Despite cementing herself in the music industry with her incredible talent, Mariah Carey wasn't always secure in her performances. One of them is her cover of Darlene Love's timeless song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."
The 1963 hit, which features Love's strong voice and passionate devotion, is a Christmas classic. Although Carey was first nervous about her performance of it, her talent was ultimately apparent.
In an old interview, Love was asked about her thoughts on Carey's cover, where she revealed, "I think it's actually Mariah Carey because it sounds just like my version."
"I don't mean that she sounds like me. I was saying that it sounds my version, and her version sounds almost just alike."
Love said she was concern that some of Carey's fans might mistakenly believe she was the original artist, stating, "Matter of fact, it sounds so much alike, her fans think she is the original recorder of that song."
Initially, Love was not pleased with Carey's rendition.
"When I heard that, I went, 'Oh, come on, Mariah, you got your own Christmas song. Let me have mine,'" she recalled, likely referencing Carey's own hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which was included on the same album.
Despite her mixed feelings about the cover, Love acknowledged the impact of her own song. It brings joy to listeners, she said, adding, "That song means something to everybody that hears it."
The veteran diva added, "You would have thought it was Christmas in that recording studio 'cause every time we would finish doing one of the songs, everybody would be on a high."
"'Wow, that was great,' and when we got ready to do 'Christmas Baby,' well, you want to talk about joy, joy, joy and then think about that that song was recorded over 50 years ago."
Over the years, Love's version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" has become a well-known holiday song, peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018.
Carey's version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a staple on the radio every December, but it hasn't made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 yet.
Meanwhile, apart from her most well-known performance of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," Love is also well-known for her roles with The Crystals and on Elvis Presley's "68 Comeback Special."
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