Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - wikipedia Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas This article is about the song. For Kurt Nilsen album, see Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ( album ). For the House episode, see Merry Little Christmas. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2011 ) `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' Song by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis Released 1944 ( 1944 ) Genre Traditional pop Composer ( s ) Hugh Martin Lyricist ( s ) Ralph Blane `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '', a song written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, was introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. In 2007, ASCAP ranked `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in American cinema. Contents 1 Meet Me in St. Louis 2 Lyrics 3 Songwriting collaboration controversy 4 The Victors 5 Sam Smith version 5.1 Track listing 5.2 Charts 6 Judy Garland version 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Meet Me in St. Louis The song was written while Martin was vacationing in a flat in the neighborhood of Southside in Birmingham, Alabama, that his father Hugh Martin designed for his mother as a honeymoon cottage. Located at 1919 South 15th Avenue ( just down the street from his birthplace at 1900 South 14th Avenue ), the house became the home of Martin and his family in 1923. The song first appeared in a scene in Meet Me in St. Louis, in which a family is distraught by the father 's plans to move to New York City for a job promotion, leaving behind their beloved home in St. Louis, Missouri, just before the long - anticipated 1904 World 's Fair begins. In a scene set on Christmas Eve, Judy Garland 's character, Esther, sings the song to cheer up her despondent five - year - old sister, Tootie, played by Margaret O'Brien. Lyrics Some of the original lyrics that were penned by Martin were rejected before filming began. They were : Have yourself a merry little Christmas It may be your last Next year we may all be living in the past Have yourself a merry little Christmas Pop that champagne cork Next year we may all be living in New York No good times like the olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who were dear to us Will be near to us no more But at least we all will be together If the Lord allows From now on, we 'll have to muddle through somehow So have yourself a merry little Christmas now When presented with the original draft lyric, Garland, her co-star Tom Drake and director Vincente Minnelli criticized the song as depressing, and asked Martin to change the lyrics. Though he initially resisted, Martin made several changes to make the song more upbeat. For example, the lines `` It may be your last / Next year we may all be living in the past '' became `` Let your heart be light / Next year all our troubles will be out of sight ''. Garland 's version of the song, which was also released as a single by Decca Records, became popular among United States troops serving in World War II ; her performance at the Hollywood Canteen brought many soldiers to tears. In 1957, Frank Sinatra asked Martin to revise the line `` Until then we 'll have to muddle through somehow. '' He told Martin, `` The name of my album is A Jolly Christmas. Do you think you could jolly up that line for me ? '' Martin 's new line was `` Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. '' Martin made several other alterations, changing the song 's focus to a celebration of present happiness, rather than anticipation of a better future. On The Judy Garland Show Christmas Special, Garland sings the song to her children Joey and Lorna Luft with Sinatra 's alternate lyrics. The lyrics Garland sang in Meet Me in St. Louis have been recorded with only slight variations by a number of artists, including Sinatra ( in 1950 and 1963 single recordings ), Bing Crosby ( in I Wish You a Merry Christmas ), Doris Day ( in The Doris Day Christmas Album ), Ella Fitzgerald ( in Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas ), The Pretenders ( in the first A Very Special Christmas compilation ), James Taylor ( in October Road ), and Luther Vandross ( in This Is Christmas ). In 2001, Martin, occasionally active as a pianist with religious ministries since the 1980s, wrote an entirely new set of lyrics to the song with John Fricke, `` Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas, '' a religious version of the secular Christmas standard. The song was recorded by gospel female vocalist Del Delker with Martin accompanying her on piano. In 2002, NewSong lead singer Michael O'Brien noted the line `` through the years, we all will be together if the Lord allows, '' which was part of the original song, was purged and replaced with `` if the fates allow '' to remove religious reference when the song was released. He noted while a pastor in a California church in 1990 that he had met Martin, who played piano at the church where O'Brien was serving for an evening, and the pastor was told, `` That 's the original way I wrote it, so I want you to sing it this way. '' Songwriting collaboration controversy Although Ralph Blane is credited with writing the music for many of Martin 's songs, Martin claimed in his autobiography that he wrote both music and lyrics to all of the songs in Meet Me in St. Louis and that `` all of the so - called Martin and Blane songs, ( except for Best Foot Forward ), were written entirely by me ( solo ) without help from Ralph or anybody else. '' His explanation for allowing Blane equal credit for the songs was : `` I was reasonably content to let him receive equal screen credit, sheet music credit, ASCAP royalties, etc., mainly because this bizarre situation was caused by my naive and atrocious lack of business acumen. '' The Victors Frank Sinatra 's third recording of the song, backed by popular Hollywood arranger Gus Levene and his orchestra, was controversially used by director Carl Foreman in his 1963 anti-war film The Victors as the soundtrack backdrop ( along with the carol `` Hark ! The Herald Angels Sing '' ) to the execution by firing squad of a G.I. deserter in a bleak, snowy field on Christmas Eve -- a scene inspired by the real - life execution of Pvt. Eddie Slovik in 1945. The New York Times film reviewer, while recognising the power of the scene, complained that `` the device itself is almost as specious and sentimental as what ( Foreman ) is trying to mock ''. Sam Smith version `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' Single by Sam Smith Released December 6, 2014 Format Digital download Genre Pop Length 2 : 50 Label Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Ralph Blane Hugh Martin Sam Smith singles chronology `` Like I Can '' ( 2014 ) `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' ( 2014 ) `` Lay Me Down '' ( 2015 ) `` Like I Can '' ( 2014 ) `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' ( 2014 ) `` Lay Me Down '' ( 2015 ) On December 6, 2014, English singer Sam Smith released a cover version on the song. The song debuted at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time a version of the song has charted on the Hot 100. In Australia, the song charted at number 63, the second time a version of the song has charted, after Michael Bublé 's version reached number 98 in 2011. Track listing Digital download `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' -- 2 : 50 Charts Chart ( 2014 -- 18 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 63 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 69 Belgium ( Ultratip Flanders ) 53 Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 66 Canada AC ( Billboard ) 8 Canada Hot AC ( Billboard ) 49 Czech Republic ( Singles Digitál Top 100 ) 96 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) 34 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 62 Ireland ( IRMA ) 60 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 33 Norway ( VG - lista ) 27 Portugal ( AFP ) 91 Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) 57 Slovakia ( Singles Digitál Top 100 ) 68 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 38 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 74 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 65 US Billboard Hot 100 90 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 6 US Holiday 100 ( Billboard ) 9 Judy Garland version Judy Garland 's 1944 version reached No. 27 in Billboard charts. See also List of number - one adult contemporary singles of 2016 ( U.S. ) References Jump up ^ Studwell, William Emmett ( 1995 ). `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ''. The Christmas carol reader. Routledge. p. 136. ISBN 1 - 56023 - 872 - 0. Jump up ^ `` ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs '' ( Press release ). ASCAP. November 12, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Hugh Martin ''. Jump up ^ Martin, Hugh ( 2010 ). The Boy Next Door. Trolley Press. pp. 9 -- 10. ISBN 978 - 0 - 615 - 36507 - 7. Jump up ^ Dirks, Tim ( 1996 ). `` Meet Me in St. Louis ( 1944 ) ''. The Greatest Films. Retrieved December 21, 2007. Jump up ^ Martin, Hugh ( 2010 ). The Boy Next Door. Trolley Press. pp. 196 -- 197. ISBN 978 - 0 - 615 - 36507 - 7. ^ Jump up to : Willman, Chris ( December 22, 2006 ). `` There 's Something About Merry ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 21, 2007. Jump up ^ Collins, Ace ( 2001 ). Stories Behind the Best - Loved Songs of Christmas. Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan. pp. 78 -- 79. ISBN 0 - 310 - 23926 - 5. Jump up ^ `` The Christmas Special ''. The Judy Garland Show. Season 1. Episode 15. Los Angeles. December 22, 1963. 1 : 54 minutes in. CBS. CBS Television City. Jump up ^ `` The Carpenter and the King ''. The Voice of Prophesy. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2016. Jump up ^ CBS.COM -- The Christmas Shoes Archived August 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. from CBS ^ Jump up to : Martin, Hugh ( 2010 ). The Boy Next Door. Trolley Press. pp. 390 -- 392. ISBN 978 - 0 - 615 - 36507 - 7. Jump up ^ Leigh, Spencer ( September 25, 2015 ). Frank Sinatra : An Extraordinary Life. McNidder and Grace Limited. p. 335. ISBN 978 - 0 - 85716 - 088 - 1. Jump up ^ The Grim Message of War : Foreman 's ' The Victors ' at Two Theaters, by Bosley Crowther, New York Times, December 20, 1963 Jump up ^ Gary, Trust ( December 19, 2014 ). `` Hot 100 Chart Moves : Sam Smith Brings ' Merry Little Christmas ' to Chart for First Time ''. Billboard magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2014. Jump up ^ Ryan, Gavin ( December 20, 2014 ). `` ARIA Singles : Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars Stay At No 1 ''. Noise11. Noise Network. Retrieved December 20, 2014. Jump up ^ `` iTunes - Music - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Single by Sam Smith ''. iTunes Store ( US ). Apple Inc. December 6, 2014. Jump up ^ `` The ARIA Report : Issue 1295 ( Week Commencing 22 December 2014 ) '' ( PDF ). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 4. Retrieved December 23, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 4, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratip. Retrieved September 27, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith Chart History ( Canadian Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith Chart History ( Canada AC ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith Chart History ( Canada Hot AC ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` ČNS IFPI '' ( in Czech ). Hitparáda -- Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 201552, 53 into search. Retrieved December 27, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Track Top - 40 Uge 52, 2017 ''. Hitlisten. Retrieved January 3, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 29 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` IRMA -- Irish Charts ''. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved December 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 27, 2017. Jump up ^ `` VG - lista -- Topp 20 Single uke 52, 2017 ''. VG - lista. Retrieved December 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Portuguesecharts.com -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ''. AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 5 January 2018. Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 27, 2017. Jump up ^ `` SNS IFPI '' ( in Slovak ). Hitparáda -- Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 201552, 53 into search. Retrieved December 27, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sverigetopplistan -- Sveriges Officiella Topplista ''. Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved December 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Sam Smith -- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 31, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 27, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sam Smith -- Chart Results : Holiday 100 ''. Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2015. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 170. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. External links Entertainment Weekly article -- with the history of the song 's lyrics, including three different versions Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Sam Smith Discography Awards and nominations Studio albums In the Lonely Hour The Thrill of It All Remix albums The Lost Tapes -- Remixed Extended plays Nirvana Singles `` Bad Day All Week '' `` When It 's Alright '' `` Lay Me Down '' `` Money on My Mind '' `` Stay with Me '' `` I 'm Not the Only One '' `` Like I Can '' `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' `` Writing 's on the Wall '' `` Too Good at Goodbyes '' `` Pray '' `` Burning '' `` One Last Song '' Featured singles `` Latch '' `` La La La '' `` Moments '' `` Omen '' Other songs `` Safe with Me '' Tours In the Lonely Hour Tour The Thrill of It All Tour Michael McDonald Studio albums If That 's What It Takes ( 1982 ) No Lookin ' Back ( 1985 ) Take It to Heart ( 1990 ) Blink of an Eye ( 1993 ) Blue Obsession ( 2000 ) Motown ( 2003 ) Motown Two ( 2004 ) Soul Speak ( 2008 ) Wide Open ( 2017 ) Compilation albums Sweet Freedom ( 1986 ) Singles `` I Keep Forgettin ' ( Every Time You 're Near ) '' `` No Lookin ' Back '' `` Sweet Freedom '' `` I Heard It Through the Grapevine '' `` Ai n't No Mountain High Enough '' `` Reach Out, I 'll Be There '' `` Baby I Need Your Lovin ' '' `` Stop, Look, Listen ( To Your Heart ) '' `` Deck the Halls / Jingle Bells '' `` Walk On By '' `` ( Your Love Keeps Lifting Me ) Higher and Higher '' `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ! '' Record labels Warner Bros. Reprise Universal Music Group Motown Related articles Discography The Doobie Brothers Toto Amy Holland Josh Groban Studio albums Josh Groban ( 2001 ) Closer ( 2003 ) Awake ( 2006 ) Noël ( 2007 ) Illuminations ( 2010 ) All That Echoes ( 2013 ) Stages ( 2015 ) Live albums Awake Live ( 2008 ) Compilation albums A Collection ( 2008 ) Singles `` To Where You Are '' `` You Raise Me Up '' `` Believe '' `` You Are Loved ( Do n't Give Up ) '' `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' `` Ave Maria '' `` The Prayer '' `` Hidden Away '' `` Você Existe Em Mim '' `` Higher Window '' `` Brave '' `` I Believe ( When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever ) '' Other songs `` All I Ask of You '' `` Sous le ciel de Paris '' Concert tours Closer Tour ( 2004 -- 2005 ) Awake Tour ( 2007 ) Straight to You Tour ( 2011 ) All That Echoes World Tour ( 2013 ) Summer Symphony Tour ( 2014 ) Josh Groban on Stage ( 2015 -- 2016 ) Related articles Discography Katharine McPhee Discography Filmography Studio albums Katharine McPhee Unbroken Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You Hysteria I Fall in Love Too Easily Compilation albums American Idol Season 5 : Encores Soundtrack albums Barbie & the Diamond Castle Tinker Bell The Music of Smash Bombshell Singles `` Somewhere Over the Rainbow / My Destiny '' `` Over It '' `` Love Story '' `` Had It All '' `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' `` Lick My Lips '' `` Night and Day '' Smash singles `` Let Me Be Your Star '' `` The 20th Century Fox Mambo '' `` Touch Me '' `` A Thousand and One Nights '' `` Never Give All the Heart '' `` Smash ! '' `` Do n't Forget Me '' Tours `` American Idols LIVE ! Tour 2006 '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Have_Yourself_a_Merry_Little_Christmas&oldid=841952343 '' Categories : 1944 songs 2014 singles Capitol Records singles Songs written by Ralph Blane Songs written by Hugh Martin Judy Garland songs Frank Sinatra songs Glen Campbell songs Josh Groban songs Sam Smith ( singer ) songs Songs from Meet Me in St. Louis American Christmas songs Jazz compositions in G - flat major Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use mdy dates from January 2013 Articles needing additional references from December 2011 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Tip Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadianhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadaac Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadahotac Singlechart usages for Czechdigital Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Portugal Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart usages for Slovakdigital Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Euskara Français Italiano Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Русский Simple English Svenska Türkçe Tiếng Việt 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 19 May 2018, at 05 : 43. 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Question: who wrote have yourself a merry little christmas
Answer: Hugh Martin