"Have Yourself a Little Merry Christmas"

Judy Garland Singing
"Have Yourself a Little Merry Christmas"
from Meet Me in St. Louis film (1944)

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Meet Me in St. Louis
Film Poster (1944)

Judy Garland sings
"Have Yourself a Little Merry Christmas"

Judy Garland (Esther) & Margaret O'Brien
(Tootie) in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Preface: For Song #19, I've selected "Have Yourself a Little Merry Christmas" sang by Judy Garland from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), one of my favorite musical movies. Unlike most Christmas songs that are happy, this one is quite sad. The World's Fair is coming to St. Louis in Spring !904. However, the Smith family is moving to New York, because Mr. Alonzo Smith (Leon Ames) was ordered to move by his law firm. The whole family is upset, losing their friends in St. Louis. After Esther's poignant rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", an inconsolable Tootie destroys the snowmen that they must leave behind. Esther reassures Tootie that they will be together no matter where they go. Mr. Smith, who has witnessed the girls outside, begins to have second thoughts. After thinking in the living room, he summons the family downstairs and announces that they will not move to
New York, much to everyone's surprise and joy. Frank Sinatra wants the lyrics to be more positive and asked
Hugh Martin to sprinkle a little festive joy. He ends song— "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 Yule-tide 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
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.