Berlin, who was Jewish, was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs. Many of his songs, including "God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", and "There's No Business Like Show Business," left an indelible mark on American music and culture. He produced 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, in addition to his individual songs.
Berlin: White Christmas
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
I'm dreaming of a white christmas,
With every christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your christmases be white
I'm dreaming of a white christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your christmases be white
I'm dreaming of a white christmas,
With every christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your christmases be white
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your christmases be white
And may all your christmases be white (All your christmases be white)
And may all your christmases be white (All your christmases be white)
And may all your christmases be
(All your christmases be white)
(All your christmases be white)
The lyrics of Irving Berlin's song White Christmas evoke nostalgia for a simpler time, before modern conveniences and the rush of contemporary life. The singer is longing for a peaceful, snowy Christmas season like the ones they remember from their childhood. They describe a scene where the treetops glisten with snow, and children listen for the sound of sleigh bells. The snow creates a magical atmosphere that invites people to pause and appreciate the beauty of the winter landscape.
The second half of the song shifts focus to the listener, as the singer wishes them a merry and bright holiday season, and hopes that all their Christmases will be white. This sentiment echoes the desire for a return to traditional values and a sense of community that were so important in the mid-twentieth century, when the song was written. Ultimately, the song captures the universal longing for a peaceful, joyful holiday season, where family, friends, and simple pleasures take center stage.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm dreaming of a white christmas,
I am wishing for a Christmas filled with snow.
Just like the ones I used to know
The Christmas I remember had snow, and I want it to be the same way this year too.
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
The snow covering the tree branches look beautiful and the children are waiting to hear the sound of the sleigh bells amidst the snow.
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
The sleigh bells ring through the snow.
With every christmas card I write
Through every card that I write, my hope for a white Christmas is conveyed.
May your days be merry and bright,
I hope that your days are filled with happiness and light during this Christmas season.
And may all your christmases be white
I hope that all of your future Christmases are filled with snow like the ones of my childhood.
(All your christmases be white)
I repeat my wish for all your Christmases to be filled with snow as a blessing.
(All your christmases be white)
Once again, I repeat my hope for every Christmas to be engulfed in a snowy wonderland.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@happyhankjr
I was born in 1952, the movie "White Christmas" came out in 1954. My earliest memories are watching it every year, it became a tradition in our house. I still don't feel like it's the Christmas season until I watch it. In December 1944 my dad wrote home to his mother that he just heard a great, new Christmas song, White Christmas. His mother wrote back, "Dear, the song is not new, it came out two years ago." My dad had just finished his training in the U.S. Navy in December 1941 and was on his way to his first station, the U.S.S. New Mexico, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He shipped out to the South Pacific and didn't return back to the United States until The Battle of Okinawa, Japan in April of 1945, 3 years and 5 months later.
@rennaerosenberg8915
May you have a very Merry Christmas, Hank! This movie is an important part of my memories of family and the holidaze in my home, too! 🎄 ❤ 👍
@craigdoriety9798
Same here my dad was in the air force with 450th bomber group(B24) stationed in North Africa and Italy.
@peggynorton1046
Also a family tradition. Every leave my son comes home for Christmas and the first thing we watch is White Christmas then yankee doodle dandy😅
@catdowney7422
Still magical after all these years.
@foxw6802
tous à fait magnifique et télement émouvant
@1868foxpoint
The children in the finale would now be in their 80s—what fun for them to watch this iconic, joyful film! 🎄👏🏻
@lb476
Now I realize I'm older than dirt because I remember when this movie came out in 1954. My fourteen year-old sister was singing White Christmas for months. Then when they started showing it on the tube every Christmas school vacation. I never got sick of it.
Check out Holiday Inn with Fred Astaire, great dancing. I believe it has to be my favorite movie for the Christmas season.
@rennaerosenberg8915
Too many good movies from that era to pick just one, for me! And now I've added LAST CHRISTMAS (2019) to my Must Watch List! ❤
@tincat2173
That's the way it used to be, and I loved it!