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).
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Harry Connick Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams
The song "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Harry Connick Jr. describes the anticipation of coming home for the holidays. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing to be with loved ones and to experience the warmth and comforts of home during the holiday season. The line "You can plan on me" suggests that the singer is reliable and dependable, and the line "Please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree" conjures up images of traditional holiday decorations.
As the song progresses, the singer expresses the desire to be home on Christmas Eve, surrounded by the love of family and friends. The line "Where the love-light gleams" is particularly evocative, suggesting that the singer associates home with warmth, joy, and love. The final line, "I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams," amplifies the sense of distance and longing that permeates the entire song. It acknowledges the reality that not everyone can be with their loved ones during the holidays, but it also offers hope that one can still find comfort and solace in the memories and dreams of home.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be home for Christmas
Despite distance or circumstance, I will make it back to my home for Christmas.
You can plan on me
You can rely on me to be there as promised.
Please have snow and mistletoe
It would be wonderful if the home were adorned with snow and mistletoe.
And presents on the tree
The image of presents wrapped and waiting under the Christmas tree is integral to the holiday experience.
Christmas eve will find me
On Christmas Eve, I will be present and accounted for.
Where the love-light gleams
I will be in the company of those I love and who love me.
I'll be home for Christmas
Once again, I stress that I will find a way home, even if only in my dreams.
If only in my dreams
Even if circumstances beyond my control keep me from physically returning, I will be there in spirit and in memory.
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, GANNON & KENT MUSIC CO, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buck Ram, Walter Kent, Kim Gannon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind