If We Make It Through December - wikipedia If We Make It Through December 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. ( October 2013 ) `` If We Make It Through December '' Single by Merle Haggard and The Strangers from the album If We Make It Through December B - side `` Bobby Wants a Puppy Dog for Christmas '' Released October 27, 1973 Format 7 '' Recorded 1973 Genre Country Length 2 : 42 Label Capitol 3746 Songwriter ( s ) Merle Haggard Producer ( s ) Ken Nelson Merle Haggard and The Strangers singles chronology `` Everybody 's Had the Blues '' ( 1973 ) `` If We Make It Through December '' ( 1973 ) `` Things Are n't Funny Anymore '' ( 1974 ) `` If We Make It Through December '' is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Merle Haggard and The Strangers. It was released in October 1973 as the lead single from the album Merle Haggard 's Christmas Present, and was the title track on a non-Christmas album four months later. In the years since its release, `` If We Make It Through December '' -- which, in addition to its Christmas motif, also uses themes of unemployment and loneliness -- has become one of the trademark songs of Haggard 's career. Contents 1 Content 2 Critical reception 3 Session personnel 4 Chart performance 5 Cover versions 6 References 7 External links Content Written in 1973, it treats with Haggard 's characteristically simple poetry the desperate optimism of a working - class man dealing with economic hardship. Having been laid off from his factory job just prior to the Christmas season, the man becomes depressed over his predicament during what normally should be a `` happy time of year. '' At one point, he observes that his little girl `` do n't understand why Daddy ca n't afford no Christmas here. '' The chorus, `` If we make it through December / Everything 's gon na be alright, I know '' expresses hope, the protagonist telling himself that hope exists if he wants to deal with `` the coldest time of winter '' and the cold, lonely feeling he experiences while watching the snow fall ( `` and I shiver when I see the falling snow '' ). While Christmas is a prominent theme of this song, writer Merle Haggard said the song is not considered a `` pure '' Christmas record, as the subject of economics was also explored. Critical reception `` If We Make It Through December '' was received positively by a review panel with Billboard magazine. In the review published October 13, 1973, they wrote, `` Another change of pace by Haggard, who keeps surprising with his various styles, and does so well with all. He is a complete artist. '' Session personnel Guitar : Merle Haggard, Bobby Wayne Bass : Norm Hamlet Fiddle : Johnny Gimble Drums : Biff Adam Piano : Hargus `` Pig '' Robbins Chart performance The song spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in December 1973 and January 1974, and cracked the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. `` If We Make It Through December '' was the No. 2 song of the year on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles 1974 year - end chart. Chart ( 1973 ) Peak position US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) US Billboard Hot 100 28 Canadian RPM Country Tracks Canadian RPM Top Singles 30 Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks 37 Cover versions Several singers in the country, folk and pop genres have covered `` If We Make It Through December, '' including Alan Jackson ( on his Christmas album, Honky Tonk Christmas ), Marty Robbins, Faron Young, Holly Cole. Joey + Rory recorded it for their album A Farmhouse Christmas with Merle Haggard adding background vocals as well as singing the final chorus. The song was also covered by The Blue Shadows, featuring Billy Cowsill, and included on the 2010 re-release of the band 's debut album. References Jump up ^ Roland, Tom, `` The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits '' ( Billboard Books, Watson - Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 ( ISBN 0 - 8230 - 7553 - 2 ) ), p. 103 Jump up ^ Tiegel, Eliot, editor ( October 13, 1973 ). Billboard 's Top Single Picks. Billboard. p. 50. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits : 1944 - 2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 147. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits : Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 270. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Archived October 20, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Merle Haggard Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Merle Haggard Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ Biography of The Blue Shadows ; canadianbands.com. Retrieved 2015 - 02 - 28. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Merle Haggard The Strangers Norm Hamlet Ralph Mooney Tiny Moore Roy Nichols Gene Price Eldon Shamblin Gordon Terry Biff Adam Jimmy Belken Eddie Burris Gary Church Wayne Durham George French Dennis Hromek Don Markham Johnny Meeks Marcia Nichols Ronnie Reno Clint Strong Jim Tittle Jerry Ward Bobby Wayne Mark Yeary Studio albums Strangers Swinging Doors ( with The Strangers ) I 'm a Lonesome Fugitive ( with The Strangers ) Branded Man ( with The Strangers ) Sing Me Back Home ( with The Strangers ) The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde ( with The Strangers ) Mama Tried ( with The Strangers ) Pride in What I Am ( with The Strangers ) Same Train, A Different Time A Portrait of Merle Haggard ( with The Strangers ) A Tribute to the Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World ( or, My Salute to Bob Wills ) Hag ( with The Strangers ) Someday We 'll Look Back ( with The Strangers ) Let Me Tell You About a Song ( with The Strangers ) It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) ( with The Strangers ) If We Make It Through December ( with The Strangers ) Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album ( with The Strangers ) Keep Movin ' On ( with The Strangers ) It 's All in the Movies ( with The Strangers ) My Love Affair with Trains ( with The Strangers ) The Roots of My Raising ( with The Strangers ) Ramblin ' Fever A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today ( with The Strangers ) My Farewell to Elvis I 'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall Serving 190 Proof The Way I Am Back to the Barrooms Big City Going Where the Lonely Go That 's the Way Love Goes It 's All in the Game Kern River Out Among the Stars A Friend In California Chill Factor 5 : 01 Blues Blue Jungle If I Could Only Fly Roots, Volume 1 The Peer Sessions Haggard Like Never Before Unforgettable Chicago Wind The Bluegrass Sessions I Am What I Am Working in Tennessee Live albums Okie from Muskogee ( with The Strangers ) The Fightin ' Side of Me ( with The Strangers ) I Love Dixie Blues ( with The Strangers ) Rainbow Stew Live at Anaheim Stadium The Epic Collection ( Recorded Live ) Amber Waves of Grain Motorcycle Cowboy : Live at Billy Bob 's Texas Ol ' Country Singer Live from Austin, TX Live from Austin, TX ' 78 Gospel albums The Land of Many Churches ( with The Strangers ) Songs for the Mama That Tried Cabin in the Hills Two Old Friends ( with Albert E. Brumley, Jr. ) Holiday albums Merle Haggard 's Christmas Present Goin ' Home for Christmas Pancho, Lefty and Rudolph ( with Willie Nelson ) I Wish I Was Santa Claus The Strangers albums Instrumental Sounds of Merle Haggard 's The Strangers Introducing My Friends The Strangers Getting to Know Merle Haggard 's The Strangers The Strangers Honky Tonkin ' The Strangers Totally Instrumental ( With One Exception... ) Singles 1960s `` Sing a Sad Song '' `` Sam Hill '' `` ( My Friends Are Gonna Be ) Strangers '' `` I 'm Gonna Break Every Heart I Can '' `` Swinging Doors '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Bottle Let Me Down '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Fugitive '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Threw Away the Rose '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Branded Man '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Sing Me Back Home '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Mama Tried '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Hungry Eyes '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Workin ' Man Blues '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Okie from Muskogee '' ( with The Strangers ) 1970s `` The Fightin ' Side of Me '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Street Singer '' ( released by The Strangers ) `` Jesus, Take a Hold '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Ca n't Be Myself '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Soldier 's Last Letter '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Someday We 'll Look Back '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Daddy Frank ( The Guitar Man ) '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Carolyn '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Grandma Harp '' ( with The Strangers ) `` It 's Not Love ( But It 's Not Bad ) '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I Wonder If They Ever Think of Me '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Emptiest Arms in the World '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Everybody 's Had the Blues '' ( with The Strangers ) `` If We Make It Through December ( with The Strangers ) '' `` Things Are n't Funny Anymore '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Old Man from the Mountain '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Kentucky Gambler '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Always Wanting You '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Movin ' On '' ( with The Strangers ) `` It 's All in the Movies '' ( with The Strangers ) `` The Roots of My Raising '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Here Comes the Freedom Train '' ( with The Strangers ) `` Cherokee Maiden '' ( with The Strangers ) `` If We 're Not Back in Love by Monday '' `` Ramblin ' Fever '' `` A Working Man Ca n't Get Nowhere Today '' ( with The Strangers ) `` From Graceland to the Promised Land '' `` Running Kind '' ( with The Strangers ) `` I 'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall '' `` It 's Been a Great Afternoon '' `` The Way It Was in ' 51 '' `` Red Bandana '' `` My Own Kind of Hat '' 1980s -- 1990s `` The Way I Am '' `` Misery and Gin '' `` I Think I 'll Just Stay Here and Drink '' `` Leonard '' `` Rainbow Stew '' `` My Favorite Memory '' `` Big City '' `` Dealing with the Devil '' `` Are the Good Times Really Over ( I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver ) '' `` Going Where the Lonely Go '' `` You Take Me for Granted '' `` What Am I Gonna Do ( With the Rest of My Life ) '' `` It 's All in the Game '' `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' `` Someday When Things Are Good '' `` Let 's Chase Each Other Around the Room '' `` A Place to Fall Apart '' `` Make - Up and Faded Blue Jeans '' `` Kern River '' `` Amber Waves of Grain '' `` American Waltz '' `` I Had a Beautiful Time '' `` A Friend in California '' `` Out Among the Stars '' `` Almost Persuaded '' `` Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star '' `` Chill Factor '' `` We Never Touch at All '' `` You Babe '' `` 5 : 01 Blues '' `` A Better Love Next Time '' `` If You Want to Be My Woman '' `` Broken Friend '' `` When It Rains It Pours '' `` In My Next Life '' Collaborations Albums Just Between the Two of Us ( with Bonnie Owens and The Strangers ) A Taste of Yesterday 's Wine ( with George Jones ) Pancho & Lefty ( with Willie Nelson ) Heart to Heart ( with Leona Williams ) Walking the Line ( with George Jones and Willie Nelson ) Seashores of Old Mexico ( with Willie Nelson ) Kickin ' Out the Footlights... Again ( with George Jones ) Last of the Breed ( with Willie Nelson and Ray Price ) Django & Jimmie ( with Willie Nelson ) Singles `` Just Between the Two of Us '' ( with Bonnie Owens and The Strangers ) `` The Bull and the Beaver '' with Leona Williams `` Bar Room Buddies '' ( with Clint Eastwood ) `` Yesterday 's Wine '' ( with George Jones ) `` C.C. Waterback '' ( with George Jones ) `` Reasons to Quit '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` Pancho and Lefty '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` We 're Strangers Again '' ( with Leona Williams ) `` If I Could Only Fly '' ( with Willie Nelson ) `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' with ( Jewel ) `` Wreck on the Highway '' ( with Chester Smith ) Guest appearances `` Street Singer '' ( by The Strangers ) `` Willie '' ( by Hank Cochran ) `` Walking the Floor Over You '' ( by Ernest Tubb ) `` I Ca n't Hold Myself in Line '' ( by Johnny Paycheck ) `` Lefty '' ( by David Frizzell ) `` Same Old Train '' ( from Tribute to Tradition ) `` Politically Uncorrect '' ( by Gretchen Wilson ) `` I Think I 'll Just Stay Here and Drink '' ( by Hank Williams, Jr. ) Compilations The Best of Merle Haggard Close - Up The Best of the Best of Merle Haggard Songs I 'll Always Sing Eleven Winners The Way It Was in ' 51 Merle Haggard 's Greatest Hits His Epic Hits : The First 11 ( To Be Continued... ) His Best His Greatest and His Best The Lonesome Fugitive Untamed Hawk Vintage Collections Down Every Road 1962 -- 1994 Yesterday 's Wine 1981 - 1988 A&E Biography 16 Biggest Hits For the Record : 43 Legendary Hits Merle Haggard 's Train Whistle Blues 20 Greatest Hits David Allan Coe Presents 40 # 1 Hits The Essential Merle Haggard : The Epic Years Hag : The Best of Merle Haggard Related articles Discography Marty Haggard Noel Haggard Bonnie Owens Leona Williams The Strangers Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_We_Make_It_Through_December&oldid=860934608 '' Categories : 1973 singles Merle Haggard songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Songs written by Merle Haggard American Christmas songs Song recordings produced by Ken Nelson ( United States record producer ) Capitol Records singles 1973 songs Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Webarchive template wayback links Articles needing additional references from October 2013 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 24 September 2018, at 02 : 07 ( UTC ). 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Question: who wrote if we make it through december
Answer: Merle Haggard