Michael Allen Harrison's musical talents began at the young age of 6 when h… Read Full Bio ↴Michael Allen Harrison's musical talents began at the young age of 6 when his parents decided to enroll him in piano lessons to help him come out of his shell. "I was painfully shy growing up. My Mom thought it would help me to gain more confidence." Soon after, he discovered that music came easily for him, he was a natural. He attributes his success to his teachers and professors who all had the confidence in him and continued to encourage his natural talent over the years. The foundational roots that shaped Michael as a young boy left a significant imprint on his heart and eventually led him to launch the Snowman Foundation, an organization that supports school programs where music has been eliminated due to budget cuts and provides instruments and scholarships for kids who can't afford it. During his college days, Michael became recognized for his unique and natural ability to not only play music, but compose it. Again, supported by his professor he began to write music for theatre programs and branched out as one of the company pianist for the Pacific Ballet Theater, Ballet Oregon, and Oregon Ballet Theater.

In 1986 Michael debuted his first album which quickly launched him in the Northwest scene as one of the most loved and recognized musicians. Since then Michael has released over 40 CD's sharing his wide variety of composing styles. His musical genius crosses many different genres, from classical contemporary to new age/world and smooth jazz. He launched MAH Records in 1984 which became his well-known label for other popular Northwest artists. To date, Michael has produced over 200 musicians including his most recent CD for Katie Harman, Miss America 2002 and just released a new duet CD, "At Midnight" with Saxophonist Patrick lamb.

A classical musician at heart, one of Michael's favorite pastimes is performing with the Symphony, which is something he has been doing since 1996. As a composer and arranger his favorite compositions have been passionate arrangements for piano and orchestra, and has performed numerous times with the Portland Festival Symphony, including his first concerto, "The Mount Hood Concerto". "Classical music tells a story like no other genre. I often feel as though I channel this music through because it still wants to be heard. Composers such as Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Schubert, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky as well as modern composers including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jon Williams, Aaron Copeland and George Gershwin have been a great influence on me because of their magnificent storytelling. I'm passionately moved to bring these sounds back with a classical contemporary cutting edge."

Since 1992, Michael has become nationally recognized for writing film scores for many motion pictures, short films and documentaries. He has scored music for numerous Ballet and Theater Companies including the Oregon Children's Theater and the American Dance Theater. Most recently he music directed "The Full Monty" and plans to launch his own musical, Prometheus.

No matter what type of genre this extraordinary musician plays, he always seems to hit the heart strings of his audiences and melts them with his heartwarming melodies and passionate lyrics. Whether he's playing in front of a 3,000 seated audience or one of his popular evenings entitled, "Dinner with Michael" (in his very own living room), his breathtaking sound takes people on a mesmerizing journey that keeps them coming back for more.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Michael Allen Harrison 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 Yuletide 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
So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

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 Yuletide 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

So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Michael Chertock's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" are an invitation to celebrate and enjoy the festive season. The opening lines encourage listeners to let go of their worries and problems and embrace the merriment that comes with Christmas. The song acknowledges that life can be tough, but it suggests that by coming together and celebrating, we can put our troubles aside, even if only for a brief moment. The chorus reinforces this sentiment, promising that our worries will be miles away and that the Yuletide will be gay.

The second verse of the song takes a nostalgic turn, referencing the "golden days" of Christmases past. Chertock's lyrics conjure up images of loved ones coming together and sharing memories from past holiday seasons. The verse also speaks to the power of friendship, highlighting the importance of those who have been with us through thick and thin. The final lines of the song look towards the future, expressing the hope that we will all be together for many more Christmases to come.

Overall, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song that speaks to the joy and togetherness that the holiday season can bring. The lyrics encourage listeners to set aside their worries and come together with loved ones to celebrate and embrace the magic of the season.

Line by Line Meaning

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Wishing you a joyous, happy holiday season

Let your heart be light
Free yourself from worries and enjoy the festive spirit

From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Let's forget our worries and focus on the happiness of the present moment

Make the Yuletide gay
Enjoy the holiday season with laughter, cheer and lots of fun

From now on, our troubles will be miles away
Let's leave behind all our troubles and sorrows and celebrate this season wholeheartedly

Here we are as in olden days
We are together once again, just like we used to be in the old days

Happy golden days of yore
Reminiscing the happy times we've had in the past

Faithful friends who are dear to us
Friends who are loyal, trustworthy and important to us

Gather near to us once more
Spending quality time with our loved ones, just like we used to do

Through the years we all will be together
We hope to stay together for many more years to come

If the fates allow
If circumstances permit us to do so

So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
Decorate your home with a bright, beautiful star to symbolize the joy and hope of Christmas

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Let's celebrate this holiday season with joy, love and happiness

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

carroll verbeck

3y↑1

Michael, you are so talented. Got a total different feeling from this song because of the way you played it. Always felt a little melancholy when hearing this song but you made me feel alive, happy and celebratory (beating covid and pneumonia). Thank you so much. God bless