It Was a... (Masked Christmas)
{{short description|2021 song by Jimmy Fallon, Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = It Was a... (Masked Christmas)
| type = single
| cover = It Was A... (Masked Christmas).jpg
| alt =
| artist = Jimmy Fallon, Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion
| album = Holiday Seasoning
| released = {{Start date|2021|12|7}}
| recorded =
| studio = Electric Lady
| genre =
| length = 3:00
| label = Republic
| writer =
- Gregory Hein
- Ido Zmishlany
- Jimmy Fallon
- Myles William
- Rami Yacoub
| producer =
- Ido Zmishlany
- Myles William
| chronology = Jimmy Fallon
| prev_title = Ew!
| prev_year = 2014
| next_title = Almost Too Early for Christmas
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Ariana Grande
| type = single
| prev_title = Save Your Tears
| prev_version = Remix
| prev_year = 2021
| title = It Was a... (Masked Christmas)
| year = 2021
| next_title = Santa, Can't You Hear Me
| next_year = 2022
}}
{{Extra chronology
| artist = Megan Thee Stallion
| type = single
| prev_title = Megan's Piano
| prev_year = 2021
| title = It Was a... (Masked Christmas)
| year = 2021
| next_title = Lick
| next_year = 2022
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|bSHz5S3yIzg|"It Was a... (Masked Christmas)"}}}}
}}
"It Was a... (Masked Christmas)" is a song by American television host, actor, and comedian Jimmy Fallon, American singer Ariana Grande and American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on December 7, 2021, via Republic Records. The song was written by Fallon, Gregory Hein, Ido Zmishlany, Myles William, and Rami Yacoub, and produced by Zmishlany and William.{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7LsTjhsTKJA0Rfwwx1ppXs|title=It Was A... (Masked Christmas) – Jimmy Fallon, Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion|via=Spotify|access-date=December 8, 2021}} It is Fallon's first Christmas single in nearly four years since his 2017 cover of "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ariana-grande-megan-thee-stallion-and-jimmy-fallon-masked-christmas-video-1235006529/|title=Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion and Jimmy Fallon Get Us Warmed Up for a 'Masked Christmas': Watch|magazine=Billboard|author= |date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}} and also his first official single since "Ew!" with will.i.am (2014).{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/ariana-grande-megan-thee-stallion-jimmy-fallon-it-was-a-masked-christmas/|title=Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, And Jimmy Fallon Keep Things Safe On 'It Was A… (Masked Christmas)'|work=Uproxx|last=Rossignol|first=Derrick|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}} The song is included on the track listing of Fallon's third studio album, Holiday Seasoning (2024).{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/jimmy-fallon-holiday-seasoning-album-announcement-1235797456/|title=Jimmy Fallon Announces Festive 'Holiday Seasoning' Album|date=October 10, 2024|first=Rania|last=Aniftos|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 10, 2024}}
Background
On December 6, 2021, Fallon posted the "pandemic-themed" song on Instagram and Twitter with the caption: "Guys. I can't believe I'm typing this but – I'm dropping a new single and video tonight with @ArianaGrande and @theestallion".{{cite web|url=https://people.com/music/jimmy-fallon-debuts-new-holiday-song-masked-christmas-with-megan-thee-stallion-and-ariana-grande/|title=Jimmy Fallon Debuts New Holiday Song 'Masked Christmas' with Megan Thee Stallion and Ariana Grande|work=People|last=Heching|first=Dan|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}} He told Associated Press that the inspiration behind the song was messing around while he was recording at Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan in August, explaining: "I wanted to write something reflecting on how tough it was for everyone last year during the holidays and that it's gonna get better." "If we can get people to go get the booster or get the vaccine, that’d be amazing. If not, hopefully it just makes people smile and have a good time." "That was kind of a wake-up call where you think, 'Why not do as much as we can to make people happy?' We forget about these things. And this is a great time to celebrate and get together".{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-entertainment-health-arts-and-entertainment-movies-8e4e3cbb77c98cc338cb4762d52595de|title=Fallon teams with Grande, Megan Thee Stallion for holidays|work=Associated Press|last=Gamboa|first=Glenn|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}} The song also marks the second collaboration between Grande and Megan Thee Stallion, after her feature on the remix of Grande's "34+35", alongside Doja Cat.
Content
Fallon stated on The Tonight Show: "It's basically about how last year was just rough on everybody. I wanted to say 'it's going to get better. It really is going to get better, trust me,' and how can I portray that? And also think about what funny things have happened while we were in lockdown, like putting Purell on everything or going on a Zoom, Zooming your grandpa and grandma and seeing where the Wi-Fi works best. So I write this song".{{cite web|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a38449971/ariana-grande-megan-thee-stallion-jimmy-fallon-it-was-a-masked-christmas-lyrics-meaning/|title=Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, And Jimmy Fallon's 'It Was A... (Masked Christmas)' Lyrics Are The Moment|work=Elle|last=Bailey|first=Alyssa|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}}
Composition
In a press release, "It Was a... (Masked Christmas)" was described as having "bubbly, '80s-esque synths and a sharp, mix-filling beat evocative of early '00s pop", and that Fallon "delivers the track's lead vocal with far more aplomb than expected from a late-night talk show host, adding colour to Grande's ethereal singing with his bold, autotune-inflected flair".{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/ariana-grande-and-megan-thee-stallion-join-jimmy-fallon-for-covid-19-christmas-song-3112712|title=Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion join Jimmy Fallon for COVID-19 Christmas song|work=NME|last=Doria|first=Matt|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}} It is written in the key of D major, with a tempo of 124 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://musicstax.com/playlist/it-was-a-masked-christmas-ariana-grande-jummy-fallon-megan-thee-stallion/2rOv2839bwXKVssdRoXk3i|title=Key/BPM of playlist it Was A... (Masked Christmas) - Ariana Grande Jummy Fallon Megan Thee stallion|website=Musicstax|access-date=December 8, 2021}}
Critical reception
Lester Fabian Brathwaite of Entertainment Weekly commented that the song "brings all the retro ho-ho-holiday charm of a 'Last Christmas', very Wham! featuring George Michael vibes".{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/jimmy-fallon-ariana-grande-megan-thee-stallion-masked-christmas/|title=Jimmy Fallon decks the halls — safely — with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion on 'Masked Christmas'|magazine=EW|last=Fabian Brathwaite|first=Lester|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}}
Music video
The music video was premiered on The Tonight Show aired on December 6, 2021. It showcases Fallon, Grande and Stallion "in a series of Christmas-themed settings", like "drinking eggnog by an open fire, skiing down a mountain, dancing inside a snow globe and lining up for their vaccine booster shots". For Stallion's verse, she "appears wearing vaccine needles glued to her fingernails".{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/jimmy-fallon-ariana-grande-masked-christmas/|title=Watch The Video For Jimmy Fallon, Ariana Grande & Megan Thee Stallion's 'It Was A Masked Christmas'|work=Udiscovermusic|last=Peacock|first=Tim|date=December 7, 2021|access-date=December 8, 2021}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "It Was a... (Masked Christmas)" ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|44|artist=Megan Thee Stallion|rowheader=true|access-date=March 19, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadahotac|45|artist=Megan Thee Stallion|rowheader=true|access-date=March 19, 2022}} |
| scope="row"| South Korea Download (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=52&hitYear=2021&termGbn=week|title=2021년 52주차 Download Chart|publisher=Gaon|language=ko|access-date=January 30, 2022}}
| 196 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jimmy-fallon/chart-history/xdt/|title=Jimmy Fallon Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 22, 2021}}
| 37 |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|38|artist=Jimmy Fallon|rowheader=true|access-date=December 29, 2021}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ariana Grande songs}}
{{Megan Thee Stallion}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:It Was a Masked Christmas}}
Category:American Christmas songs
Category:Megan Thee Stallion songs
Category:Songs about the COVID-19 pandemic
Category:Songs written by Ido Zmishlany