McLean released his debut album, You’re Not Alone, in 1983 and with every song that followed, his lyrics filled voids, encouraged love, and offered hope. Now, more than 25 albums later, his musical legacy has not only resonated in the hearts of thousands, but continues to be a standard for those seeking meaning and peace.
To celebrate this exciting anniversary, McLean released a boxed set of six albums in 2008. The definitive collection, 25, is filled with his most beloved songs from the last 25 years, many of which were out-of-print, as well as a handful of brand-new songs on each album.
With a background in film, McLean began early in his career making commercials for radio and television, receiving numerous national and international awards for advertising. Such awards included the prestigious Clio Award, National Addy Award, New York Ad Club’s Andy Award, two National Emmy Finalists Awards, and the Bronze Lion at the Cannes Film Festival. He later used his film experience to produce and direct several films including, Together Forever, The Prodigal Son, and Mr. Krueger’s Christmas starring film legend Jimmy Stewart.
Ever the engaging performer and master storyteller, McLean has shared his beloved Christmas musical, The Forgotten Carols, with more than a half-million people across the country since 2001. With humor and heart, “The Carols” has become a beloved tradition for thousands of families who mark the beginning of their holiday season with this magical musical.
Celebrating the Light, another of McLean’s musicals, ran for five seasons at the Promised Valley Playhouse in Salt Lake City and The Garden, an allegorical oratorio written with Merrill Jenson and Bryce Neubert, opened in Jerusalem and has been performed across the country as well as in France, South America, and Russia. His popular sea-faring musical The Ark enjoyed a New York City debut in 2005.
In addition to his music and films, McLean has also authored four books with accompanying CDs – Distant Serenade, Hold on the Light Will Come: And Other Lessons My Songs Have Taught Me, The Forgotten Carols, and most recently, From God’s Arms to My Arms to Yours.
McLean and his wife Lynne have three children and live in California.
Musical Style: Piano driven inspirational
Current Residence: California
I Cry the Day I Take the Tree Down
Michael McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And sung all the songs
I felt the holiday
Lasted a bit too long
I never shed any tears
When Christmas was through
Until I celebrated one with you
And now I cry the day
That I take the tree down
I want the season
To last all year round
When I'm surrounded by
These memories
It′s almost like you're here
With me
It's strange how things are changed
When touched by love
We treasure things
We never thought much of
And now I cry the day
That I take the tree down
I want the season
To last all year round
And I′m dreaming of
Christmases when
We′ll be together again
It's strange how things are changed
When touched by love
We treasure things
We never thought much of
I cry the day
That I take the tree down
I want the season
To last all year round
And I′m dreaming of Christmases
When we'll be
Together
Again
The song "I Cry the Day I Take the Tree Down" by Michael McLean is an emotional ballad that explores the bittersweet feeling of taking down the Christmas decorations and bidding farewell to the holiday season. The song begins with the singer acknowledging that they have experienced many Christmases before, but this one is different because of the memories they shared with someone special. They reflect that before they met this person, they never shed any tears when Christmas was over, but now they cannot help but feel sad when it is time to take the decorations down.
The chorus is where the emotions reach their peak as the singer expresses their desire for the holiday season to last all year round. They are surrounded by memories of the person they shared Christmas with and it feels almost as though they are still with them. The singer acknowledges that love has changed their perception of this holiday season, and they now find themselves treasuring things they never thought much of before.
In the final verse, the singer dreams of future Christmases when they will be together again with their loved one. The song ends on a poignant note as the singer repeats the line "I cry the day that I take the tree down" and it is clear that this holiday season will never be the same again.
Overall, "I Cry the Day I Take the Tree Down" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that explores the power of love and the emotions that can come with saying goodbye to a special time of the year.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought I’d seen all the lights
I believed that I had experienced everything that the holiday season had to offer
And sung all the songs
And I thought I had sung every Christmas-themed song that there was
I felt the holiday
I enjoyed the holiday season
Lasted a bit too long
But it felt like it went on for too long
I never shed any tears
I never cried
When Christmas was through
When Christmas had ended
Until I celebrated one with you
But that changed when I spent one Christmas with you
And now I cry the day
Now I find myself crying on the day
That I take the tree down
That I have to take down the Christmas tree
I want the season
I wish that the holiday season
To last all year round
Could last for the entire year
When I'm surrounded by
When I am in the presence of
These memories
Thoughts of past events and moments in time
It’s almost like you're here
I feel like you are still with me
With me
By my side
It's strange how things are changed
It is interesting how things can transform
When touched by love
When affected by love
We treasure things
We value things
We never thought much of
That we never really gave much consideration to before
And I’m dreaming of
I am hoping for
Christmases when
Future holidays during which
We'll be together again
We will be reunited once more
Writer(s): Michael Mclean
Contributed by Aria O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bradzillabrave6856
Tradition to listen to this when taking the tree down for our family.
@evelynmartin1466
Love this song 💜💜💜
@warriorstudeo188
My mom doesn't know I'm playing this song when she's taking the tree down
@jordanhunter3375
This song is so good.
@-.Steven
L❤VE This Song! Play it ever Year at Christmas 🎄
@cortesbrasil8333
I love this Sweet Voice.
@-.Steven
Love this song!
1-01-2022, it's time to take the tree down 😢
@lilyemmalindsay9025
We take down our tree on new yrs eve or new yrs. We put ours up in late November after Thanksgiving.
@AunaWitherjin
Thank you for sharing this. I owned the CD but it’s been lost over the years, and I can’t find it now
@lilyemmalindsay9025
I am a bit sad when we take down our Christmas decorations. We put ours up in late November after Thanksgiving. This yr we put them up on November 29th. We take them all down on new yrs eve or new yrs.