All Mariah Carey wants for Christmas is a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that claims she copied her 1994 holiday classic from a 1989 song called “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Vince Vance & the Valiants.
In November 2023, Vance and his co-writer accused Mariah of copyright infringement, claiming in a lawsuit that the title and its underlying theme, as well as lyrics and certain musical elements, were ripped off from their song. In new documents obtained by ABC News and filed in Los Angeles federal court on Aug. 12, Mariah’s lawyers are asking for the case to be dismissed because they claim none of those things are true.
Mariah’s lawyers argue that the idea of wanting someone for Christmas rather than presents is an idea, and copyright only protects “expression of ideas, not the idea themselves.” So, while the lyrics of both songs contain references to Christmas tropes like Santa Claus and mistletoe, the idea itself is “commonplace and unprotectable.”
Meanwhile, the lawyers point out that song titles are not protectable and neither is the phrase “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” In fact, it had been used in at least 13 songs prior to Vance’s, and copyright laws don’t protect “expressions that are standard, stock, or common to a particular subject matter or medium,” her lawyers argue.
Plus, citing experts, the lawyers contend that the music of the two songs — chords, melody, song structure, key, rhythm — isn’t similar at all.
In a footnote, the lawyers say that if the suit proceeds, they’re prepared to show that Vance ripped off his song from a 1964 Bobby Vinton song called “My Heart Belongs Only To You.” And according to law, if Vance’s song was itself ripped off, it’s not protected by copyright.