Oklahoma Journeys

Week of June 21, 2007

Birth of Ralph Blane, 1914

This week on Oklahoma Journeys: Celebrating our Centennial we attempt to take our minds off of the summer heat and drift off to the cooler temperatures of the Christmas holidays. Ralph Uriah Hunsecker entered this world in 1914 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, twenty years later he would create something that most of us hold near and dear. We're saying happy birthday to little Ralphy this week on Oklahoma Journeys from the Oklahoma Historical Society.

From the Oklahoma Historical Society, this is Oklahoma Journeys: Celebrating our Centennial. I'm Michael Dean.

Although unfortunately not a household name, Ralph Blane remains one of America's most prolific and successful composers. It was on July 26th of this week in 1914 in Broken Arrow that Ralph Blane was born to Tracy and Florence Hunsecker, young Ralph would later change his name to Blane in order to better fit on theater marquees. After attending school in Broken Arrow and Tulsa Central High School, Blane went on to Northwestern University and studied music in New York City. Following his schooling Blane began collaborating with a number of composers and lyricists. The first well-known tune composed by Blane, a collaboration with Harry Warren, was the football tune Buckle Down Winsocki. For years Blane along with various lyricists cranked out timeless tin-pan alley tunes and music for dozens of musicals. Clang, clang clang went the trolley, is a well known number of Blane's as is music from Broadway, musicals, movies, and television including, Meet Me In St. Louis, Sugar Babies, My Dream is Yours and The Girl Most Likely. Blane spent most of his professional life in New York and worked continuously with such people as Richard Rodgers, Harry Warren, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Mickey Rooney, Doris Day and Judy Garland. At the time of his death in 1995 Blane had more than five hundred songs registered to his name. His last professional work was as the lyricist for the music in Home Alone in 1990.

Of all the songs and lyrics written by Blane perhaps none is more famous than the Christmas classic, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Written originally as a part of the "Meet Me in St. Louis," score and sung for the first time by Judy Garland, the song has since taken on a life of its own. The song has an innocence about it that sets it apart from other holiday jingles. It's not talking about presents or gift-giving and it's not blaring out religious messages, it's just saying, have a merry little Christmas. The song, as simple as it is, has gone through some controversial changes over the years. Frank Sinatra on his version changed the original line, '"we'll muddle through somehow," to high upon the highest bow, while James Taylor's version remains true to Blane's original creation. Regardless of how you sing it, it's hard to deny the fact that "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" has embedded itself in the various layers of our popular culture. The next time you hear it, give a little thanks to Ralph Blane of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, it's his birthday this week. You can learn more about Oklahoma musicians and composers, when you visit the Oklahoma History Center, in Oklahoma City at N.E. 23rd just east of the state capitol. Oklahoma Journeys Celebrating our Centennial is a production of the Oklahoma Historical Society dedicated to the collection preservation and sharing of our state's past. I'm Michael Dean.