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all i want for christmas is you

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Man's festive cover of Radiohead's 'Creep' is great, but not what anyone expected

via Rhysics/TikTok

Rhysics Radiohead cover.

A member of the Sydney, Australia band Rhysics has pulled the ultimate "Mariah-roll" by singing Carey's 1994 Christmas megahit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" over Radiohead's 1994 self-loathing anthem, "Creep."

On Monday, musician Jordan Siwek posted a TikTok video of him playing an instrumental version of "Creep" on the piano and invited people to sing it with him on the app. "Creep! Duet with Me!" he wrote.

The member of the Rhysics responded by posting a video that began with the ultimate misdirection. He says that every guy in their 20s and 30s knows "all the words by heart" to the song and then instead of singing "Creep" belts out "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

@rhysics_
#duet with @pianojordan It's so nice when people remember about this song every 12 months or so :) #mariahcarey #alliwantforchristmas

The interesting thing about the mashup is that the music to "Creep" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is actually pretty similar. Both have similar chord progressions that move from G to versions of B to C and then, the catcher here is the switch to C minor.

Both songs do the C to C minor switch at the same time, "Christmas" in the first verse on the word "underneath" and "Creep" on the word "cry." Notice that both songs suddenly get melancholy when the chord flips from major to minor. It's a jarring change, one that The Beatles used more than a few times.

While the member of the Rhysics' vocal performance does a great job at bridging the gap between both songs, this isn't the first someone has made a "Creep" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" mashup.

In 2019, William Maranci made a mashup of the two songs by splicing Thom Yorke's vocal over Carey's music.

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Mariah Carey inspired a Twitter rally after a Texas bar banned her Christmas song

Twitter, Twitter

Mariah Carey Christmas song ban.

Mariah Carey's uber famous "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has been a staple of the holiday since the late '90s. Who can remember the last time they entered a department store without trying–and failing– to match that impossible whistle tone during the final chorus? It's about as synonymous with Yuletide cheer as Rudolph, only sassier.

Well, apparently a (still unidentified) bar in Texas has had quite enough of the holiday pop hit. Someone there taped an unceremonious piece of white paper next to the jukebox that stated plainly "Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You will be skipped if played before Dec. 1. After Dec 1 the song is only allowed one time a night."

Dallas jukebox pic.twitter.com/Dp2T1QMaMK
— Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) October 22, 2021

I mean, the whole "when to start playing Christmas music" debate has been a source of contention for years. I personally cringe when November 1 rolls around and carols permeate the radio stations, but clearly this bar had an even stronger stance. The paper was tweeted by a critic for National Review. From there, the tweet went viral.

Those familiar to retail had a shared trauma response. "If you haven't worked retail then let me explain.The song plays 50 times a day on the store radio from November 1 (maybe earlier) to December 25. It's hell," wrote one "victim."

If you haven't worked retail then let me explain.

The song plays 50 times a day on the store radio from November 1 (maybe earlier) to December 25.

It's hell.
— Tet (@765Tet) November 3, 2021

Another (soon to be divorced) man wrote: "I need to print this out for my wife," which received the prompt response of "How about you let your wife enjoy things she likes before she decides you aren't one of those things?" Yup, holiday drama is already coming in hot.

One Twitter user responded with "Is this the war on Christmas I've heard about?" which caught the attention of Carey herself.

Carey's response? In a word, iconic. The pop singer posted a photo of herself from a 2015 ad for the mobile video game "Game of War," completely decked out in battle armor and holding a sword. Move over Xena, there's a new warrior princess in town. And she's ready to defend her Christmas kingdom.

https://t.co/FMk3NERimD pic.twitter.com/teGgY45mcj
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) October 28, 2021

Carey was quick to garner support from her fans. Like this person, asking where to join her army.

Where can I join your army? pic.twitter.com/fBcV5cwiXM
— Jess {fan acc} (@britneyxmariah) October 28, 2021

Another wrote "me on my way to fight for the queen" accompanied by a video of Carey on a jet plane and singing yet another holiday song. That's some kind of allegiance, if you ask me.

Carey posted another video on Instagram, showing three jack-o-lanterns sitting in a row with the words "it's not time." Scary, sinister music plays and a bell tolls. Carey, wearing a sparkly red gown and sky high heels sneaks in through a door holding a giant candy cane the size of a baseball bat (you might see where this is going). With a swing of her candy cane, Mariah destroys one of the pumpkins, changing the message to "it's time" while her famous-slash-infamous song plays. If a war on Christmas is what they want, a war on Christmas is what they'll get.

See on Instagram

This got even more fan responses, including the person who wrote, in all caps, "MARIAH INVENTED CHRISTMAS." Not historically accurate, but the sentiment is palpable.

If you think that's something, check out the other Twitter user who wrote "SHE IS CHRISTMAS SHE IS SANTA SHE IS THE GODDAMN TREE." Seriously, don't mess with Mariah fans.

Though that one bar in Texas might have won the battle, the victor in this War for Christmas is still Queen Mariah, most definitely. She's already promoting her new Apple TV special "Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues," following up last year's "Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special." Which might be maddening to some, but to many, it embodies a fun, cheeky, more modern way to invite the holiday spirit. And hey, at least you know TV specials don't play on repeat while you do your Christmas shopping…

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all i want for christmas is you