Wasnât sure Iâd have time to do a song this week, but managed to get this one in. This is from the 1944 film âMeet Me In St Louisâ starring Judy Garland. Itâs a long time since Iâve seen this but Iâve always loved the underlying melancholy of this song. The lyrics, by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, must have felt particularly poignant as many families would have been separated from love ones by the war. Judy sings, âSomeday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then weâll have to muddle through somehowâŚâ I think with the world seeming more and more uncertain and intolerant at the moment, the idea of having to muddle through this craziness somehow is particularly poignant now too. And that is the lyric I intended to sing! đ. I did several takes where I sung Judyâs version even though I was following Dr Ukeâs chords⌠then I got what I thought was my best take, only to listen back and go, âoh shit! Thatâs not the Judy version!â But it was my best take so it stays. Incidentally, the âhang a shining starâŚâ version came about at Frank Sinatraâs instigation I believe. The story is that when Frank came to do the song, he felt the âmuddle through somehowâ line was too downbeat so the composers came up with a more positive lyric. Anyway, I still prefer Judyâs version, even though I recorded the Sinatra version. Oh well, I may not be able to contribute for the next week or so, so I will wish you all a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and hopeful new year.
