We've been getting Entertainment Weekly for free this past year, since signing up with yourmusic.com. I rarely read it, but found myself thumbing thru it this morning during breakfast. I came across a neat little article about the history of this Christmas classic-that-almost-wasn't! As we all probably know, it was written for Judy Garland to sing to Margaret O'Brien in the movie, Meet Me In St. Louis. Judy's version is stunning - I can't hear it without seeing that scene from the movie in my mind. Not counting John Denver & The Muppets (ya gotta love Rowlf), my second favorite version is by Frank Sinatra. Now I know why! Here are the original, never-recorded lyrics that Hugh Martin wrote for Judy to sing. Luckily for us, she & Tom Drake talked him into revising them - something he did again in 1957 for Frank. The link to the article with 3 sets of lyrics follows. Dexter ORIGINAL VERSION 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 http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1569872_4_0_,00.html
The only thing that article got wrong was the year of A Very Special Christmas; it came out in 1987, not 1989... You just know that someone's going to sing the original version for next year, now that they've been publicized. I could imagine Kurt Cobain, if he were still around, singing those lyrics. It's been interesting over the years to hear the numerous versions of the song, who has chosen to muddle through and who has chosen to hang the star. What is cool is that both versions work.
Frank Sinatra also sang the very same set of lyrics on his Columbia 78-RPM set called "Christmas Songs By Sinatra" in the late '40's (The set was later re-issued on a 10" lp,then on a 12" lp as "Christmas Dreaming" ,In 1952.(or is it '53?)
