If We Make It Through December – Alan Jackson

“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”

Introduction

You ever have one of those months where life just feels like it’s piling on—bills stacking up, the cold creeping in, and hope feeling like a distant memory? That’s where “If We Make It Through December” comes from. It’s not just a song—it’s a lifeline. Picture this: Merle Haggard, that gravel-voiced legend, sitting down in 1973 with a story that’s as real as the dirt under his boots. He wrote this for the folks who know what it’s like to scrape by, to look at the calendar and pray the days hurry up. And man, does it hit you right in the chest.

This isn’t some flashy, over-the-top anthem. It’s quiet, raw, like a late-night talk with someone who gets it. Merle’s singing about a guy who’s lost his job, watching the factory shut down, and trying to hold it together for his little girl. “If we make it through December, everything’s gonna be alright, I know”—those words aren’t just lyrics, they’re a promise you cling to when the world’s gone gray. The way he delivers it, with that ache in his voice, you can almost see the frost on the windowpane and feel the weight of that last paycheck in his pocket.

What gets me every time is how it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s this flicker of light, this stubborn hope that if you can just grit your teeth through the worst of it, spring’s waiting on the other side. It’s country music doing what it does best—taking the hard stuff and turning it into something beautiful. And that steel guitar? It’s like it’s crying right alongside you, but somehow it soothes the sting.

I heard somewhere that Merle pulled this straight from his own life—his dad worked those tough jobs, and the Haggard family knew lean winters. Maybe that’s why it feels so damn honest. It’s not preachy or polished; it’s just true. Released in October ’73, it shot up to number one on the country charts, and you can bet it wasn’t just because of the twang. People heard themselves in it. Still do. Ever catch yourself humming it when the going gets rough? I know I have.

So, next time December rolls around—or any month that’s testing your soul—put this one on. Let Merle remind you that you’re not alone in the fight. What’s your December story? Bet this song could carry it for you.

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