Happy Holiday / Holiday Inn

Happy Holiday and Holiday Inn (Irving Berlin) — These numbers were written separately, but have often been linked since being combined in a medley in the film Holiday Inn (1942). I’ve given Berlin’s original titles, but the first is also frequently referred to as “Happy Holidays,” while the second is sometimes known as “(Come to) Holiday Inn.” Bing Crosby also recorded the medley for Decca in 1942, with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra, under the title “Happy Holiday.”

From The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin, p.351:

The combined numbers were introduced by Bing Crosby (Jim), Marjorie Reynolds, singing dubbed by Martha Mears (Linda), and ensemble. They can be heard on the original soundtrack release (Sunbeam Soun-trak). The recording by Crosby with the Music Maids is part of the album Song Hits from “Holiday Inn” (Decca).

From the 1942 film Holiday Inn — sung at the Holiday Inn on New Year’s Eve by Bing Crosby, Martha Mears (dubbing Marjorie Reynolds) and chorus, accompanied by the Bob Crosby Orchestra

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Bing Crosby with John Scott and his Orchestra, featuring the Music Maids — recorded on 1 June 1942, and issued on Decca 18424, b/w “Be Careful, It’s My Heart”

John Scott Trotter was the musical director on the radio program Kraft Music Hall during Crosby’s ten year stint as host, from 2 January 1936 until 9 May 1946. Trotter arranged and conducted music for Crosby from 1937 to 1954. Vocal group The Music Maids was a regular on Kraft Music Hall from 1939 to 1944. The Maids are not heard in the Holiday Inn soundtrack version.

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(below) Beef Wellington remix, from the 2003 album Christmas Remixed: Holiday Classics Re-Grooved, on the Six Degrees Records label