Someday soon, we all will be together, if the fates allow…Until then, we’ll have to mudd
Today’s Holiday Music Bracket was pretty intense, with Judy Garland’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” being pitted against the Pretenders.
I have to admit that I thought this one would be a no-brainer, but I was surprised to see that the Pretenders version was dominating the polls for most of the day. By midday, there was an all out war between Team Judy and Team Chrissie.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think the Pretenders version is beautiful, but I just don’t think anything can hold a gingerbread-scented candle to the original.
As I explained in my post to my coworkers on our internal social networking site:
…Consider the context of the movie [Meet Me in Saint Louis, from where this song originated]. How hopeful, but bittersweet Judy Garland is… What I find interesting about her version (which is the original) is that they make no bones about times being hard. Whereas newer versions sing “hang a shining star upon the highest bow,” the original is “Someday soon, we all will be together/If the Fates allow/Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.” The movie itself was set during the 1904 World’s Fair, but I think that these lyrics were speaking to the times when the movie was filmed (1944). Judy’s performance is hopeful, but still somber, and she reflects the tone in the nation at a time where war was still ripping families apart, but people were still trying to believe in the Technicolor dreams that Hollywood was offering them. Judy Garland’s version of this song IS the song. No other version can capture all that. Accept no substitutions.
I’d like to say this rant was the reason why Judy’s version of the song inevitably won, but I think that had more to do with my coworker’s deft methods to get less emotionally invested coworkers to vote when they otherwise would not bother. Regardless, a win is a win. Viva la Judy!!
Do you have a favorite all-time version of this song, or any holiday song that you think just can’t be touched? Feel free to share it in the comments below!
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