If We Make It Through December

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“If We Make It Through December”
Single by Merle Haggard from the album Christmas Present
Released	October 1973 (U.S.)
Format	7"
Recorded	1973
Genre	Country
Length	2:42
Label	Capitol Records 3746
Writer(s)	Merle Haggard
Producer	Ken Nelson
Merle Haggard singles chronology
"Everybody's Had the Blues" (1973) "If We Make It Through December" (1973) "Things Aren't Funny Anymore" (1974)

"If We Make It Through December" is a song made famous by country music singer Merle Haggard. Originally released in 1973, the song was included on Haggard's Christmas album released that year.

In the years since its release, "If We Make It Through December" has become one of the trademark songs of Haggard's career.

Contents 1 Background 2 Chart performance 3 Cover versions 4 References and sources 4.1 References 4.2 See also 5 Succession

[edit] Background

Written in 1973, it treats with Haggard's characteristically simple poetry the desperate optimism of a working-class man dealing with economic hardship. Having been laid off from his factory job just prior to the holidays, the man becomes depressed over his predicament during what normally should be a "happy time of year." At one point, he observes that his little girl "don't understand why Daddy can't afford no Christmas here."

The chorus, "If we make it through December/Everything will be alright I know" expresses hope, the protagonist telling himself that hope exists if he hopes to deal with "the coldest time of winter."

While Christmas is a prominently theme of this song, writer Tom Roland said the song is not considered a "pure" Christmas record, as the subject of economics was also explored.^[1]

Session Personnel: Guitar: Merle Haggard, Bobby Wayne. Bass: Norm Hamlet. Fiddle: Johnny Gimble. Drums: Biff Adam. Piano: Hargus 'Pig' Robbins.

[edit] Chart performance

The song spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in December 1973 and January 1974, and cracked the Top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. "If We Make It Through December" was the No. 2 song of the year on Billboard's Hot Country Singles 1974 year-end chart. [1]

[edit] Cover versions

Several singers in the country, folk and pop genres have covered "If We Make It Through December," most notably Alan Jackson (on his Christmas album, Honky Tonk Christmas), Marty Robbins and Faron Young. [2]

[edit] References and sources

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006.

[edit] Succession

Preceded by "Amazing Love" by Charley Pride

Billboard Hot Country Singles number one single by Merle Haggard and The Strangers December 22, 1973-January 12, 1974

Succeeded by "I Love" by Tom T. Hall