Ray Stevens (born Harold Ray Ragsdale, 24th January 1939) is an American country and pop singer-songwriter, best known for a series of irreverent, quirky singles such as "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" and "The Streak". His recording career began with two singles released on Prep Records, followed by a short stint with Capitol Records. Both contracts were made with the help of Atlanta, Georgia music maven Bill Lowery.
Stevens joined Lowery's National Recording Corporation in 1958, where he also was a member of the NRC staff band, playing numerous instruments, arranging, and doing background vocals. When NRC went into bankruptcy, he signed with Mercury Records, and started a series of hit records in the 1960s that included "Ahab the Arab" and "Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving, Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills". The later song held the record as the longest title to hit the Top 40 chart until being surpassed in 1981 by the Stars on 45 Medley, whose official title included the titles of 10 other songs because of copyright requirements.
Stevens became a producer and well-known studio musician on the Nashville scene, and recorded hits for Monument, Barnaby, Warner Brothers, MCA and RCA. Perhaps his most famous hit is "The Streak" (1974), which poked fun at the early-1970s "streaking" fad of running nude in public; this was a No 1 in both the UK and the USA. His novelty song "Bridget the Midget (The Queen of the Blues)" reached No 2 on the UK chart in 1971.
Stevens' biggest hit was his gospel-inflected single "Everything Is Beautiful" (1970). A plea for love and tolerance during turbulent times in the United States, the song shot to Number 1 there. Stevens has won two Grammy Awards: one for "Everything Is Beautiful" and one for the arrangement of his country and western version of the jazz standard "Misty" (1975). He also recorded a version of Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" in the style of a clucking chicken, under the pseudonym Henhouse Five Plus Too. This was a Top 40 hit in the US and UK.
With the popularity of the song "Everything Is Beautiful", Stevens had a variety show on CTV. The Ray Stevens Show appeared in Canada in 1970 and soon appeared in the United States on NBC and the United Kingdom on the BBC. Although it only has eight episodes, it is mostly known for being the show that launched the career of regular cast member Steve Martin.
Ray Stevens was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1991, Stevens opened the Ray Stevens Theater in Branson, Missouri. He performed there regularly until 2006, when he sold the theater.
In 2012, Stevens released The Encyclopedia of Recorded Comedy Music, an 8-CD collection of what Stevens considered the 96 greatest comedy songs of all-time.
In the fall of 2019, Stevens will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Merry Christmas
Ray Stevens 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 Yule-tide gay,
From now on our troublesWill 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,
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now
Ray Stevens's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" imbues the listener with a warm nostalgia for Christmases past, present, and future. The lyrics convey a message of hope and joy as the singer encourages the listener to let their heart be light and embrace the holiday spirit. The first two verses are particularly optimistic, as they suggest that "our troubles will be out of sight" and "our troubles will be miles away" as we enter into the festive season.
The middle section of the song is particularly poignant, as it paints a picture of olden days and happy golden days of yore. The singer longs for the warmth of family and friends, who gather together once more to celebrate the joy of the season. This yearning is transformed into something hopeful and inspiring in the final verse, which expresses a desire to spend future Christmases surrounded by our loved ones. The image of a shining star on the highest bough is symbolic of hope and redemption, inspiring the listener to keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long.
The song was originally written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine for the 1944 movie musical "Meet Me in St. Louis." Judy Garland, who starred in the film, performed the song, which became an instant classic. Over the years, many recording artists have covered the song, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Ella Fitzgerald. In 1957, the song was revised by Martin, who replaced some of the more melancholy lyrics with more upbeat ones, turning the song into a more optimistic and hopeful holiday classic. The new lyrics were included in a version of the song that was performed by Frank Sinatra, which has since become the most popular version of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Wishing for you to have a happy and enjoyable Christmas, regardless of whatever may be going on in your life.
Let your heart be light,
Allow your heart to be free of worry or negativity, and instead fill it with joy and happiness.
From now on our troubles
Will be out of sight.
From this moment forward, let's focus on the good things in life and allow our worries or problems to fade away or disappear completely.
Make the Yule-tide gay,
Bring joy and festivity to the holiday season, making it a time of merriment and cheer.
From now on our troubles
Will be miles away.
Let's forget our worries and let the holiday spirit carry us away, to a place where our troubles are far from our minds and hearts.
Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Let's recall fond memories of happy times gone by, and cherish the moments we share now, just as we did when we were younger.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Let's welcome back the people we cherish and love, especially those who have been away for some time, and celebrate our reunions.
Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow,
May we all be fortunate enough to continue being with one another, sharing more memories and moments of love and happiness, as we journey on through life.
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
Symbolically representing hope and promise, may we find a way to shine brightly even in times of difficulty or darkness, and reach new heights together.
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now
Once again emphasizing the desire for a happy and fulfilling holiday season, filled with kindness, warmth, and laughter, starting right now.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PastorTitus52
We are living in a day that demands that Christians should be tolerant of all religions, but that is not the teaching of Jesus Christ. He is the only Way, only Truth, and only Life to the Father. Ray has sent this message out in an impressive manner and I am glad that he is "stand for Jesus." Thank you, Ray for not being politically correct, but taking a stand for that which is Truth. God bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!!!
@4JsPlantation
Merry Christmas to you Ray and all your family. I too have followed Jesus all my life. I have followed your performances since I was a young teenager. I am now in my fifties. Keep up the good work.
@SusieRedus-w6j
Thank you, Ray, for getting the word "of" out there. And a blessed Merry "Christ"mas to you, too!
@marylaur1060
My husband and I have made it a point to say "Merry Christmas" to just about everyone we meet this year. After all we are celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
@cathyjenkins3926
This may have been done 8 years ago, but it is still just as relevant today!
@SS-zg6of
You Tube still allows this in 2023?
@karenrich9092
Hi Ray, Thanks for reminding us that Jesus is the reason for the season. Nice video!
@tiosidetrack
SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT A RIGHTIOUS MAN IS SIMPLY ONE WHO IS IN A RIGHT PLACE WITH GOD !!! THANK YOU RAY STEVENS FOR BEING IN THAT RIGHT PLACE AND SHARING THIS WITH US !!! MOST RIGHTIOUS !!!
@jim4christ1
thanks Ray for bringing the true meaning of Christmas once again public. . . if only more musicians, media, and politicians---especially Mr. president, could re-think and ponder the true meaning of Christma. once again, Thanks Ray.
@movieman104
this is one of the best songs ray stevens has ever written! hes so funny but he also has great point!