December Musical Mondays will celebrate the emotions of the holiday season!
We’ll begin with the classic Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas made famous by Judy Garland, and recorded by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall, Kelly Clarkson and Sam Smith just to name a few.
The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the 1944 movie Meet Me in St. Louis. Judy Garland famously sang the melancholy tune, which became a big hit with American soldiers fighting overseas in WWII.
In 1957, Frank Sinatra asked the songwriter Hugh Martin to revise the line "Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow." He told Martin, "The name of my album is A Jolly Christmas. Do you think you could jolly up that line for me?” Martin revised the line to "Hang a shining star upon the highest bough."
“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”
~Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Martin’s lyric alterations in the 1950’s focused the song on a celebration of present happiness, rather than hoping for a better future.
The joy of the holiday season is spending time with those who are dear to us, and being thankful for our blessings. As we grow older the value of time spent with loved ones far exceeds material possessions. Releasing the pressure to create “perfect” settings or memories allows us to focus on what’s truly important.
Appreciating the present is the most precious holiday gift.
How will you unwrap each moment during the festive season?