Happy Holiday

This song was written by Irving Berlin and used in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn. The movie covers a number of Holidays and includes the now iconic “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade”. The song to represent New Years was “Happy Holiday” and it was performed by Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds. Martha Mears voice was used (dubbed in) instead as it was for many an actress such as Rita Hayworth, Lucille Ball, Hedy Lamarr, Claudette Colbert and over two dozen more.

The song is played in the mix of Christmas themed songs as it fits the festive mood for the more generic playlist. Berlin had been tasked with writing a song for each holiday of the year and includes “Be Careful it’s My Heart” for Valentines Day.

As Holiday songs go it has not been covered as often and secondhdandsongs.com lists 57 versions, which for any other song is a lot, but for songs of the Season, many have over 1000 versions each so this one may not enter the the top 25. Still a lovely sentiment and it along with the rest of the songs from the movie shows the brilliance of Irving Berlin.

The song did not take off and garner covers right away such as the three in 1942 (now 2163 and counting) versions of “White Christmas”. It was 13 years later that it appeared on a Christmas themed record Happy Holiday by Jo Stafford (1955).

Kat Edmonson included the song on her 2021 album Holiday Swingin’! – A Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol. 1