Maps of Music

Merry Christmas II You (2010)

Where the lyrics of Merry Christmas II You take you, and where it was really made.

The album began as a remix project that was shelved, and its Christmas sequel was recorded while Carey became pregnant.

Key places

Recording at Westlake Studios, Los Angeles (2010)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — The album's recording sessions are listed at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, one of the studios named for the record. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Henson Studios, Los Angeles (2010)

Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Henson Studios in Los Angeles is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Capitol Studios (2010)

Recording site Capitol Studios — Capitol Studios is listed as a recording studio for the album, though the source names New York City as its location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Atlanta (2010)

Recording site DARP Studios (Atlanta) — Southside Studios in Atlanta is listed among the album's recording locations; the point marks the city centre. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Merry Christmas II You is the thirteenth studio album and second Christmas album by Mariah Carey
• Released on November 2, 2010 by Island Def Jam
• The II in the title marks it as a sequel to her fourth studio album, Merry Christmas (1994)
• The album mixes original songs and covers, with both ballads and uptempo tracks
• Its composition draws on R&B, soul, and house music
• Carey was the executive producer and worked with several record producers
• Her mother, Patricia Carey, appears as a guest vocalist on O Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus

Background

• Carey's twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, came out in 2009 and produced the top ten Hot 100 track Obsessed
• Later singles from that album did not repeat the success, with I Want to Know What Love Is peaking at number 60 on the Hot 100
• A remix album titled Angels Advocate was planned for early 2010 but was halted in March 2010 and shelved indefinitely
• In April 2010, Jermaine Dupri said he and Carey had already begun working on new songs
• The title Merry Christmas II You and the November release date were revealed on September 1, 2010

Recording

• Recording began in April 2010 and continued while Carey became pregnant
• Producers included Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Randy Jackson, James Poyser, Marc Shaiman, James "Big Jim" Wright, and Johnny "Sev" Severin of RedOne
• Recording studios are listed in Los Angeles, New York City, and Atlanta
• The album includes horn parts on When Christmas Comes, with trumpet, trombone, sax, and flute players credited

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born March 27, 1969 in Huntington, New York, on Long Island.
• Youngest of three children of Patricia Hickey, a former opera singer, and Alfred Roy Carey, an aeronautical engineer.
• Began singing at age three; graduated from Harborfields High School in 1987.
• Worked as a demo singer and backup singer, including for Brenda K. Starr.

Career

• Signed to Columbia Records after Tommy Mottola heard her demo tape in December 1988.
• Debut album Mariah Carey (1990) topped the US Billboard 200 and won Best New Artist at the Grammys.
• Became the first artist whose first five singles reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Music Box (1993), Merry Christmas (1994), and Daydream (1995) achieved major global sales.
• Later albums moved toward hip-hop and R&B, including Butterfly (1997) and Rainbow (1999).
• Comeback album The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) was her fifth number-one album in the US.
• Known as the 'Songbird Supreme' and 'Queen of Christmas'; one of the best-selling artists in history with over 220 million records sold.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• The album received mixed reviews from critics, with Metacritic giving it an average score of 60 from eight reviews
• About.com writer Bill Lamb praised its relaxed, comfortable feel and named Oh Santa!, One Child, and When Christmas Comes as the strongest original songs
• Lamb felt Christmas Time Is In the Air Again was overshadowed by its heavy orchestration
• Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle was complimentary, writing that the album captures the same magic as her previous Christmas album
• Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the four new original compositions as giving it a lively modern feel
• Erlewine called the album as a complete body of work cheerful and engaging and a worthy successor to the previous Christmas album
• Rolling Stone writer Caryn Ganz disliked the two original ballads but praised Oh Santa! and When Christmas Comes for their uptempo melodies
• Ganz found the re-recording of All I Want for Christmas Is You hard to figure out and concluded that the LP's warm heart is in the right place
• Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine gave the album two and a half stars out of five
• Henderson called it an incredibly adventureless album while also calling it a remarkably comforting listen
• The Village Voice critic Rich Juzwiak was critical, describing One Child as a needless retelling

Records

• Debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 55,000 copies
• Reached number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Holiday Albums charts
• Peaked at number seven on the Digital Albums chart
• Certified Gold by the RIAA on January 11, 2011, for shipments exceeding 500,000 copies
• Had sold 587,000 copies in the United States as of November 2018
• Peaked at number fourteen in Canada and number four in South Korea, her first top-ten album there
• Peaked at number 101 on the UK Albums Chart, one place outside the top 100

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Oh Santa! reached number one in its second week on the Adult Contemporary chart, the quickest ascent in the chart's history and the only song to do so.
• The Charlie Brown Christmas medley piece contains elements from Linus and Lucy and Christmas Time Is Here.
• When Christmas Comes was released as a duet with John Legend, and its music video includes footage from the film A Charlie Brown Christmas.
• Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem) came out as a single with a nine-song remix EP and drew a negative response from all critics who reviewed it.
• O Holy Night is a live recording made at the WPC in South Central Los Angeles in 2000 for the song's music video.
• The album's artwork was shot by David LaChapelle with fake snow and wooden cutout reindeers, confirming its Christmas theme.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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