Well, it’s December 1, do let’s get started with this year’s musical run-up to Christmas, shall we? I know, I know–this ghastly year is more limping toward Christmas than anything else, but there’s nothing we can do about the calendar, and all we really can so is try to find what light we can.
Longtime followers will not be surprised that I’m featuring this particular song, because I do every year…but never on the very first day of December. I usually wait on this one, because it’s not obviously cheery. Lontime followers of mine will also know that I always accompany this song with my objection to the changing of the lyrics, at the behest of Frank Sinatra, that has become pretty well standardized ever since he figured that part of the original lyric wasn’t sufficiently brimming with Holiday cheer. And this year is no different…in fact, if ever a year made the case for keeping the original lyrics, this is the one.
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.
What lyrics could we possibly have this year, when so many of us are unable to be together at Christmastime (or any other time)? “If the fates allow,” indeed…and indeed, all we can do is “muddle through somehow”. That’s all we can ever do, really…but 2020 has made it manifest.
So let’s enter December, trying to find what hope we may…even as we muddle through somehow.
Huh. For some reason, I remember you played this much closer to Dec 25 last time.
I love this song (this particular version, forget the happied-up one) very much. Always have. I think we need to acknowledge that Christmas isn't always unabashedly happy – perhaps for none of us, it ever is.
this year in particular. This whole 18 months, starting with my dad's death last July, has been muddling through at best (and figuratively, being Tootie smashing up the snow family at worst).
I am almost afraid to hope at this point that next year will be better.