It looks as if Darlene Love has fallen back in love with Mariah Carey now that the latter diva’s effort to trademark the phrase “Queen of Christmas” has failed.
Love seems almost eager, in fact, to take up the mic alongside the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer.
The prolific backup singer-turned-lead vocalist was apparently heartened by Carey’s collaborative Instagram post Monday with Spotify, where she explained why she recorded Love’s song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on her 1994 holiday album, “Merry Christmas.”
“When I did ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ it was because I listen to that song every year, like every year,” Carey said in the video clip. “And it was an homage to Darlene Love, the Queen of Christmas — Darlene Love, that we LOVE, we live for her, she can have that title forever. We love that song.”
Carey went on to explain more technical details of why she loves “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”
“The wall of sound, the Phil Spector moment, just as a musician, as a producer, as a writer, you know, my respect for that particular Christmas song is just so massive,” she said.
Love, in turn, was effusive in her praise for Carey, who had been on her naughty list earlier this year.
“Thank you, Mariah Carey! This just warmed my heart! Love you very much and I apologize if my words towards you were a bit harsh,” the “20 Feet From Stardom” star wrote Monday on Facebook. “I’ve always LOVED & ADORED you!! I’m HONORED to share the Queen of Christmas title with you and all the other talented performers on earth!”
In August, about a month after Carey’s doomed effort to trademark the “Queen of Christmas” phrase went public, Love was singing a different tune.
“Is it true that Mariah Carey trade marked ‘Queen of Christmas’?” Love wrote on Facebook. “What does that mean that I can’t use that title? David Letterman officially declared me the Queen of Christmas 29 years ago, a year before she released ‘All I want For Christmas Is You’ and at 81 years of age I’m NOT changing anything.
“I’ve been in the business for 52 years, have earned it and can still hit those notes! If Mariah has a problem call David or my lawyer!”
But no call to the lawyer was necessary: In mid-November, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board killed Carey’s bid to trademark the title after the musician and her company, Lotion LLC, failed to respond to opposition to it from yet another singing Christmas queen, Elizabeth Chan.
(When it was reported that Carey had lost her trademark bid, Love shared a news story on Facebook with an added dig: “Thank you, Lord!!”)
Meanwhile, Love had a new pitch for Carey in her Facebook post Monday.
“Maybe,” she wrote, “we can re-record Christmas Baby for a new holiday release in 2023?”
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