“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
December 8th, 2020
For this special holiday episode of Let’s Face The Music, we discover the origin of the happiest sad Christmas song. First introduced by Judy Garland, the song was recorded three times by Frank Sinatra — most shockingly for a war film, soundtracking a brutal execution scene.
Sources:
Chris Willman, ‘The history of a popular holiday song,’ January 8, 2007
Seamus Sweeney, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: The Execution Scene from The Victors,’ December 20, 2018
Audio
Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, Fresh Air, NPR 1989
Hugh Martin, Fresh Air, NPR 2006
Judy Garland Lux Radio Theater, December 2, 1946
Judy Garland The Judy Garland Show, December 22, 1963
Frank Sinatra ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ 1949
Frank Sinatra ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ 1957
Frank Sinatra ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ 1963
Dave Brubeck ‘The Trolley Song,’ 1955
Percy Faith, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ 1966
Theme Songs
‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance,’ Ella Fitzgerald, 1958
‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance,’ Nelson Riddle, 1966