After appearing in Vaudeville theater with her sisters, Judy was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. There she made more than two dozen films, including nine with Mickey Rooney, and the film with which she would be most identified, "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). After 15 years, Judy was released from the studio but gained renewed success through record-breaking concert appearances, including a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert, a well-regarded but short-lived television series, and a return to film acting beginning with "A Star Is Born" (1954).
Despite her professional triumphs, Judy battled personal problems throughout her life. Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and overweight. Plied with drugs to control her weight and increase her productivity, Garland endured a decades-long struggle with addiction. Garland was plagued by financial instability, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, and her first four of five marriages ended in divorce. She attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Garland died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 47, leaving children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft, and Joey Luft.
Legacy
Judy Garland's legacy as a performer and a personality has endured long after her death. The American Film Institute named Garland eighth among the "Greatest Female Stars of All Time". She has been the subject of over two dozen biographies since her death, including the well-received "Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir" by her daughter, Lorna Luft. Luft's memoir was later adapted into the multiple award-winning television mini-series, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows", which won Emmy Awards for two actresses portraying Garland (Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis).
Garland was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. These include "Over the Rainbow," which was ranked as the number one movie song of all time in the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Songs" list. Four more Garland songs are featured on the list: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (#76), "Get Happy" (#61), "The Trolley Song" (#26), and "The Man That Got Away" (#11).
Judy Garland has twice been honored on U.S. postage stamps, in 1989 (as Dorothy) and again in 2006 (as Vicki Lester from A Star Is Born).
Merry Christmas Baby
Judy Garland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again as in olden days
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Judy Garland's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is a song that is both melancholic and hopeful. It is an expression of the holiday's mixed emotions - a time of joy and celebration, but also a time of yearning for the things that we don't have or have lost. The song encourages us to embrace the moment, despite our difficulties, and cherish the people who matter most to us.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer wishes the listener a merry Christmas and reminds them to lighten their heart. The second line gives a hint about why the heart should be light; all our troubles will be out of sight next year. The next few lines reflect on the festive spirit of the holiday, urging us to make the most of the season and enjoy ourselves. But as the verse ends, the singer reminds us that these joys are fleeting, and our troubles will still be with us next year.
The second verse emphasizes the importance of family and friends during the holidays. The singer longs for the happy days of old, when they were together with their loved ones. The line "faithful friends who are dear to us will be near to us once more" speaks of the comfort and familiarity of those relationships. However, the following line, "Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow" shows that these relationships can be fragile, and some people may not be with us forever.
The final verse reminds us to appreciate what we have in the present moment. It acknowledges that we may have to "muddle through" our difficulties, but we must still find a way to enjoy life. The song ends with one more wish for a merry little Christmas, an invitation to embrace the spirit of the season, and a reminder that the future is uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Wish yourself a happy Christmas, despite our troubles
Let your heart be light
Try to be optimistic and joyful
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Hope for a better future without any problems
Make the yuletide gay
Enjoy the festive season
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Anticipate a future where our troubles are far behind us
Once again as in olden days
Hark back to the happy memories of the past
Happy golden days of yore
Remember the good times we had before
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Recall the importance of our loyal companions
Will be near to us once more
We will be reunited with those we cherish
Someday soon we all will be together
We look forward to the day that we can all be united once again
If the fates allow
If things work out in our favour
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
In the meantime, we'll have to cope as best we can
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Still, try to have a happy holiday in the present
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@celestryrose6687
But these are the first original lyrics to the song:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
It may be your last,
Next year we may all be living in the past;
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Pop that champagne cork,
Next year we may all be living in New York;
No good times like the olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who were dear to us,
Will be near to us no more;
But at least we all will be together,
If the Lord allows,
From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow;
So have yourself a merry little Christmas
@thorn262
emcanet "What is it?" I'll take this as asking the question, what was the zeitgeist of 'the muddled times of 1944'? It's important to remember that daily life surrounding the 'entertainment' of 'Meet Me in St. Louis' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ was mostly dire and unforgiving. The depression era had not yet subsided, and the murky question was left lingering in the conscience of the public, ‘Are we going to lose this war?’ (and that had been since the beginning of the U.S. engagement, not to mention that of Europe. The Nazis and Japanese were not to be struck dead in a moment). Hence, the devastating, emotional prying-effect of Judy Garland’s song, the ramifications of which FAR overshadowed the literal meanings of the film. Here, two notable call-outs from reviews/essays that give some of the (forgotten) sense of the times:
The American Christmas Songbook: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1943)
(The lyrics were) even more devastating when you consider that 'Meet Me in St. Louis' was released during World War II. Had the original lyrics been kept, the (song) would have sent moviegoers into hysterics.
https://www.lib.cua.edu/wordpress/newsevents/9980/
'How to have yourself a merry little Christmas with an edge'
The two aspects of the picture - the warm nostalgia and the stabbing hysteria - give 'Meet Me in St. Louis' a special flavour, both sweet and astringent. This (was) no doubt (due to the producers) making an escapist film while the war was at its height and allies were counting down to D-day.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/dec/02/christmas.film
@JohnSimpson36
The OG lyrics before Judy asked to change it;
"Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
It may be your last.
Next year we may all be living in the past.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Pop that champagne cork.
Next year we may all be living in New York.
No good times like the olden days.
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who were dear to us.
Will be near to us no more.
But at least we all will be together.
If the Lord allows.
From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now."
@arthurnakane2654
Let this singing of Judy Garland be a lesson to those contemporary singers who tend to oversing this song. Judy Garland was famous for her powerful voice, but for this sentimental and self-encouraging song, she sings so tenderly and masterfully, respecting the original intention and the mood of the song. My hat's off and my bravo over the rainbow !
@Tonetwisters
Well said. It's all about "feeling."
@daphneepaul3737
Arthur Nakane exactly it’s about the mood
@xorih1089
Arthur Nakane cough Ariana grande cough
@crysingucci3827
THANK YOU!
@crysingucci3827
@XORIH ha true
@krummhorn2824
Judy Garland should be the only one allowed to sing this song. No one has done it better since.
@dgkallday68
Mac Demarco did it better
@lovescatsforever
Agreed!!!!
@lokipax
Rosemary Clooney's version is stunning