| "I Hear You Calling Me" | |
|---|---|
 Original sheet music, 1908 | |
| Song | |
| Published | 1908 |
| Composer(s) | Charles Marshall |
| Lyricist(s) | Harold Lake |
"I Hear You Calling Me" is a British popular song published in London in 1908 by Boosey & Co. The lyrics were by Harold Lake (a journalist writing as Harold Harford) and the music by Charles Marshall. The song became a bestseller for the tenor John McCormack.
Harold Lake had been a great friend of Harry Dearth, the ballad singer, from when they had been in the choir school of Westminster Abbey together. Dearth had urged Lake to try to write lyrics, but it was not until some years after, that "I Hear You Calling Me" was written. Lake explained that behind the events which led up to its composition lay a story of youthful romance: [1]
A 16-year-old pupil teacher at an elementary school in Canterbury met a girl nearly a year his junior. Then followed three years of utter devotion as only the very young can know, then a fortnight of galloping consumption, and a lad of 19 standing on a November day grave.
Six years later, Lake woke up one morning and the words came to him; they were written in 20 minutes. [1] He was reported to have sold the song for a few pounds, but made a fortune from the sale of its gramophone recordings. [2]
Marshall, who at this time was a struggling songwriter, visited the tenor John McCormack at his lodgings and played him the piece; McCormack started to sing it, and soon became enthusiastic. He suggested that they should visit Mr. Arthur Boosey as he would be sure to publish it. [3]
The song became a bestseller for McCormack and helped to start him on the road to success. [1] He recorded it six times in total, twice for Odeon and four times for Victor. [4] The song became so closely identified with him that his wife Lily adopted it as the title of her biography of him. [3] [5]
The following lyrics are taken from the sheet music published in 1908: [6] [7]
Verse 1:
Verse 2:
Verse 3:
Below is a list of artists who have recorded the song with the recording date and record information (where known):
You can use the following links to listen to the song being sung by:
Papal Count John Francis McCormack, KSG, KSS, KHS, was an Irish Lyric tenor celebrated for his performances of the operatic and popular song repertoires, and renowned for his diction and breath control. He was also a Papal Count. He became a naturalised American citizen before returning to live in Ireland.
"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", with melody based on a Carter Family tune called "When the World's on Fire". When Guthrie was tired of hearing Kate Smith sing "God Bless America" on the radio in the late 1930s, he sarcastically called his song "God Blessed America for Me" before renaming it "This Land Is Your Land".
"She Moved Through the Fair", also called "She Moves Through the Fair", is a traditional Irish folk song, which exists in a number of versions and has been recorded many times. The narrator sees his lover move away from him through the fair, after telling him that since her family will approve, "it will not be long, love, till our wedding day". She returns as a ghost at night, and repeats the words "it will not be long, love, till our wedding day", intimating her own tragic death and the couple's potential reunion in the afterlife.
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" is a lighthearted song in tribute to Ireland. Its lyrics were written by Chauncey Olcott and George Graff, Jr., set to music composed by Ernest Ball, for Olcott's production of The Isle O' Dreams, and Olcott sang the song in the show. It was first published in 1912, at a time when songs in tribute to a romanticised Ireland were very numerous and popular both in Britain and the United States. During the First World War the famous tenor John McCormack recorded the song.
Vernon Duke was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for "Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can't Get Started," with lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1936), "April in Paris," with lyrics by E. Y. ("Yip") Harburg (1932), and "What Is There To Say," for the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934, also with Harburg. He wrote the words and music for "Autumn in New York" (1934) for the revue Thumbs Up! In his book, American Popular Song, The Great Innovators 1900-1950, composer Alec Wilder praises this song, writing, “The verse may be the most ambitious I’ve ever seen." Duke also collaborated with lyricists Johnny Mercer, Ogden Nash, and Sammy Cahn.
"Because" is a song with music and lyrics by Guy d'Hardelot and English lyrics by Edward Teschemacher, originally published in 1902.
"Streets of Laredo", also known as "The Dying Cowboy", is a famous American cowboy ballad in which a dying ranger tells his story to another cowboy. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
"Little Brown Jug" is a song written in 1869 by Joseph Eastburn Winner, originally published in Philadelphia with the author listed as Winner's middle name "Eastburn".
"Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" is a folk song that became influential during the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. It is based on the traditional song, "Gospel Plow," also known as "Hold On," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow," and various permutations thereof.
"There's a Long, Long Trail" is a popular song of World War I. The lyrics were by Stoddard King (1889–1933) and the music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott, both seniors at Yale. It was published in London in 1914, but a December, 1913 copyright for the music is claimed by Zo Elliott.
"The Planets Bend Between Us" is a song from alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album A Hundred Million Suns. It was released as the follow-up single to "If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It" on 24 May 2009. It was the fourth single taken from the album. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song is about Lightbody's beach house in Belfast. The single featured a re-working of the album version and was released as a digital download only. It was later included on the band's 2009 compilation album Up to Now.
Mary Hannah (May) Brahe was an Australian composer, best known for her songs and ballads. Her most famous song by far is "Bless This House", recorded by John McCormack, Beniamino Gigli, Lesley Garrett and Bryn Terfel. According to Move.com.au: "She was the only Australian woman composer to win local an international recognition before World War II," having "290 of her 500 songs published. Of these, 248 were written under her own name, the remainder under aliases.
"Roses of Picardy" is a popular British song with lyrics by Frederick Weatherly and music by Haydn Wood. Published in London in 1916 by Chappell & Co, it was one of the most famous songs of the First World War and has been recorded frequently up to the present day.
"You Need Me, I Don't Need You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2011 as the second single from his debut studio album, + ("Plus").
"The Sunshine of Your Smile" is a British popular song published in London in 1913 just before the First World War by Francis, Day and Hunter. The lyrics were by Leonard Cooke and the music by Lilian Ray. It became a top ten hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1980, sung by Mike Berry.
"Mother Love" is a song by Queen, from the album Made in Heaven, released in 1995 after Freddie Mercury's death in 1991. It was written by Mercury and Brian May. Mercury recorded two out of three verses before becoming too sickly to continue recording, so May recorded the final verse himself later.
"Calling Me Home To You" is an American song written by Edward Teschemacher and composed by Francis Dorel. The song was first recorded on May 31, 1916, by Alfred De Manby, a baritone vocalist, for Columbia Records.
"When My Ships Come Sailing Home" is an American song composed by Francis Dorel and lyrics by Reginald Stewart. The sheet music for the song was distributed as early as 1913 by Boosey & Co, one of the forerunners of the Boosey & Hawkes publishing firm.
"When You Come Back" is a World War I song released in 1919.
This is a summary of 1908 in music in the United Kingdom.
