On the Saturday Song feature this week I shared a classic Christmas tune sung by Tori Amos. It’s one of those songs that every musician alive has covered. No, seriously. Every. One. You’ve heard Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble but even Coldplay has recorded it (To be honest, their version is quite nice). Kenny G. and Neil Diamond have done it! Twisted Sister opened a concert with it, Santa hat and all. Heck, even the French garage band High Fans, whoever they are, has a version of this song on YouTube!
But my favorite will forever be the original from the 1944 hit movie Meet Me In St. Louis. Six years back, NPR did an interview with writers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine about the original–and very dark–lyrics and how Judy Garland refused to sing them. Still, Blaine and Martin’s final version has more than a bit melancholy to it. The scene has such an intimate blend of sadness and faint hope. Few people seem to be able to carry it off in their renditions. So here is a clip from the movie, shocking snowman scene and all.
Why not share a link to your favorite cover of the tune in the comments?
David J. Bauman 
I never noticed just how melancholy the song is. As she talks and sings, I keep hearing Dorothy Gale.
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It’ll be better next year. If we’re lucky. Until then we’ll “muddle through somehow.” Until things get better in the future, “have yourself a merry little Christmas *now*.” Yeah, nobody else gets that across when they sing this, and often they pretty it up quite a bit.
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I’ve been thinking and I see why the wide difference in how people percieve this song. In Judy’s version she says:
“Someday soon we all will be together
if the fates allow
Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”
The common Christmas-special version seems to say instead:
“Through the years we all will be together
if the fates allow.
Hang a shining star upon the highest bow.”
Still a tad melancholy, but assuming much more positive scenarios. A notable difference between someday soon, maybe and through the years probably. 🙂
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Yes, that second version is the one that’s familiar for me.
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