If We Make It Through December

Infobox Single
Name = If We Make It Through December


Artist = Merle Haggard
from Album = Christmas Present
Released = October 1973 (U.S.)
Format = 7"
Recorded = 1973
Genre = Country
Length = 2:42
Label = Capitol Records 3746
Writer = Merle Haggard
Producer = Ken Nelson
Certification =
Chart position =

• #1 (Billboard Hot Country Singles)
  
• #28 (Billboard Hot 100)
  Last single = "Everybody's Had the Blues"
  (1973)
  This single = "If We Make It Through December"
  (1973)
  Next single = "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.

  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. [Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (ISBN 0-82-307553-2)), p. 103]

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

  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. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=Hot+Country+Songs&g=Year-end+Singles&year=1974]

  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. [http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=17:693416]

  References and sources

  References

  ee also

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

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