Christmas Waltz

"Christmas Waltz" words and music Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn was written for Frank Sinatra.

According to legend, Sammy came into the room for the pair's regular songwriting session, and Jule told him, "Frank's looking for a Christmas song."

Sammy told Jule, his collaborator on "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow," already a holiday classic, that a person would have to be crazy to try and top "White Christmas" as the season's hit.

Jule repeated, "Frank said he wants a Christmas song."

So the two set out to write. According to Sammy, Jule often started their cowriting sessions with a tango meets Viennese Waltz kind of feel to get his fingers warmed up.

Sammy said, "Play a speeded up version of Vienna..." and the songwriting duo were off to the races.

I found all this out by reading the story in a treasured classic compendium of Christmas favorites called The Reader's Digest Merry Christmas Songbook.

Besides being a favorite tune, it was a cool surprise to see the connection between "Christmas Waltz" and Viennese Waltzes, a topic we studied this year in our Songpreneurs Leadership Community course "Places."

My dad, songwriting legend, Kim Williams would have called this meaningful coincidence synchronicity, one of his favorite discussion topics.

I've found that synchronicity happens more and more the more you do. Perhaps it's easier to find connections when you're looking for them, or when you have a ton of fodder coming through the senses at any given time.

After all, that's what songwriters do. That's what we live for. That's what makes us tick.

It is in humble gratitude that I recorded this tune, made famous by Frank Sinatra and featured in a popular Christmas film.

As a songwriter and songwriter's daughter, I would also like to extend that gratitude to the families of these two remarkable songwriters who came together on a regular old day, and created something timeless for us to enjoy always.

Thank you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you.