Recently Ruth was reminiscing about her childhood and told of a time (in the 1940's) when she would regularly travel to a nearby town where young people could audition and then play instruments and/or sing for their Saturday afternoon "Junior Jamboree" radio program.
She told me of a song she sang once for this program called "Believe me if all those endearing young charms" and I chuckled over the long name. She asked me if I wanted to hear it, and of course I said yes! Ruth sang it without a hitch. I was intrigued by the sweetly sentimental words and we talked about what the archaic-sounding lyrics meant. Suddenly inspired, she suggested that she might be able to play it for me on the piano. And play it she did. She was as tickled at her ability to recall and play this song from her childhood as I was to hear it.
I found several renditions on Youtube and played one for her. She seemed surprised and thrilled to see that the song has been kept alive by numerous singers and musicians. Here is one beautiful performance:
Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (by Thomas Moore)
Believe me if all those
Endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow
And fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away
Though would'st still be adored
As this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin
Each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself
Verdantly still.
It is not while beauty
And youth are thine own
And thy cheeks
Unprofaned by a tear
That the ferver and faith
Of a soul can be known
To which time will but
Make thee more dear
No the heart that has truly loved
Never forgets
But as truly loves
On to the close
As the sunflower turns
On her god when he sets
The same look which
She'd turned when he rose.
Believe me if all those
Endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today
Were to change by tomorrow
And fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away
Though would'st still be adored
As this moment thou art
Let thy loveliness fade as it will
And around the dear ruin
Each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself
Verdantly still.
It is not while beauty
And youth are thine own
And thy cheeks
Unprofaned by a tear
That the ferver and faith
Of a soul can be known
To which time will but
Make thee more dear
No the heart that has truly loved
Never forgets
But as truly loves
On to the close
As the sunflower turns
On her god when he sets
The same look which
She'd turned when he rose.
Archaic lyrics, perhaps, but the message is clear and sweet, and romantic to the bones.
Thank you to both of you for bringing this memory to the forefront. I would not have remembered it by the title but when I played the video it came rushing back to me. My family is Irish and I remembered the song from my youth..most probably funerals or church? But I definitely remembered it. It is a beautiful song and brought tears to my eyes for all my wonderful Irish relatives that have passed and who I miss so much. Thank you again so very much.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Sam. I have fallen in love with this song. When I came home from my day with Ruth, I spent hours listening to different versions of it. I like to think I have some Irish in me, but family names (sir and given names) do not suggest any such lineage. I do have a lot of freckles though - in the summer, anyway... ;^) I'm so glad you liked the song. I think this rendition would surely pull tears out of a stone, it's so beautiful.
DeleteThis is such a sweet story. You're such a kind person to help those like this dear lady. Pat 🌻
ReplyDeleteWell, like I said, I consider this opportunity to work with Ruth a real gift. :)
DeleteHow neat to hear her memories. Wow, 1940; what a time and what a lovely song. It has such feeling and meaning.
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to hear Ruth's memories of her childhood. And regarding the timing of her playing in the Junior Jamboree, I'm sure it would have been in the mid-late 40's. She thinks she did this before high school, so Ruth would have been a young teen at the time. The song itself predates her by over a 100 years (maybe 150), according to what I can find online.
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