Every year we sing Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s Day, but where did it come from? Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem that was written by Robert Burns in 1788. His poem was set to a traditional folk song. Music historians are unsure if the melody used today is the original melody Burns Read More
Month: December 2014
Behind the Song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was almost cut from the film that made it popular. The song was sung in the 1944 MGM musical, Meet Me in St. Louis. In the film, Judy Garland’s character sings the song to her despondent little sister, played by Margaret O’Brien. The song was written by Hugh Martin Read More
Behind the Song: Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer
Bob May had not lived an easy life. As a child he was bullied and called names. Life seemed to be looking up when he graduated college in 1926, married his sweetheart and secured a job at Montgomery Ward, as a copywriter, during the years of the Great Depression. Then the couple was blessed with Read More
Behind the Song: White Christmas
White Christmas is the most popular Christmas song of all time. The Irving Berlin song is reminiscing about an “old fashioned Christmas.” Accounts vary as to when and where Berlin wrote the song. He often stayed up all night writing or would ask his secretary to write down what he dictated. Both La Quinta Hotel Read More
Behind the Song: Here Comes Santa Claus
Here Comes Santa Claus was inspired by a Christmas parade. In 1946, the original singing cowboy, Gene Autry, was riding Champion, his horse, down Hollywood Boulevard in the annual Christmas parade. He was placed just a few spots ahead of Santa Claus. He noticed that no one was paying any attention to him. They were Read More