"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a Christmas song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. It was credited to Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, although during a December 21, 2006 NPR interview, Martin said that Blane had encouraged him to write it but had not had anything more to do with doing so. In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song written by ASCAP members of the past five years.
Lyrics
Christmas future is far away
Christmas past is past
Christmas present is here today
Bringing joy that will last
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 Yuletide 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
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Appearances in Christmas specials
- Meet Me in St. Louis
- Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas
- The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
- Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
- John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
- Emu at Christmas
- A Muppet Family Christmas
- Home Alone
- All I Want for Christmas (only the song's title is sung)
- Disney's Christmas Fantasy on Ice (instrumental)
- Snowden's Christmas (only in the non-split-screen credits)
- Prancer Returns
- "Ludachristmas"
- "Blue Christmas"
- "Glee, Actually"
- "Holly Jolly Jimmy" (Parodied as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Pule")
Album releases
| Album | Year | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas with the Chipmunks, Vol. 2 | 1963 | ||
| Merry Christmas from Sesame Street | 1975 | Sung by Ernie and Bert. This recording of the song later reappeared in the 1986 album Christmas on Sesame Street. | |
| A Christmas Together | 1979 | Sung by Rowlf the Dog and John Denver. | |
| Christmas Eve on Sesame Street | 1981 | ||
| Home Alone Christmas | 1990 | ||
| A Sesame Street Christmas | 1995 | ||
| A Flintstones Motown Christmas | 1999 | Covered by The Jackson 5 | |
| Jingle Jangle Jingle with Hi-5 | 2004 | Covered by Hi-5 | |
| Disney's Merry Little Christmas | 2006 | ||
| A Green and Red Christmas | 2006 | Sung by Kermit the Frog. | |
| Disney Channel Holiday | 2007 | Covered by The Cheetah Girls. | |
| The Archies Christmas Album featuring Betty & Veronica | 2008 | ||
| Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas | 2009 | Performed by Ella Fitzgerald and the Frank DeVol Orchestra. | |
| Mickey's Magical Holiday 2011 | 2011 | ||
| Chipmunks Christmas | 2012 | ||
| Glee: The Music, the Christmas Album Volume 3 | 2012 | Covered by New Directions, Puck, and Kurt |
