Alwin Lopez Jarreau (12 March 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 12 february 20… Read Full Bio ↴Alwin Lopez Jarreau (12 March 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 12 february 2017, Los Angeles, California), known popularly as Al Jarreau, was an American, Grammy Award–winning jazz singer. Versatile in his singing style, Jarreau is a twelve-time Grammy-nominated vocalist and the only vocalist in history to win a Grammy Award in three separate categories: jazz, pop, and R&B.

As the son of a vicar, he had his first singing experiences in a church choir. He attended Ripon College, where he also sang non-professionally with a group called the Indigos, and graduated in 1962. He went on to earn a master's degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from the University of Iowa, and worked as a rehabilitation counselor in San Francisco before joining a small jazz club trio headed by George Duke and deciding that he would make professional singing his life in 1968

He appeared in such Los Angeles hot spots as Dino's, the Troubador and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and David Frost, while he expanded his nightclub appearances to include performing at the Improv between the acts of such rising-star comics as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi, among others.

He was spotted by Warner Bros. in 1975 and soon thereafter released his critically acclaimed debut album, We Got By, which catapulted him into international fame and garnered him a German Grammy Award. A second German Grammy would follow with the release of his second album, Glow.

One of Jarreau's most commercially and artistically successful albums is Breakin' Away (1981), which includes the hit song "We're in This Love Together." He wrote and performed the Grammy-nominated theme to the 1980s American television show Moonlighting. Among other things, he is well-known for his scat singing and the ability to perfectly imitate conventional guitar, bass and percussive instrumentation. He was also a featured vocalist on USA for Africa's "We are the World" and sang the line, "...and so we all must lend a helping hand."

He has toured and performed with such greats as Joe Sample, Kathleen Battle, Miles Davis, David Sanborn and Rick Braun. He also performed the role of the Teen Angel in a 1996 Broadway production of Grease. On March 6, 2001 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Al Jarreau Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Al Jarreau's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a classic holiday song that conveys a sense of joy, celebration, and hope. The song is about reminding people to forget about their worries and troubles and to focus on the joys of the holiday season.

The opening lines encourage listeners to have themselves "a merry little Christmas" and let their hearts be light. The song goes on to suggest that if they do this, their troubles will be out of sight. It's almost as if the song is a comforting reminder that the difficult times of the past year can be put aside for a while as we celebrate the festive season together.

The verse about the olden days and the golden days of yore adds to the feeling of nostalgia and comfort that the tune provides. The idea of faithful friends coming together and gathering near, just like they did in the past, is a strong reminder of the power of tradition and the importance of relationships.

Overall, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a heartwarming song that reminds us to put our troubles aside and focus on the good things in life, especially during the holiday season.

Line by Line Meaning

Have yourself
Take a moment and enjoy yourself

A merry little Christmas
A happy and joyful Christmas season

Let your heart be light
Relax and don't stress, enjoy the moment

From now on
Starting from this moment

Our troubles
Our problems

Will be out of sight
We won't let our problems spoil our celebration

Make the Yule-tide gay
Celebrate Christmas in a cheerful and fun way

Our troubles
Our problems

Will be miles away
We will forget our problems and move on

Here we are as in olden days
We are together again, just like in the old times

Happy golden days of yore
The good old times, where everything was happier