Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and humanitarian. Connick’s music encompasses jazz, some of it very much in the style of the crooners of the 1940s and early 1950s, funk and blues.

Harry Connick, Jr. was born in New Orleans to Anita and Harry Connick, Sr. His mother was Jewish and his father was Irish Catholic. Connick's musical talent was evident from a young age and he studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts under Ellis Marsalis and James Booker. He went on to attend Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he was signed by Columbia Records.

In 1989, Connick provided the soundtrack for the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally..., winning his first Grammy for Best Jazz Male Vocal Performance. He also made his screen debut in Memphis Belle and released two albums: Lofty's Roach Souffle and We Are in Love, which earned him his second consecutive Grammy. In 1991, he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his contribution to the Godfather III soundtrack and released his third consecutive multi-platinum album, Blue Light, Red Light.

In 1992, Connick was arrested for having a gun at JFK International Airport but avoided charges by making a public-service television commercial. He continued to release successful albums, including 25 and When My Heart Finds Christmas, which was the best-selling Christmas album of 1993.

Harry Connick Jr. started his career as a jazz pianist and singer. In 1994, he released an album of New Orleans funk called She and took it on a tour of the United Kingdom and People's Republic of China. In 1996, he appeared in the successful movie Independence Day. By 1997, he returned to jazz music with his album To See You and played at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo. He continued his film career, starred in Hope Floats and released his album Come By Me in 1999. Connick wrote the score for the Broadway musical Thou Shalt Not, in 2000, and starred in South Pacific and his twelfth movie Mickey. He won a Grammy Award for his album Songs I Heard, released two albums in 2001, and appeared on NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 2002 to 2006. He continued releasing albums, appeared in films such as Basic, and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for Harry Connick Jr. — "Only You" in Concert. In 2005, he composed and produced The Happy Elf, an animated holiday special.

[edit] Personal life
On April 16, 1994, Connick, Jr. married model Jill Goodacre, originally from Texas, at the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana. They have three daughters: Georgia Tatom (born April 17, 1996), Sarah Kate (September 12, 1997), and Charlotte (born June 26, 2002). The family currently resides in Connecticut.

He is a founder of the Krewe of Orpheus, a music-based New Orleans krewe, taking its name from Orpheus of classical mythology. The Krewe of Orpheus parades on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street in New Orleans on Lundi Gras (Fat Monday) — the day before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
Harry Connick Jr. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have a holly jolly Christmas
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
But have a cup of cheer

Have a holly jolly Christmas
And when you walk down the street
Say hello to friends you know

And everyone you meet

Ho ho the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me

Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn't hear
Oh, bygolly
Have a holly jolly Christmas
This year

Oh, ho, the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me

Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn't hear
Oh, bygolly

Have a holly jolly Christmas
This year

Overall Meaning

The song "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" is a classic and popular Christmas tune composed by Johnny Marks and made famous by Burl Ives. The song was later recorded by Harry Connick Jr. in 1993 for his Christmas album. The song has a lively and upbeat tempo that is perfect for celebrating and spreading holiday cheer. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace the holiday season and enjoy the festivities.

The opening lines, "Have a holly, jolly Christmas, it’s the best time of the year," sets the tone for the song, expressing the idea that Christmas is a special time where people come together and celebrate. While the song mentions the possibility of snow, it doesn't make this the focus of the holiday. Instead, it encourages listeners to enjoy "a cup of cheer" and to say hello to friends and acquaintances while wandering their neighborhood streets. The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the message to have a holly, jolly Christmas.

The bridge of the song includes the popular phrase, "Ho ho the mistletoe, hung where you can see, somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me." This line suggests that the holiday season is a romantic and joyful time, and there is an opportunity to spread love and joy. This line in the song is often used as a popular holiday catchphrase.

Line by Line Meaning

Have a holly jolly Christmas
Wishing you a joyful Christmas with all my heart

It's the best time of the year
This is the most wonderful time of the year

I don't know if there'll be snow
I am not sure if it will snow or not

But have a cup of cheer
But, regardless of the snow, have a drink to celebrate the occasion

And when you walk down the street
When you are walking in the street

Say hello to friends you know
Greet your know friends by saying hello

And everyone you meet
...and also to new acquaintances, too.

Ho ho the mistletoe
Take a look, beautiful mistletoe

Hung where you can see
Hanging where it can be seen

Somebody waits for you
Someone is eagerly waiting for you under the mistletoe

Kiss her once for me
Give her a kiss on the cheek, and tell her it's from me.