Posted on 12/01/2022 6:38:03 AM PST by Red Badger
Judy Garland singing 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'. Picture: Loew's, Inc.
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Did you know ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ could have had very different words? A glimpse into the journey the famous Christmas song has been on…
‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ is the musical equivalent of a warm hug; a gently melancholic melody sings out a narrative of festive hope, telling of a nostalgia for past times – “happy golden days of yore” – but faith in the future – “From now on, our troubles will be out of sight”.
Judy Garland, the shining star of Hollywood’s Golden Era, sang it first for a scene in Meet Me in St Louis (1944) in which her character comforts her younger sister, Margaret.
The song “began with the melody,” says songwriter Hugh Martin. “I found a little madrigal-like tune that I liked but couldn’t make work, so I played with it for two or three days and then threw it in the wastebasket.”
But his collaborator, Ralph Blane, heard it and reckoned Martin was mad to throw it out. “We dug around the wastebasket and found it,” Blane recalled. “Thank the Lord we found it.”
But, the lyrics weren’t quite right.
So, producers requested a rewrite. The song’s original lyrics, as dreamed up by Martin and Blane, evoked a very different Christmas feeling: ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas // It may be your last // Next year we may all be living in the past.’
Garland objected to the lyrics, apparently, saying they were too depressing and if she were to sing them, “Margaret will cry, and they’ll think I’m a monster”.
Eager to please their leading lady, Hollywood executives requested a rewrite. “They said, ‘No, no – it’s a sad scene, but we want sort of an upbeat song, which will make it even sadder if she’s smiling through her tears,” Martin said.
But Martin, who has since claimed the whole soundtrack was his work alone with no contribution from Blane, wasn’t keen for a rewrite. He had to be firmly nudged by a friend, actor Tom Drake, to write a new verse.
And eventually, he did.
VIDEO AT LINK..............
Which version do we hear today? Today, two versions are popularly sung. There’s the version Martin tweaked for Judy Garland – “Someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow” – which is a rather poignant listen this year, as many families around the world are physically apart.
There’s also a later version by Frank Sinatra, who asked Martin to sprinkle a little festive joy on that rather downbeat line for his Christmas album.
And that’s how ‘Hang a shining star upon the highest bough’ came to replace Garland’s melancholic lyric.
Now you know the story, here are the full original lyrics…
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.
No good times like the olden days.
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who were dear to us.
Will be near to us no more.
But at least we all will be together.
If the Lord allows.
From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
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And here are the ones we sing today.
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Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on
Our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yule-tide gay
From now on
Our troubles will be miles away
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years
We all will be together
If the fates allow
So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
never liked judy...or her voice...or her daughter or her voice...sound like a parrot with its neck caught in a washing machine wringer. (Hmmmm...did that date me??)
> Next year we may all be living in New York.
That’s terrible!
My mom used to say Judy (and Liza) made her nervous - she always felt like they weren’t quite going to hit the notes.
OK, all teary-eyed here now. The Christmas song that reduces me to a blubbering idiot though is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. Just thinking about the lyrics brings me to tears.
New York sucked even back then!...........
There may be things worse than death?
Never cared for judy garland our her daughter at all.
If you want happy, try “The Trolley Song” instead.
I had a crush on Judy...........................
‘s ok, my mom had one of those washers, too.
I’d heard it wasn’t a happy song, but didn’t realize how glum it originally was.
A fascinating read. I’m glad they re-wrote it.
GREAT story behind the song! What a difference in outlook between the original and the final iteration.
I think that’ll preach.
“never liked judy...or her voice...or her daughter or her voice”
Couldn’t you find a nearby toilet bowl rather than this thread to take a dump in?
For just a little revisionist history, consider the date of the song and its first use in the movie. 1944. The height of WWII. Europe was in ruins, American soldiers sailors Marines and airmen were dying daily and no one knew when it would end. The song seems a lament to when loved ones at home would ever see their loved ones who were at war again, if ever.
It was WW2 and parents were dealing with the idea they would never have another Christmas with their child. It’s probably why several songs then were not that uplifting. People overseas were feeling homesick. It was a bad time to be merry and bright.
Things weren’t going well in Italy and the Ardennes. The Pacific was always a crap shoot. At least we knew we were going to win the war.
My mom had one too, but replaced it when we moved in 1963.
It’s intetesting that Sinatra covered, (stole?) two songs from a mother and daughter. Merry Little Christmas from Judy Garland and New York New York from Liza Minelli the originals were better.
Thanks for posting.
They were all in the same clique.................
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