Monday, December 8: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by The Carpenters
The textured, rich contralto of Karen Carpenter is especially suited to this saccharine-sweet song. Her measured delivery evokes warmth and care—but underneath the soaring harmonies, there’s something that feels melancholy too.
In the late 1970s, Carpenter was known for having one of the best voices in pop music. She was also an accomplished drummer. Her brother, Richard, sang backup vocals for Karen and engineered the sophisticated melodies the pop duo was known for. (Think of them as the Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell of the soft-rock era.)
But behind all of her success, Karen Carpenter was in a lot of pain. She longed for children that she couldn’t have. She lived with an eating disorder at a time when those conditions were more poorly understood and stigmatized than they are now. She died in her parents’ home, at the height of her fame, at age 32.
Even the people who brim with joy—even the people who bring us joy—sometimes struggle. Often, they struggle underneath the weight of the very thing people admire them for.
Karen opens her version of this song with the lines, “Christmas future is far away. Christmas past is past. Christmas present is here today, bringing joy that will last.” It’s a sobering reminder that today is the only thing we are guaranteed—and that while we may want to imagine that the season will bring us lasting joy, only Jesus can do that.
Conversation starter:
“Do you ever feel like Christmas becomes an excuse for people to ignore or cover up their problems?”
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