I usually play a song on the Christmas assembly at the school where I teach. I started to prepare today and wanted to refresh my memory of the lyrics to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. In looking it up I found the lyric used in a movie with Judy Garland and the one recorded by Frank Sinatra.

A little bit of a difference in emotional tone between the two. If I keep the first one in my head I may need a little cry break after the bridge.

Original

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.

The More Well Known Version

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 Yule-tide 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

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

So hang a shining star upon the highest bough

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

The original lyrics really are quite dark; so dark that Hugh Martin was asked to make changes for the film (Meet Me in St. Louis) to make the song more "wistful but optimistic' and less "dark and depressing".

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Let your heart be light

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Make the yuletide gay

Next year all our troubles will be miles away

Once again as in olden days

Happy golden days of yore

Faithful friends who are dear to us

Will be near to us once more

Someday soon we all will be together

If the fates allow

Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.