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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” | |
|---|---|
| Song by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis | |
| from the album Meet Me in St. Louis | |
| Published | 1944 by Leo Feist, Inc. |
| Genre | Holiday |
| Composer(s) | Hugh Martin |
| Lyricist(s) | Ralph Blane |
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics.
Frank Sinatra version
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in American cinema.
Meet Me in St. Louis
The song was written in 1943 for the film Meet Me in St. Louis, for which MGM had hired Martin and Blane to write several songs. Martin was vacationing in a house in the neighborhood of Southside in Birmingham, Alabama, that his father Hugh Martin had designed for his mother as a honeymoon cottage, located just down the street from his birthplace, and which later became the home of Martin and his family in 1923. The song first appeared in a scene in which a family is distraught by the father’s plans to move to New York City for a job promotion, leaving behind their beloved home in St. Louis, Missouri, just before the long-anticipated 1904 World’s Fair begins. In a scene set on Christmas Eve, Judy Garland’s character, Esther, sings the song to cheer up her despondent five-year-old sister, Tootie, played by Margaret O’Brien.
Lyrics and revisions
Some of the original lyrics penned by Martin were rejected before filming began. When presented with the original draft lyric, Garland, her co-star Tom Drake and director Vincente Minnelli criticized the song as depressing, and asked Martin to change the lyrics. Though he initially resisted, Martin made several changes to make the song more upbeat. For example, the lines “It may be your last / Next year we may all be living in the past” became “Let your heart be light / Next year all our troubles will be out of sight”. Garland’s version of the song, which was also released as a single by Decca Records, became popular among United States troops serving in World War II; her performance at the Hollywood Canteen brought many soldiers to tears.
In 1957, when Frank Sinatra approached Martin to record the song, he asked him to revise the lyrics to promote more positive themes; he particularly pointed out the line “until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow,” saying “the name of my album is A Jolly Christmas. Do you think you could jolly up that line for me?” Martin’s revised lyric was “hang a shining star upon the highest bough.” Martin made several other alterations, changing from the future tense to the present, so that the song’s focus is a celebration of present happiness rather than anticipation of a better future. (However, Sinatra had recorded the original song’s lyrics in 1948.) On The Judy Garland Show Christmas Special, Garland sang the song to her children Joey and Lorna Luft with Sinatra’s revised lyrics.
In 2001, Martin, occasionally active as a pianist with religious ministries since the 1980s, wrote an entirely new set of lyrics to the song with John Fricke, “Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas,” a religious version of the secular Christmas standard. The song was recorded by female gospel vocalist Del Delker with Martin accompanying her on piano.
In a 2002 interview, NewSong lead singer Michael O’Brien claimed that the line “through the years, we all will be together if the Lord allows,” was part of the original song but was purged and replaced with “if the fates allow” to remove religious reference when the song was released. O’Brien stated that while a pastor in a California church in 1990, he had met Martin, who played piano at the church where O’Brien was serving for an evening, and the pastor was told, “That’s the original way I wrote it, so I want you to sing it this way.”
Collaboration controversy
Although Ralph Blane is credited with writing the music for many of Martin’s songs, Martin claimed in his autobiography that he wrote both music and lyrics to all of the songs in Meet Me in St. Louis and that “all of the so-called Martin and Blane songs (except for Best Foot Forward) were written entirely by me (solo) without help from Ralph or anybody else.” His explanation for allowing Blane equal credit for the songs was: “I was reasonably content to let him receive equal screen credit, sheet music credit, ASCAP royalties, etc., mainly because this bizarre situation was caused by my naive and atrocious lack of business acumen.”
Notable cover versions
Judy Garland‘s 1944 version of the song reached No. 27 on the Billboard charts.
In 2009, Keyshia Cole reached number 58 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with a version of the song.
In 2011, Michael Bublé‘s version reached number 98 on the top 100 charts.
Michael Bublé version
| Chart (2014–2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 48 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 52 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 24 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 47 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 24 |
| US Rolling Stone Top 100 | 25 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 2014, English singer Sam Smith released a cover version which debuted at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time a version of the song had charted on the Billboard list. The song reached top ten on the US and Canadian adult contemporary charts and on the US Holiday chart. It also peaked inside the top forty in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
| Sam Smith version Chart (2014–2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 47 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 48 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) | 53 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 66 |
| Canada AC (Billboard) | 8 |
| Canada Hot AC (Billboard) | 49 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 36 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 33 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 14 |
| France (SNEP) | 95 |
| Germany (Official German Charts) | 41 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 106 |
| Greece Digital Songs (IFPI Greece) | 70 |
| Hungary (Stream Top 40) | 19 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 46 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 38 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 30 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 16 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 46 |
| Portugal Airplay (AFP) | 93 |
| Scotland (OCC) | 57 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 34 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 26 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 38 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 53 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 90 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 6 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 9 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP) | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 2016, Josh Groban reached number 1 on the US Adult Contemporary charts with a version of the song.
In 2017, Phoebe Bridgers covered the song and released it on her 2020 If We Make It Through December EP.
In 2018, John Legend reached number 1 on the US Adult Contemporary charts with a version of the song from his album A Legendary Christmas, featuring Esperanza Spalding on duet vocals.
In 2023, former Fifth Harmony members Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane released a new cover version of the song.
Lorna Luft version
| “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” | |
|---|---|
| Single by Lorna Luft & Judy Garland | |
| Released | December 4, 1995 |
| Genre | Holiday |
| Length | 3:16 |
| Label | Carlton Sounds |
| Songwriter(s) | Ralph Blane Hugh Martin |
| Producer(s) | Gordon Lorenz |
| Lorna Luft singles chronology | |
| “”Born Again”” (1989)”Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas“ (1995)”When You Wish Upon a Star“ (2011) | |
In 1995, American singer Lorna Luft recorded a cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” which was reworked as a “virtual duet” with her mother Judy Garland. It was produced by Gordon Lorenz and released as a CD single only in the UK by Carlton Sounds label. A music video featured Luft performing the song in a studio interspersed with classic footage of Garland singing to a then 11-year-old Luft on the 1963 Christmas episode of her CBS variety television series The Judy Garland Show, all placed on the same screen.
Luft’s version of the song peaked at number 100 on the UK Singles Chart on December 16, 1995.Track listing
- “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Radio Edit)” – 3:16
- “Me And My Shadow / The Nearness Of You” – 4:38
- “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Extended Edit)” – 4:02
Christina Aguilera version
| Chart (2011–2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 84 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 95 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 31 |
| US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard) | 18 |
| US Holiday Streaming Songs (Billboard) | 14 |
| US Hot RingMasters (Billboard) | 31 |
Other Covers
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Gerald Albright & The Cannonball Band
- Percy Faith – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Billy Joel – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (MSG – December 18, 2014)
- Vazquez Sounds – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Ella Fitzgerald – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Lucy Thomas – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Amy Grant – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Lyric Video)
- Johnny Mathis – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Official Video)
- Kenny G – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Official Video)
- Diana Krall – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Luther Vandross – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Carpenters – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Lyric Video)
- Doris Day – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Josh Tatofi – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Perry Como – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Eric Clapton ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ (2018)
- Norah Jones & Laufey – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and New Song
- Sarah McLachlan – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Mary J. Blige – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Kelly Clarkson – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Christina Perri – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Lauren Daigle – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Ingrid Michaelson – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- David Archuleta – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Toni Braxton, Babyface – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Whitney Houston – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Human Nature – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- VoicePlay – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Chris Young – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Lady A – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
The O’Jays – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- The Whispers – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Bing Crosby – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Lady Antebellum – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- James Taylor – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Mel Torme – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Coldplay – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Gang of Youths – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Pretenders – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Anagrace – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Cover (Version Español)
- Carrie Underwood – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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- Matt Bloyd – Have Yourself a Merry Christmas feat. Pia Toscano (Official Video)
- Jess and Gabriel – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Thomas Rhett – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Lyric Video)
- Alan Jackson – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Bamboo – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- The Tenors – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Official Video)
- Il Divo – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Live at Westbury, NY)
- Hannah Kerr – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Official Music Video)
- Connie Francis – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Andy Williams – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Brenda Lee – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Rerecorded Version)
- Helene Fischer Mit Frank Sinatra – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Rosemary Clooney – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- Colbie Caillat – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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