KingofJingaling
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1#
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/18/2010 16:11)
I have always thought it was the latter interpretation; that once you've grown up you can't go back. This was written in a different time, when grown-ups didn't buy videogames, etc. and I think the lyrics reflect that view.
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Christmas Music Guru 
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/18/2010 16:41)
Hey guys,
The answer to the question lies in this sweet song's little known last verse, which I highlighted in red below...
When you've grown up my dears,
And are as old as I,
You'll often ponder on the years
That roll so swiftly by, my dears,
That roll so swiftly by.
And of the many lands,
You will have journeyed through,
You'll oft recall
The best of all,
The land your childhood knew!
Your childhood knew.
Toyland. Toyland.
Little girl and boy land.
While you dwell within it,
You are ever happy then.
Childhood’s joy-land.
Mystic merry Toyland,
Once you pass it’s borders,
You can never return again.
When you've grown up, my dears,
There comes a dreary day.
When 'mid the locks of black appears
The first pale gleam of gray, my dears,
The first pale gleam of gray.
Then of the past you'll dream
As gray-haired grown-ups do,
And seek once more
Its phantom shore,
The land your childhood knew!
Your childhood knew.
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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YULEBOYY
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3#
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Rank:Silver
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/18/2010 18:04)
Thanks to both King and Guru :)
Even since earlier posting this today, I've grown more certain that it means you can't go back. It's perhaps understandable that as a youngster I didn't pick up on that meaning, but I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize that it's a wistful lyric, a longing one that is, finally, more meaningful and touching that way.
Few if any versions I've ever heard include anything but the familiar chorus. I really listened to the verse (of the portion contained in her version) since hearing the achingly lovely Doris Day version, which will seem even more achingly lovely than ever, now that I hear the true meaning conveyed in the lyric.
Not that I am completely convinced that you can't go back, at least in the imagination. But then isn't imagination what that world was always based on?
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log_fan
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4#
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/20/2010 12:31)
I love the Doris Day version! Just heard it on Sirius/XMs Holiday Traditions. Perry Como has a great version as well. 
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MichiganNSX
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5#
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/27/2012 21:53)
Sally Ann Howes has a great version on one of the Goodyear Albums. Her singing is a little more operatic than most versions, but during an instrumental break she hums/sings non-words and the effect is quite ethereal. It always brings me back to my youth (which is kind of ironic considering the subject matter of the song). Until I read this thread I had never even considered the song could be about once ENTERING toyland you could never get out. That sounds like a Twighlight Zone episode. ;)
{Edited for atrocious spelling}
(Message edited by MichiganNSX On 12/03/2012 12:09)
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Christmas Music Guru
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6#
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
Posts:2523
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/28/2012 00:00)
Sally Ann Howes exquisite rendition of Toyland appeared on Volume 7 of Goodyear's The Great Songs Of Christmas from 1967. It was one of the wonderful songs recorded exclusively for this outstanding compilation LP. This great album is what I consider to be the very best volume in the entire Goodyear series that ran from 1961 to 1977.
By the way, I think you misinterpreted the meaning of my previous post of 11/18/10 regarding the meaning of Glen MacDonough's lyrics in the song. It's a rather wistful meaning that "once you pass its borders" (meaning grown to adulthood), "you may ne'er return again" (meaning you can't get back in again).
Here again is the rarely sung last verse of this endearing holiday song:
When you've grown up, my dears,
There comes a dreary day.
When 'mid the locks of black appears
The first pale gleam of gray, my dears,
The first pale gleam of gray.
Then of the past you'll dream
As gray-haired grown-ups do,
And seek once more
Its phantom shore,
The land your childhood knew!
Your childhood knew.
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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johnnyelectron
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7#
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Andy, thanks for making Christmas special
Posts:104
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:11/28/2012 16:31)
I had a cassette at one time that had a Medley of Toyland and the Little Drummer Boy and maybe a 3rd song like March of the Toy Soldiers? It was all instrumental. Possibly by the Living Strings, or does anybody else recognize a medley of that featuring Toyland in two portions of the song and strings finishing the song?
Thanks,
John
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JustaJeepGuy
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8#
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Rank:Silver
Posts:55
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/01/2012 15:34)
Fred Waring's "The Meaning Of Christmas" has "Toyland-March of The Toys-Toyland" near the end of side 1.
Ooops, I just realized that "Toyland" from this medley is not solely instrumental. So this may not be of any help.
(Message edited by JustaJeepGuy On 12/01/2012 15:45)
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Christmas Music Guru
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9#
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Rank:Honorary Member
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/01/2012 19:50)
Sorry Johnny, but with all the posts lately, I somehow
missed this one until Mike resurrected it.
Yes, that medley which you inquired about in your post is
by the Living Strings. It appeared on their 1970 LP, The Sounds Of Christmas (catalog
#CAS-2426). This is yet another one of the many great albums produced by my good
friend, Ethel Gabriel. This album resides in the 1st Tier of my Top 300, coming in at #33.
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
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johnnyelectron
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10#
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Rank:Gold
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Andy, thanks for making Christmas special
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/03/2012 10:25)
Last question: are all the tracks from 1970's "The Sound of Christmas" included on the Johnny Douglas Living Strings 2 CD set released by Norma?
Thanks,
John
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Christmas Music Guru
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11#
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/03/2012 16:32)
Yes, all three albums on Norma's 2-CD set are complete and unabridged. The only Christmas songs by her father, Johnny Douglas, that she didn't include (because I failed to remind her) were the two songs that her father released in 1977 as a 45-rpm single: Christmas Eve In My Hometown and Flying Home For Christmas (catalog #PB-11155). RCA later released these two songs from the single on the 1978 compilation LP, The Most Beautiful Sounds Of Christmas.
Norma had told me back in 2009 that she would try and repackage the CD with the two songs from the 1977 single as bonus tracks for 2010, but unfortunately, it never happened.
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
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Motown Mike
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12#
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/04/2012 16:13)
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Christmas Music Guru
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13#
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Rank:Honorary Member
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/04/2012 22:00)
Yes, during his years with Columbia Records, Percy Faith recorded and released a number of Christmas-themed songs that were only released on his regular music albums.
Besides Toyland, they included March Of The Toys, My Favorite Things, Be A Santa, Brazilian Sleigh Bells, Judy (instrumental version of what later became Christmas Is) and Soleado (aka When A Child Is Born).
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
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johnnyelectron
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14#
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Andy, thanks for making Christmas special
Posts:104
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/04/2012 23:59)
It appears that the songs from the Living Strings "The Sounds of Christmas" 1970 LP are NOT included on the 2CD set released by Norma; perhaps that LP was not directed by Johnny Douglas, so it was not one of the 3 LP's on the 2009 CD set as track 18 on CD#2 has vocals, whereas the 1970 'Sounds of Christmas' LP is all instrumental. Back to the drawing board to see if that 1970 LP was every released on CD anywhere.
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Christmas Music Guru
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15#
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Rank:Honorary Member
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Lawrence F. Arcuri Owner/Webmaster of TheYuleLog.com
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RE:Lyric in 'Toyland' meaning/interpretation
(Date Posted:12/05/2012 00:24)
That is totally my fault because I read you post very fast and you duped me into the "power of suggestion" pitfall. The album that I got it confused with was the 1968 Living Strings/Voices LP. My error.
John, I really don't know where you could have gotten the impression that the 1970 LP by the Living Strings was on Norma's 2-CD set. Norma's 2-CD set only includes the LPs her father, Johnny Douglas, did with the Living Strings and Living Voices. The 1970 LP by The Living Strings was conducted by Geraldo. And it has never been released on CD.
I will have to make sure I read the messages you folks are posting much more carefully hence forth...
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Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri
Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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