It wouldn’t be Christmas without commercials, stores, and people blasting Mariah Carey’s catchy earworm carol “All I Want.” It’s a tune that has been dominant for years now. It’s spent 43 weeks on top of Billboard’s Holiday 100 listing.
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However, Carey’s tune could be in danger of finally being toppled. That’s if Brenda Lee has her way. Lee’s tune “Rockin'” actually predates Carey’s by 36 years making it the OG in comparison. While “All I Want” has been No. 1 on the charts since 2019, “Rockin'” has been steadily gathering steam at No.2.
There’s potential for Lee to finally gain that No. 1 spot. You see, Lee is currently celebrating the 65th anniversary of her tune. As a result, Lee and her label have increased their promotional efforts. For one, they’ve dropped a new music video featuring both Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood earlier this month.
Likewise, Lee has also released an EP titled A Rockin’ Christmas With Brenda Lee, which included a new version of “Rockin.'” Lee’s also taken to performing in Christmas specials like the Christmas at the Opry as well as increasing her social media presence, according to Billboard.
Carey hasn’t exactly been sleeping on the job, performing her tune at the Billboard Music Awards as well as partnering with Victoria Secret. However, the race for Christmas supremacy is a tight one this year, and given Lee’s legacy in music, it may be appropriate that it’s finally her year.
She is living proof of how important you can be and how long you can last if you’re talented and you work hard and you truly love people,” Tucker told the New York Times.
However, it’s not as serious as it seems. While Lee recognizes that Carey stands between her and that No. 1 spot, the singer sees it as more of a friendly competition.
“I would’ve never thought in my wildest dreams that ‘Rockin’ would be my signature song,” Brenda Lee told the New York Times. She also added, “Now I gotta worry about Mariah. Get outta here, girl!” Growing more serious, she added, “Oh, there’s room for everybody. Her song’s good, too. I love her singing.”
(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Global Citizen)
