I think I do like writing about the Christmas songs that have a darker context to their writing, it such a contrast in some cases to the song being written. Case in point : “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” . This time I am trying to wonder if a sad Christmas song was written in sadness or maybe in happiness.
This song is famously sung originally by Judy Garland in the 1944 movie “Meet me in St. Louis” the context of the song is Judy’s character is in love with a boy next door but, their family has to move to New York thus her sadness at having to leave instead of questing for love.
The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine, these two wrote for many movies and plays around that time. The original lyrics and I don’t mean the ones from the Garland version of the song but the one that never made it because Garland thought they were too sad.
Below are both sets of lyrics with the original in black type and the changes after Garland said she couldn’t sing the original in purple. (AKA the song we know now)
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
It may be your last
Let your heart be light
Next year we may all be living in the past
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Pop that champagne cork
Make the yuletide gay
Next year we may all be living in New York
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
No good times like the olden days
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Will be near to us no more
Will be near to us once more
But at least we all will be together
Someday soon we all will be together
If the Lord allows
If the fates allow
From now on, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas nowSo have yourself a merry little Christmas now
You can see how the song was changed to add a little hint of hope compared to the original. Back, to the context of the movie since that’s what the song was written for the original lyrics would be a bit much to sing to a child.
more after the jump
For that context, there it makes sense for the song to be a least somewhat hopeful since she’s saying to a child. Saying everything you know and love is no more and we might never see this again is not comforting. The offending line that set off the idea of changing it was “..It may be your last, next year we’ll be living in the past”. It’s not that the song was out of tune for the script and it fits well to show the context of two lovers being torn apart. Garland didn’t like that with World War II happening with many lovers being torn apart and many not going to have a return that would be a different feeling in context to their lives compared to later.
This song has had many artists cover it , let’s talk about the legend , Frank Sinatra.
He wanted a lyric changed too.
From now on, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow
He didn’t think that “muddle through” line was good for an album with the word jolly on it. So the writers decided it was alright to change the line and so this line was born :
“Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
The Sinatra line change was kept on during other versions like The Carpenters version
Though I will say they kept the sentiment of the song in place with it’s downbeat tone and their sincere vocals.
It’s a song that does make you think though and it also shows that not ever Christmas song has to be happy. Going back to my thought on the top of this post, this song wasn’t written in the context of sadness by the people who wrote in but, it was though in the context of what was happening in where it was going to be placed and the times with the background of World War II.
Sources :
“Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas” by Ace Collins
mychiller Extra 
Posted on December 10, 2018
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