and therefore her “talent” is valid.
50 Cent is worth over $400 million. Britney Spears is worth around $100 million. Do you want to argue that they’re talented based on their bank accounts? All that proves is that good marketing is what sells music, not necessarily quality since a ton of great albums are largely overlooked by the mainstream these days. Hell, the Kardashians are rich, and I’d seriously like to know what “talent” they possess that is making their income. I’m sure there are some artists that you personally do not consider talented that are probably filthy rich too. Your argument has no logic. Popularity doesn’t equal quality.
Taylor cannot sing like Mariah. She does have her own unique style, but she will never be the technician that Mariah is when it comes down to pure vocals. Not knocking Taylor at all, but they are two completely different artists and I do appreciate that Taylor is a wonderful songwriter and she holds her own in her country-pop style.
I thought Mariah was beautiful last night. It’s obvious her glow is indicating that she’ll have a little girl. Her mom’s operatic voice is still there. 3 generations of great singers to be. How great.
I wonder if the mom was lip synching like Mariah was?
You’re an idiot.
Well, it’s a fair question. Mariah’s obviously completely lost her voice because she never performs live anymore, so I wonder if it’s genetic and her mom is also faking it?
Is your stupidity genetic or just indigenous to those in your region?
Ha ha – you Mariah fans are being so overly defensive, now I’m 100% positive it’s true. She lip synced and so did her mom. If you can’t sing, you don’t deserve to earn millions of $$$ from “singing”. I hope those poor people who attended the “concert” got their money back. (Notice how I don’t use personal insults like you, but instead use facts)
It’s her voice. It doesn’t matter if it was or not. You don’t seem to understand that premise. Why the hate for her?
What facts???? You have no proof one way or another.
I have eyes. Who couldn’t notice it? Also, the songs sounded EXACTLY the same as the studio version – no live performance sounds exactly like the CD. I’m not the only one who noticed it. And she always lip syncs now – just Google “Mariah Carey + lip sync” and there’s dozens of examples. I’m saying this as a former fan by the way.
You are not a fan. You are a poster boy for why abortion to be the best option!
That’s incredibly rude.
And you are just being oh so “nice” to Mariah. @@
All I did was critize a singer’s lip syncing and way of dressing. I would never say to ANYONE EVER that someone’s parents should have aborted them. That’s disgusting.
You’re right. That poster shouldn’t have said that to you! What she should have said is that you are a poster child for why contraceptives are an absolute necessity at all times.
OMG lol Peyton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alan, go back and listen to the studio versions and then rewatch the program. there are differences, but why would you notice when you’re just hell-bent on hating on her?
bitter much? jeez even is she was lip syncing what crawled up your behind? get over it
Im sorry Alan..where u there at the concert, where she performed LIVE as attributed by every concert goer. Obviously you do not know the fact that when the editors edit the show they change it up to get the best. As far as her voice being “gone” i would suggest u to check out the numerous concerts where she sang LIVE just recently over this past summer and maybe you can get over the “lip syncing” crap. thanks
So Alan, I don’t agree with all the personal attacks on you, as we don’t know you; however, I do not agree with your attacks on Mariah! Why are you so hell bent on making it seem like she has not talent. You dispel that argument when you sign off on your posts with “from a former fan”. So you’re saying at one point she had talent and now she doesn’t? You said to google “Mariah Carey + lip sync” if we didn’t believe you. I don’t, so I googled…the first page of the search was all about a performance on GMA in 2008 when she lip sync’d a PART of her “Tough My Body” song. Really?! That’s what your argument is based on?! PLEASE!!! Not to mention, when someone does not give live performances often, you hear about it – over and over again – from concert attendees. Where have you heard that about any of Mariah’s concerts? She can’t control what they do to present things on TV. Even American Idol judges said that what they hear live is different from what is heard on TV…that’s just technology…doesn’t mean the actual performance wasn’t live. So I disagree with you there. Now her clothes…well we all have a right to express ourselves the way we see fit. That’s all I can say about that, but to not like her because of the way she dresses…hmm, a bit superficial maybe?
No her mom was not lip synching either.
I defy anybody to say she was not completely “live singing” at her President’s Washington performances. She was and surely live!
Mariah is still very pretty
I think the level of hate elevates around Xmas. People pushing each other when shopping, grabbing things, forgetting common courtesy, etc. Can’t believe the comments on Mariah, bringing her listeners one of the most loved contemporary songs “All I Want For XMas is You” of all time. Mariah is wonderful and never took drugs or did anything to taint her name in her career. Saw her in concert several years back and she was absolutely marvelous. There is a good reason why she has the most #1 songs by a female artist. Thanks for the voice of a generation Mariah! You are loved by millions!
People turn into a whole different animal around Christmastime now don’t they? Tsk tsk tsk.
It was not lip-syncing, there was some dubbing. And in my opinion Rosemary, it haters are not just around Xmas, bloggers are more evil and mean-spirited than ever. I skipped the majority of comments because they are so depressing. They don’t share opinions they spew and enjoy spewing hateful remarks. I wonder who they really are and if blogging alone in front of their PC is all they have… you can feel sorry for them
Not everyone has holiday cheer and that’s a crying shame.
What’s even more shameful is the fact that they want to spew their grumpiness from the mountain tops!!! Misery LOVES company…indeed!
Thank you very much for your posting Rosemary. I agree completely that Mariah is one of the greatest voices of this and any generation!
Count me among the millions of adoring fans!