Merry Christmas Darling

The song was first available on a 7-inch single that year (A&M Records 1236), and was later re-issued in 1974 (A&M 1648) and again in 1977 (A&M 1991). The single went to number one on Billboard's Christmas singles chart in 1970 (and did so again in 1971 and 1973) and peaked at number 41 on Cashbox.Whitburn, Joel. The Comparison Book (2015), p. 80

Richard Carpenter himself calls the original recording one of his sister's very best.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The original single version of the song can be found on the box sets From the Top and The Essential Collection: 1965–1997.

In 1978, the Carpenters issued their Christmas Portrait album, which contained a new version of "Merry Christmas Darling". The original 1970 mix continued to be used for all single releases, however. The major difference between the 1970 and 1978 versions is a newly recorded vocal by Karen Carpenter on the latter, which was done at her request.{{cite web |last1=Garrett |first1=Thad |title=The American Christmas Songbook: 'Merry Christmas, Darling' (1970) |url=https://www.lib.cua.edu/wordpress/newsevents/9949/ |publisher=The Catholic University of America |access-date=16 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191216182722/https://www.lib.cua.edu/wordpress/newsevents/9949/ |archive-date=16 December 2019 |language=en |date=19 December 2017 |quote=In 1978, at Karen’s request, the vocals were re-recorded for the release of Christmas Portrait, their first Christmas album. |url-status=live }}

In 2018, a version of "Merry Christmas Darling" featuring Karen Carpenter's vocals with new instrumentation appeared on the album The Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, produced by Richard Carpenter.

The lyrics were written in 1946 by 20-year-old Frank Pooler, which, according to him, were about a love interest he had at the time. Twenty years later in 1966, when he was choral director at California State University, Long Beach, two of his aspiring music students, Karen and Richard Carpenter, who were beginning to have success as a local band, asked him if he had any ideas for holiday songs. According to Pooler, they had become tired of the standard holiday songs they were singing. Pooler gave them the lyrics of the song he had written from years before, and told them he did not think much of the original melody. According to Pooler, Richard wrote a new tune for the lyrics{{em dash}}the tune currently used{{em dash}}in 15 minutes. Four years later, in 1970, the Carpenters first recorded and released it as a single.{{cite web |last1=Erickson |first1=Randy |title=Pooler's song dashed off for a girl became a Christmas standard |url=https://lacrossetribune.com/courierlifenews/news/local/pooler-s-song-dashed-off-for-a-girl-became-a/article_eb1aeb3a-3466-57fa-ac0a-4951ae9b8c31.html |website=Lacrossetribune.com |publisher=La Crosse Tribune |access-date=16 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191216185922/https://lacrossetribune.com/courierlifenews/news/local/pooler-s-song-dashed-off-for-a-girl-became-a/article_eb1aeb3a-3466-57fa-ac0a-4951ae9b8c31.html |archive-date=16 December 2019 |language=en |format=Online Newspaper |date=23 December 2005 |quote="In the summer of 1944... [Pooler wrote] a Christmas song for [his then-love interest]. [...] Pooler went ahead and had the song published by a little-known publishing house, and he still has a scratchy 78-rpm recording by a now-forgotten singer of his original version of 'Merry Christmas, Darling.' He didn’t think much about the song until more than 20 years later, when he was choral director at California State University-Long Beach. It was 1966 and a couple of students of his, Richard and Karen Carpenter, were playing gigs around town. They were sick of the standard holiday fare, so Richard asked Pooler, their favorite professor, if he had any ideas. Pooler remembered that song he had written many years before and mentioned it, but added he didn't think much of the melody anymore. Richard said he’d take a crack at writing a new tune, and about 15 minutes later he was done. [...] 'Merry Christmas, Darling' almost was recorded in the early 1970s by Elvis Presley, Pooler said. Presley couldn’t read music, so [after having problems learning the bridge of the song]... threw in the towel."}}

• Karen Carpenter - lead and backing vocals
• Richard Carpenter - backing vocals, piano, celesta, Wurlitzer electric piano, orchestration
• Joe Osborn - bass
• Hal Blaine - drums
• Bob Messenger - tenor saxophone
• Uncredited - vibes

Elvis Presley almost recorded his own version in the early 1970s, but struggled learning the bridge, as he could not read music, and gave up.

In 1999, Amy Grant recorded a version for her third Christmas album, A Christmas to Remember. It was a hidden track, uncredited on the artwork and available only on copies purchased at Target.

The song was covered by Lea Michele on "A Very Glee Christmas", the 10th episode of the second season of Glee. It is featured on the Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album.

In 2020, for the 50th anniversary of the song, Canadian singer Lennon Stella covered "Merry Christmas Darling" for Amazon Music's Originals playlist.{{cite web|url=https://etcanada.com/news/712944/justin-bieber-records-rockin-around-the-christmas-tree-for-amazon-originals-holiday-playlist/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113064226/https://etcanada.com/news/712944/justin-bieber-records-rockin-around-the-christmas-tree-for-amazon-originals-holiday-playlist/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2020|title=Justin Bieber Is 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree' For Amazon Originals Holiday Playlist|date=November 12, 2020|access-date=November 20, 2020|last=Darmon|first=Aynslee|work=ET Canada}}

In December 2020, musical theater star Liz Callaway recorded a cover of "Merry Christmas Darling" for her album Comfort and Joy (An Acoustic Christmas).

In 2023, Lizzy McAlpine released a cover of “Merry Christmas, Darling” on SoundCloud.

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• {{YouTube|TFqO8rgnWHg|"Merry Christmas, Darling"}}

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Spoken Wikipedia en Merry Christmas Darling.ogg|date=2016-01-04}}

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Category:1970 songs

Category:1970 singles

Category:A&M Records singles

Category:The Carpenters songs

Category:American Christmas songs

Category:Kimberley Locke songs

Category:Vanessa Williams songs

Category:Songs written by Richard Carpenter (musician)

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