Michael Buble Tells The Story Behind His Take On Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Michael Buble "Christmas" 143/Reprise Records
Recently we told you about Michael Buble’s new holiday album, Christmas and all of his cool things involved with promoting it! As we mentioned previously, that album features Michael singing some of the world’s best known Christmas classics in only the way that he can. While the album features timeless songs that have been performed by other major crooners of the past like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, Michael’s first official single from the album however is his version of a modern classic from one of this generation’s greatest female talents.
That single is a remake of Mariah Carey’s hit single, turned Christmas radio staple, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” It was written by Mariah and Walter Afanasieff in mid 1994, originally for her holiday themed album, Merry Christmas from Columbia Records. It has proven to be one of the most popular Christmas songs in the modern day. Mariah’s version first hit the top 10 on multiple charts in January of 1995 after it’s first Christmas season of release. In December of that year the song returned to those charts and years to follow after as the song grew more popular. The song was first ineligible for inclusion on the Billboard Hot 100 during its original release, because it was not released commercially as a single. In 1998, however, this rule was removed and allowed the song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number 83 in January 2000. The song went on to top the Hot Digital Songs in December 2005, but it was unable to gain a new peak on the Hot 100 because it was considered a recurrent single in radio rotation, and was thus ineligible for chart re-entry. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 Re-currents chart In December from 2005-2008. It has become the best-selling holiday ringtone, and it is the first holiday ringtone to be certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America .
Away from Mariah’s own success with the song, it has become one of the most covered Christmas songs from her era. Some of the people to cover the song include, Shania Twain, Olvia Olson, (Featured in the 2003 Universal Pictures’ film, Love Actually) Play, My Chemical Romance, The Cheetah Girls, Miley Cyrus, Whitney Duncan, John Mayer and many others In recent years the song was featured on Lady Antebellum’s 2010 holiday EP, A Merry Little Christmas, and was also covered by Big Time Rush and Miranda Cosgrove on Big Time Rush’s 2010 holiday EP, Holiday Bundle. Mariah has actually also covered the song, releasing new versions of the tune with her current label Island Def Jam, It was featured on her second Christmas album, 2010’s Merry Christmas II You. This year Mariah teamed up with her Island Records label mate, Justin Bieber to sing a duet version of her classic. Bieber’s version is featured on his hit 2011 holiday album, Under The Mistletoe.
As we mentioned to you in a previous post, Michael Buble’s version is produced by David Foster with his production partner/engineer, Humberto Gatica and Bob Rock. David Foster is a 16 Grammy winner best known for producing career defining ballads for the likes of Chicago, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston among many others. His 143 Records has been responsible for developing the careers of such great vocal talents like, Josh Groban, Charice, and Michael Buble himself. Bob Rock’s credits as a producer include land mark Pop/Rock works ranging from Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, and, Keep The Faith, several blockbuster album’s from Metallica, as well as Simple Plan’s Still Not Getting Any and Michael Buble’s own 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible among many others. When you combine the influences of Foster, Gatica and Rock’s production with Mariah’s classic song, you get a version of the song that is much less up tempo, more stripped down, but just as sincere and heart warming than the original if not more. It has a sounds like what would happen if you take the sound of Foster’s original 1992 Christmas composition, “Grown Up Christmas List” and combine it with the Mariah’s song lyrics, and Michael’s trademark vocals.
To come away with a unique take on a song as popular as “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Michael knew he and his team needed to come up with a fresh idea to help make his version stand out. The inspiration behind making his version came from an arrangement that Michael’s bass player, Craig Polasko came up with. Back in October Reprise Records published a video telling the story behind the production of the song. Now that the song is being promoted as a single, we wanted to share it with all of you.
Michael Buble Recording “All I Want For Christmas Is You
143/Reprise Records
Michael Buble
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From Christmas
143/Reprise Records
Original Version
Mariah Carey
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From Merry Christmas
1994 Columbia Records
Other Mariah Carey Versions
Mariah Carey
“”All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Extra Festive 2010 Version)
From Merry Christmas II You
Island Records/IDJMG
Justin Bieber Featuring Mariah Carey
“All I Wamt For Christmas Is You” (Super Festive 2011 Version)
From Under The Mistletoe
RBMG/Island Records/IDJMG
Related Media
Olivia Olson
“All I Want For Christmas”
From The 2003 Film, Love Actually
Universal Pictures
(Sound Starts 2 seconds in)
My Chemical Romance
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From Kevin & Bean’s Christmastime in the 909
The Cheetah Girls
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From Cheetah-licious Christmas
Walt Disney Records
John Mayer
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From WPLJ Benefit at Blythedale Childrens Hospital 2008
Big Time Rush Featuring Miranda Cosgrove
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From Holiday Bundle EP
Nickelodeon/Columbia Records
Lady Antebellum
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”
From A Merry Little Christmas EP
Capitol Records Nashville/EMI
David Foster Featuring Natalie Cole
“Grown Up Christmas List”
From River Of Love
World/A&M Records
