McDonald played in several local bands (such as Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reebtoors, and The Guild) while attending McCluer High School in his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. He was 'discovered' while playing with a group called Blue and consequently moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He first gained wide attention as an adjunct member of the group Steely Dan, providing back-up vocals and keyboards. Michael continued to do background vocals for Steely Dan up to their 1980 Gaucho release.
McDonald was recruited by The Doobie Brothers in April 1975 when lead singer Tommy Johnston became ill during a national tour. As a member of the Doobies, he recorded some of his most memorable songs, such as "Takin' It To The Streets," "Little Darling," "Minute By Minute," and "What A Fool Believes" (which earned him a 1980 Grammy Award for Song of the Year).
After the Doobies' first farewell tour, McDonald continued with a very successful solo career. Among his hits are
* "I Keep Forgettin'", a duet with his sister Maureen, later sampled in 1994 by Warren G
* "Sweet Freedom", the theme to the 1986 MGM film Running Scared
* "Take It To Heart"
* "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram which won a 1985 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
* "On My Own", a 1986 duet with Patti Labelle which reached #1 on the US charts
McDonald has produced and/or appeared on albums recorded by many other artists, including his singer wife Amy Holland and Grammy winner Christopher Cross. He is also a co-founder of the small independent recording label Ramp Records, with studio designer Chris Pelonis and actor Jeff Bridges.
His current album out 3/4/8 is titled "Soul Speak."
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There is also Michael McDonald, an American songwriter based in Helsinki, Finland. Michael has played with Helsinki-based bands Montevideo and Treeball, and is about to release his first solo album in 2007.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Michael McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" is a classic Christmas song that was originally written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1944. Michael Wolff's version of the song features the timeless lyrics that are centered around spreading love and joy during the Christmas season. The song starts with a hopeful tone as it aims to let go of all the troubles and worries and live the moment to the fullest. The lyrics, "Let your heart be light, from now on, our troubles will be out of sight," suggests that all the negativity and stress of the year should be forgotten, and a new year should start with a positive and happy spirit.
The song continues on a festive note, encouraging everyone to enjoy the Yuletide spirit with warmth and love. "Make the Yuletide gay, from now on, our troubles will be miles away" is a cheerful and uplifting message that spread happiness and joy during the holiday season. The song reminisces on the beautiful moments of the past and how they bring happiness to us even after years have gone by. "Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore," are words that evoke kindness and happiness, bringing everyone to the present moment to cherish the beautiful memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Take some time to enjoy Christmas and all it has to offer
Let your heart be light
Don't let any worries bring you down, just focus on the joy of the holiday
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Let's forget about our problems for the moment and just celebrate the holiday season
Make the Yuletide gay
Embrace the joyous and festive spirit of Christmas
From now on, our troubles will be miles away
Let's enjoy the present and leave our worries behind, at least for the holiday season
Here we are as in olden days
As we celebrate Christmas with friends and family, it's like we're transported back to a simpler time
Happy golden days of yore
We're reminded of happy memories from our past Christmases
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Our close friends are here to celebrate with us and make the holiday even more special
Gather near to us once more
Our friends and family come together to celebrate Christmas with us, just like they have in the past
Through the years we all will be together
We hope that we can continue to celebrate Christmas together with our loved ones for many years to come
If the fates allow
If things work out and we're able to, we'll celebrate Christmas together again in the future
So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
As a symbol of hope and joy, let's place a star on top of our Christmas tree
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Let's enjoy the holiday, make some happy memories, and be merry as we celebrate Christmas together
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Tratore
Written by: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind