"My Only Wish (This Year)" is a teen pop Christmas song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Brian Kierulf and Josh Schwartz and released originally in the Christmas compilation album Platinum Christmas. In the song's lyrics, Spears asks Santa Claus to find her a lover during the holidays. The track received generally mixed reviews from music critics. "My Only Wish (This Year)" charted on Denmark and Slovakia in December 2008 and December 2009, respectively.
[edit] Background and composition
On October 13, 2000, American publishing and media company Forbes reported that Spears had plans to record a song titled "My Only Wish (This Year)" for a Christmas album titled Platinum Christmas.[1] The song was included on the album, released on November 14, 2000.[1] "My Only Wish (This Year)" was written by Brian Kierulf and Josh Schwartz and produced by Kierulf.[2] "My Only Wish (This Year)" is a teen pop song,[3] and according to the sheet music published in musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, is composed in the key of C major. It runs in a fast shuffle rhythm, a rhythm pattern used mainly in jazz-influenced music. Spears's vocal range spans from the high note of G4 to the low note of A5.[4] In the song, Spears laments her loneliness during the holidays and asks Santa Claus to bring her a lover,[5] which is perceived in lines such as "He's all I want, just for me/Underneath my Christmas tree".[6] Since its release, the song has been included in more than eight Christmas music compilations, including Now That's What I Call Christmas! (2001), Super Christmas Hits (2006) and Christmas Top 100 (2009).[5][7]
[edit] Critical reception
Michael Roberts of the Dallas Observer named the song "an unobjectionable but generic retro bounce-fest".[8] Lori Reese of Entertainment Weekly called it "festive".[3] In her review of Now That's What I Call Christmas!, Melissa Ruggieri of the Richmond Times-Dispatch commented, "Thankfully, only a small portion of disc two is devoted to tween magnets including Britney Spears ('My Only Wish [This Year]') and 'N Sync ('You Don't Have to Be Alone [On Christmas]')".[5] Gabrielle Rice of Yahoo! named "My Only Wish (This Year)" one of Spears' best and most remembered songs, saying, however, that it only "made the Top 10 list because the lyrics [and] fast shuffle rhythm [...] are just plain cute",[9] while a reviewer for Yahoo! Shopping noted the singer "turns in the most sexually charged performance of a seasonal song since Eartha Kitt's 'Santa Baby'".[10] On his review of classic Christmas songs, The Sydney Morning Herald writer Richard Jinman said that the track, along with Mariah Carey's 1994 single "All I Want for Christmas Is You", were "[two] ho-ho-horrible singles".[11]
The Detroit News writer Adam Graham also commented that the "sleigh bells and holiday cheer abound on this bouncy teen-pop ditty [...] follows in the tradition" of Carey's single.[12] Sam Lansky of PopCrush included the song on his list of Top 10 Original Christmas Pop Songs, writing, "another millennial teen pop jam, Britney Spears' 'My Only Wish (This Year)' follows the time-honored tradition of asking Santa Claus for love",[6] while considering it "a sweet throwback to the simpler days of [Brit]ney."[6] Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered the song as a "pop holiday classic",[13] despite noting the song was recorded "long before Britney turned into a white-trash bride".[14] Erlewine also thought that "Britney simply sounded better singing fizzy bubblegum like 'My Only Wish (This Year)' instead of laborious workouts like '(I Got That) Boom Boom'."[14] Steve Leggett also of Allmusic noted the song as "a nice and bright backdrop for that Christmas party or dinner."[15] MTV blogger Tamar Anitai described "My Only Wish (This Year)" as "the absolute holy grail of 1990s pop Christmas songs."[16]
[edit] Chart performance
On the chart issue of December 26, 2008, "My Only Wish (This Year)" charted in the Danish Singles Chart due to digital downloads, debuting and peaking at number 34 before dropping the chart in the following week.[17] In the following year, the song re-entered the chart at number 37.[17] The song also charted in Slovakia, on the chart issue of December 28, 2009, at number 54.[18] On the chart issue of November 27, 2010, "My Only Wish (This Year)" made its first appearance on Billboard Holiday/Seasonal Digital Songs, where it peaked at number 49, due to digital downloads.[19] As of December 3, 2010, "My Only Wish (This Year)" has sold 162,000 digital paid downloads in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[20] On the chart issue of December 8, 2011, "My Only Wish (This Year)" debuted at number 170 on South Korea's International Download Gaon Chart, following digital sales of 3,671 copies.[21] On the chart issue of December 24, 2011, the song peaked at number 24, selling a total of 690,545 digital units.[21] On the International Comprehensive Tracks component chart, it peaked at number 34.[21]
[edit] Credits and personnel
[edit] Charts
[edit] References
- ^ a b Schiffman, Betsy (2010-10-13). "Forbes Faces: Britney Spears". Forbes. Forbes publishing. http://www.forbes.com/2000/10/13/1013faces.html. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ (2000) Album notes for Platinum Christmas by Various artists [Liner notes]. Jive Records.
- ^ a b Reese, Lori (2000-10-13). "Very Warm Suit". Entertainment Weekly (Time Warner). http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,85629,00.html. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ "Digital Sheet Music Britney Spears - My Only Wish (This Year)". musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?ppn=MN0060938. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ a b c Ruggieri, Melissa (2001-12-13). "Do you hear what I hear? ; give a listen to these holiday sounds". Richmond Times-Dispatch (Thomas A. Silvestri). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/timesdispatch/access/95099598.html?dids=95099598:95099598&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+13%2C+2001&author=Melissa+Ruggieri%3B+Contact+Melissa+Ruggieri+at+%28804%29+649-6120+or+mruggieri%40timesdispatch.com&pub=Richmond+Times+-+Dispatch&desc=DO+YOU+HEAR+WHAT+I+HEAR%3F+%3B+GIVE+A+LISTEN+TO+THESE+HOLIDAY+SOUNDS&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ a b c Lansky, Sam. "TOP 10 ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS POP SONGS". PopCrush. http://popcrush.com/christmas-pop-songs/. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
- ^ "Britney Spears - My Only Wish (This Year)". Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Britney+Spears&titel=My+Only+Wish+%28This+Year%29&cat=s. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ Roberts, Michael (2000-12-21). "Holidaze". Dallas Observer (Stuart Folb). http://www.dallasobserver.com/2000-12-21/music/holidaze/. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ Rice, Gabrielle (2010-03-29). "Top 10 Songs by Britney Spears: The Best and Most Remembered". Yahoo!. http://voices.yahoo.com/top-10-songs-britney-spears-best-most-remembered-5726654.html. Retrieved 2011-12-08.
- ^ "Platinum Christmas - Various Artists". Yahoo! Shopping. Yahoo!. http://shopping.yahoo.com/539443001-platinum-christmas/. Retrieved 2011-12-08.
- ^ Jinman, Richard (2003-12-22). "Seasons gratings". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/22/1071941654076.html. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ Graham, Adam (2011-12-08). "My Christmas tunes". The Detroit News. Jonathan Wolman. http://detnews.com/article/20111208/ENT04/112080303/1424/ENT04/My-Christmas-tunes. Retrieved 2011-12-08.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2001-10-23). "Now That's What I Call Christmas! by Various Artists". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/now-thats-what-i-call-christmas-universal-r558090. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2004-10-12). "Ultimate Christmas 2 by Various Artists". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/now-thats-what-i-call-christmas-universal-r558090. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ Legget, Steve (2010-07-10). "Do You Hear What I Hear? Women of Christmas by Various Artists". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/do-you-hear-what-i-hear-women-of-christmas-r1838472. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ Anitai, Tamar (2011-12-22). "Our Favorite Holiday Songs That Aren't Totally Mortifying + A Few That Definitely Are". MTV. MTV Networks. http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/12/22/holiday-songs/. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
- ^ a b c "danishcharts.com - Britney Spears - My Only Wish (This Year)". Tracklisten. Hung Medien. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Britney+Spears&titel=My+Only+Wish+%28This+Year%29&cat=s. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
- ^ a b "Radio Top 100 Oficiálna - Spears Britney - My Only Wish". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparadask/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=18&titul=145973&sec=8d1806e7078924366bd1cdc51204c56b. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
- ^ a b "Holiday/Seasonal Digital Songs — Subscription Required". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2010-11-27. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/chart-search-results/singles/3125351. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
- ^ Grein, Paul (2010-12-03). "Chart Watch Extra: Christmas' Greatest Hits - Chart Watch". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/70333/chart-watch-extra-christmas-greatest-hits/;_ylt=Al3fFLDRVWHKhSNc6IdYOYoPwiUv?page=2#comments. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
- ^ a b c d e "가온차트와 함께하세요" (in Korean). GAON. http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?Search_str=my+only+wish+this+yeah&x=0&y=0.
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