One of the three original songs on Merry Christmas is “Jesus Born on This Day.” Mariah wrote the song with Walter Afanasieff keeping in mind the traditional hymns about the birth of Christ.
The opening chords immediately set the atmosphere and the lyrics tell us the story of salvation brought upon earth on Christmas Day. One thing that strikes about the song is how Mariah didn’t really have to use a lot of words to get the message across: in fact, the repetitive nature of the song is what makes it a classic in the way religious songs often are. The focus is on Jesus and how He changed the world with His coming and there’s nothing that can embellish such a glorious event.
One last touch is the choir of kids accompanying Mariah’s soaring vocals in the chorus, making it even more sweet and delicate. This song is definitely overlooked because it doesn’t pack the same punch as the joyful and uptempo “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” but its simplicity is what makes it special.
“Jesus Born on This Day” is worth the listen, if only to appreciate a different nuance of Mariah Carey’s abilities in writing Christmas music.