Judy Garland made us all cry when she sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in 1944’s movie Meet Me in St. Louis. The movie takes us through a year in the life of a large family in St. Louis, starting in 1903, ending at the World’s Fair of 1904. While largely a comedy, the scene where Judy sings Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas will make even the most hard-hearted cynic tear up at least a little.
In the scene, there is just Judy and the seven-year old Margaret O’Brien. (Margaret was seven, playing a five-year old.) The family has just found out that they will be moving before the new year, and all the kids are upset. Judy finds Margaret and sings to her, trying to cheer her up. It doesn’t really work.
In the end, the family doesn’t move. They all attend the World’s Fair and live happily ever after.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So, have yourself a merry little Christmas now
While the song, as sung in the movie, is steeped with melancholy, it could have been even sadder.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
It may be your last
Next year we may all be living in the past
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Pop that champagne cork
Next year we may all be living in New York
Those were some of the original lyrics that were given to Judy to sing to her little sister. She balked at these, saying that people would think she was being a monster to her sister. The writer went back to the old drawing board and came up with a slightly less sad version.
While the movie takes place in 1903 and 1904, it came out in 1944, while WWII was in full swing. Many people had loved ones who were far away. No one was sure if they were ever coming back. The lyrics that were sung in the movie struck a chord with everyone.
Over a decade later, in 1957, Frank Sinatra was recording a Christmas album entitled A Jolly Christmas. He went to Hugh Martin, the composer, and asked for a more cheerful lyric. He didn’t feel that the line Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow was quite in keeping with the jolly part of Christmas. Martin came up with Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. Frank recorded that, and it is now the more common lyric.
Which version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas do you prefer? I’ll be playing several versions of the song on my Minnich Music FaceBook page this week, so be sure to check them out.
Until next time!
In the scene, there is just Judy and the seven-year old Margaret O’Brien. (Margaret was seven, playing a five-year old.) The family has just found out that they will be moving before the new year, and all the kids are upset. Judy finds Margaret and sings to her, trying to cheer her up. It doesn’t really work.
In the end, the family doesn’t move. They all attend the World’s Fair and live happily ever after.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So, have yourself a merry little Christmas now
While the song, as sung in the movie, is steeped with melancholy, it could have been even sadder.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
It may be your last
Next year we may all be living in the past
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Pop that champagne cork
Next year we may all be living in New York
Those were some of the original lyrics that were given to Judy to sing to her little sister. She balked at these, saying that people would think she was being a monster to her sister. The writer went back to the old drawing board and came up with a slightly less sad version.
While the movie takes place in 1903 and 1904, it came out in 1944, while WWII was in full swing. Many people had loved ones who were far away. No one was sure if they were ever coming back. The lyrics that were sung in the movie struck a chord with everyone.
Over a decade later, in 1957, Frank Sinatra was recording a Christmas album entitled A Jolly Christmas. He went to Hugh Martin, the composer, and asked for a more cheerful lyric. He didn’t feel that the line Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow was quite in keeping with the jolly part of Christmas. Martin came up with Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. Frank recorded that, and it is now the more common lyric.
Which version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas do you prefer? I’ll be playing several versions of the song on my Minnich Music FaceBook page this week, so be sure to check them out.
Until next time!
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