Today’s song comes from the Broadway musical “Mame.” It’s a bubbly melody with some tongue-in-cheek lyrics, but the message rings true. Sometimes we just need a little cheer.

Johnny Mathis recorded a popular version of this song in 1986, and twenty years before that Percy Faith and his orchestra did a charming rendition. Some people might have heard it from the Glee cast (I’ve never seen it – shocking, I know; I’m not really a TV person). I first heard We Need a Little Christmas in the movie A Muppet Family Christmas (if you’ve been following my posts, you may recall my first song selection was from the Muppets 🙂 We’re big Jim Henson fans in my family). I’d like to share Percy Faith’s version with you; I find it to be a delightful arrangement that evokes the charm of the original Broadway number.

We Need a Little Christmas (Percy Faith’s version)

Haul out the holly
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
We may be rushing things but deck the halls again now

For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute
Candles in the window, carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas, right this very minute
It hasn’t snowed a single flurry, but Santa, dear, we’re in a hurry

Climb down the chimney
Hang up the brightest string of lights I’ve ever seen
Slice up the fruit cake
It’s time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough

For we need a little music, need a little laughter, 
Need a little singing, ringing in the rafters
And we need a little something, happy ever after
We need a little Christmas now!

For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute
Candles in the window, carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas, right this very minute
We need a little Christmas now!