The Christmas Blues
Nat King Cole/Dean Martin Lyrics
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I'll be so blue thinkin' about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
They won't mean a thing if you're not here with me
I'll have a blue Christmas, that's certain
And when that blue heartache starts hurtin'
You'll be doin' all right with your Christmas of white
I'll have a blue Christmas, that's certain
And when that blue heartache starts hurtin'
You'll be doin' all right with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas
In Nat King Cole's classic song "The Christmas Blues," the crooner sings about the sadness and longing he feels during the holiday season without his loved one. The opening lyrics set the melancholic tone for the song: "I'll have a blue Christmas without you / I'll be so blue thinking about you." The theme of missing someone during the holidays is a common one, and Cole's tender vocals make the emotions all the more poignant.
The second stanza of the song continues the theme of sadness, with Cole acknowledging that the festive decorations and traditions don't hold the same value when he is alone: "Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree / They won't mean a thing if you're not here with me." The chorus repeats the theme of a "blue Christmas," underscoring the emotional weight of the lyrics.
The song's final lines (sung twice) offer a glimmer of hope that perhaps the loved one is having a happy holiday season, but that doesn't change Cole's own feelings: "You'll be doin' all right with your Christmas of white / But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas." The lyrics are simple but effective, conveying the complex emotions that can arise during the holidays when someone important is absent.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll have a blue Christmas without you
I will be alone and sad during the Christmas season without you by my side.
I'll be so blue thinkin' about you
My thoughts will be consumed by missing you and feeling sad.
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
The typical festive decorations of red and green will still be around, but they won't hold the same joyful meaning without you here.
They won't mean a thing if you're not here with me
The holiday decorations and traditions will be meaningless and unfulfilling without the person I love here to enjoy them with.
I'll have a blue Christmas, that's certain
It's inevitable that I will feel sad and lonely without my loved one here for the holiday.
And when that blue heartache starts hurtin'
My feelings of loneliness and heartache will become more intense as the holiday season progresses.
You'll be doin' all right with your Christmas of white
The person I love may be having a happy and normal Christmas without me, but it won't make me feel any better.
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas
My sadness and loneliness during the holiday season will be overwhelming, making it a truly blue and depressing time for me.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind