"Happy Holiday" | |
---|---|
Song by Bing Crosby with the Music Maid and Hal and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra | |
Written | 1942 |
Genre | Christmas music |
Length | 2:28 |
Songwriter(s) | Irving Berlin |
"Happy Holiday" (sometimes performed as "Happy Holidays") is a popular song composed by Irving Berlin in 1942 and published the following year.[1]
History
[edit]"Happy Holiday" was introduced by Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds (dubbed by Martha Mears) in the 1942 film Holiday Inn in a scene when the Inn opens for the first time. While it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song, in the film it is performed on New Year's Eve, and expresses a wish for the listener to enjoy "happy holidays" throughout the entire year. It contains certain melodic material first used in Berlin's earlier song "Easter Parade".[citation needed]
Jo Stafford was the first to release it on a Christmas album, on her album of the same name in 1955.[2]
The Kay Thompson song "The Holiday Season" is sometimes paired with "Happy Holiday" as a medley. This was first popularized by Andy Williams (whom Thompson herself discovered and mentored). Other artists who have covered the "Happy Holiday"/"Holiday Season" medley include The Manhattan Transfer, She & Him, and Michael W. Smith.
Renditions
[edit]- Bing Crosby recorded the song on June 1, 1942, for Decca Records with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, plus The Music Maids and Hal.[3] Crosby also used the song as the introduction to his long-running A Christmas Sing with Bing radio shows.
- Jo Stafford on her album of the same name in 1955.
- Jackie Gleason, on his 1956 album Merry Christmas[4]
- Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, on their 1964 album That Holiday Feeling![5]
- Andy Williams (in a medley with "The Holiday Season"), on his 1963 album The Andy Williams Christmas Album[6]
- Peggy Lee, on her 1965 album Happy Holiday[7]
- Percy Faith, on his 1966 album Christmas Is...[8]
- Living Strings and Living Voices, on their 1968 album White Christmas[9]
- Nelson Riddle, on the 1970 album Avon Christmas 1970[10]
- The Carpenters (as part of a medley), on their 1984 album An Old-Fashioned Christmas[11]
- Johnny Mathis (in a medley with "Caroling, Caroling"), on his 1986 album Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis[12]
- Sarah Vaughan (in a medley with "White Christmas"), on the 1989 album Hallmark Presents Carols of Christmas[13]
- The Manhattan Transfer (in a medley with "The Holiday Season"), on their 1992 album The Christmas Album[14]
- Perry Como (in a medley with "We Need a Little Christmas"), on his 1994 album Perry Como's Christmas Concert[15]
- Acoustix, on their 1999 album Cool Yule[16]
- Barry Manilow (in a medley with "White Christmas"), on his 2002 album A Christmas Gift of Love[17]
- Dionne Warwick, on her 2004 album My Favorite Time of the Year[18]
- Michael W. Smith (in a medley with "The Holiday Season"), on his 2014 album The Spirit of Christmas[19]
- She & Him (in a medley with "The Holiday Season"), on their 2016 album Christmas Party[20]
- Seth MacFarlane and Elizabeth Gillies, on their 2023 album We Wish You the Merriest.[21]
Charts
[edit]Andy Williams "Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season" version
[edit]Chart (2019–2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[22] | 42 |
US Billboard Hot 100[23] | 18 |
References
[edit]- ^ Kimball, Robert, ed. (2001). The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin. New York: Knopf. p. 351. ISBN 0-679-41943-8.
- ^ ://www.discogs.com/Jo-Stafford-Happy-Holiday/master/524998
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1964. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1963. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1965. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1968. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1970. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1984. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1986. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1989. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1992. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Acoustix.com". acoustix.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ Woerner, Meredith (September 28, 2023). "Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies Debut Holiday Album". Variety. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
- ^ "Andy Williams Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Andy Williams Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2020.