songs & lyrics

Compare the lyrics of “Maytime” 1 & 2’s “Will You Remember”

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Madeline Bayless has kindly transcribed for us the two slightly different versions of “Will You Remember.”

Here is the version from the first Maytime, a production that was scrapped after the death of its producer, Irving Thalberg:

WILL YOU REMEMBER – ORIGINAL DUET
As recorded for the first “MAYTIME”

Music by Sigmund Romberg
Lyric by Rida Johnson Young
Adapted by Herbert Stothart

Nelson:

Ah, love is so sweet in the spring-time,
When two hearts are singing in May.
No years that are coming can bring time,
To make me forget, dear, this day.
I’ll love you in life’s gray December
The same as I love you to-day.

Jeanette:

My heart, ever young, will remember
The thrill it knew, this day in May.

Nelson:

Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart,
Will you love me ever?
Will you remember this day,
When we were happy in May,
My dearest one?

Jeanette:

Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart,
Though our paths may sever,
To life’s last faint ember
I will remember
Spring-time, Love-time, May.

Jeanette

Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweetheart,
Will you love me ever?

Nelson:

Will you remember this day,

DUET:

When we were happy in May.
My dearest one?

Jeanette:

Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart,

Nelson:

Though our paths may sever,

DUET:

To life’s last faint ember,
I will remember
Spring-time, Love-time, May.

***

WILL YOU REMEMBER? – Film Version recorded
September 21st 1936 for second “MAYTIME” 

Music by Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young

Nelson:

Ah, love is so sweet in the spring-time,
When blos-soms are fra-grant in May.
No years that are com-ing can bring time,
To make me for-get, dear, this day.

Jeanette:

I’ll love you in life’s gray De-cem-ber

DUET:

The same as I love you to-day,

My heart, ev-er young, will re-mem-ber

Nelson:

The thrill it knew,

Jeanette:

that day in May.
Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart,
Will you love me ev-er?

DUET:

Will you re-mem-ber this day,
When we were hap-py in May,
My dear-est one?

Nelson:

Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart,
Though our paths may sev-er,

DUET:

To life’s last faint em-ber
Will you re-mem-ber
Spring-time, Love-time, May?
Sweet-heart, sweet-heart, sweet-heart
Though our paths may sever,
To life’s last faint ember,
Will you remember
Spring-time, Love-time, May?

***

Additional comments by Madeline Bayless:

This song is very often referred to by the opening words of the refrain which is: “SWEETHEART, SWEETHEART, SWEETHEART”. That eventually leads into the true title, “WILL YOU REMEMBER”.

Maytime was the top grossing picture for 1937! It is rated as one of the best 100 films ever made! Even today it remains popular, some 70+ years after it was released in March of 1937.

An interesting sidelight, is the names given the two leading characters when this operetta was first produced. Nelson Eddy’s character was  “Dick” or “Dicky Wayne” and Jeanette’s name was “Ottilie”!

In the film version, Nelson Eddy’s name is “Paul Allison”; Jeanette’s name is “Marcia Mornay.”

The operetta was set in the 1840’s and premiered on Broadway,  August 16, 1917 and ran for an astounding 492 performances.  It established Romberg as a premier operetta composer.

You can listen to the first “Maytime” version of “Will You Remember” at this link.

Listen: Alternate version of “Will You Remember” from first Maytime?

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Here’s an interesting alternate version of Nelson and Jeanette singing “Will You Remember” that we are assuming came from the first Maytime. The orchestration is completely different and with the addition of a mandolin as the prominent orchestral instrument.

Above, we see a shot of Nelson with a guitar, also presumably from the original Maytime since this scene doesn’t exist in the version we know and love. But Nelson’s makeup and outfit looks more like the second Maytime so …who knows?

Anyway, click on the link below to listen to this version of “Will You Remember” and let us know which version you like better by adding a Comment to this post. Enjoy!

Will You Remember – Alternate version

Maytime’s “Czaritza” – lyrics both in French and English

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We have many requests for the lyrics for the wonderful climactic operatic scene, “Czaritza”, in the movie Maytime.

One of our club members, Ollie Mutter, was gracious enough in 2004 transcribe both the actual French lyrics and the English translation.

French:

Czarina:
Mon coeur ne pleure point
La mort du noble Czar
Qui avait [cess`e?] sans amour
Dieu, me pardonne!
Que l`assassin recoive la vie eternelle
Toi, son epouse impenitente
Tu as ton ame
As-tu trahi ton Czar!
Grusha:
pourquoi pleure la juste mort d`un tyrant?
Czarina:
Tu as raison, c`est is tyranic Les cosaques du Czar
qui meurt.
Oh, Oh patre! Russie
Dieu te libere
Amen.
(sound of a struggle) 

Czarina:
Pertov! Mon dieu C`est toi?
Dubrovsky: (Bass)
Le Czar est mort. Vive la Czarina
Chorus sings in Russian. Czarina must go
out on the balcony to acknowledge the
cheers of the crowds below.
Dubrovsky: (to czarina)
Pour l`assassin,pour le traitre,
voici l`arret a` signer.
Czarina: (to petrov)
Defends toi vite, ou tu mourras!
Dubrovsky: (To Czarina)
Vous hesitez? Signez! Au mon du Czar
Petrov:
Dieu a donne a ce monde
La liberte et l` honneur
Poru vous, je donne ma vie,
Oh, Reine au ma patrie.
Czarina:
Tu va mourir,amour si tendre.
Dubrovsky:
Alors, le chien mourra.
Czarina:
Mon coeur, aussi.
Petrov
je donne ma vie et un peuple vivra.
La viese gagne au prix dela mort.
j`entends le tambour, etj` ai fait mon devoir,
je vais mourir, mon ame est en paix.Czarina:
Oh, sombre destin, Oh, devoir cruel
D`etre condamne a mort.
Ton crime odieux nous separe,
Tu as merite ton sort.

Czarina and (Petrov as a duet)
Tu vas mouri paria main du boureau
Qui, sans pitte, a` abat et chatie
La homte suit dams la tombe
et tumeurs en vain!
Petrov: ( sings simultaneously with above duet)
Mort! Mort! La honte to suit etc,
Czarina: (to everyone present)
Laisse nous seuls,j` ai a tui parie un instant
Dubrovsky: (horrified)
Votre Majestee!
Czarina: ( reproving his lack of obedience)
Ton Czar!
Petrov:
Mon amour, te souviens tu des passes.
reves, des reves passes.
Czarina:
Sort sans pitte qui separe,
Nos coeurs au asuil meme de la mort.
Petrov:
La deliverance, La vie, commence
De tout min coeur a jamais, je t`adore.
Mon ame, s`enivre. Tu me delivres.
Czarina:
Biens ame, mon amour t`appararaitras.
Petrov:
Quittez un etre si cher.
Czarina:
Et ton courage me soutient.
Petrov:
Ou dans is siel ou L` enfer-
Both:Je t`aime.
Czarina:
Joie dans mon coeur! L`extase me dit assez.
Je n` aime au monde que toi.
C`est l` amour qui jamais ne renounce
Petrov:
Seul l` amour endure, seul l’amour endure
Porr toujours, Oh, mon ame chantait,
embrasse moi mon ame chantait,
un chant divin, divin dans tes bras.
(again a duet)
Czarina:
Mon ame chantait, chantait.
Petrov:
Je vis bien aime, mon amour, viens.
Czarina:
Dans te bras,
je vis bien aime, mon amour, viens.
Viens, douce mort! amour vivra,
au dela de la mort,
L` amour invincible.
Seigneur, protege nous.
Dieu aies pitie de lui.
Petrov:
Seigneur, a genoux, ales pitie de moi.
Dieu, te benisse, Le seigneur protege mon amour.
Czarina:
Dieu, recevez l`ame de monbien amie.
Ecoutaez ma priere, Dieu, te protege mon amour.
Adieu, Adieu
Petrov (as he is dragged off)
Le Seigneur protege mon amour du mal. Portege la,
Je vais mourir, Dieu te protege mon amour.
Adieu, Adieu.
English:
My heart is unable to cry,
To mourn the death of the noble Czar
Who has [departed?] without my love.
God forgive me!
May his assassin be rewarded with eternal life.
But I, his unrepenting wife,
My immortal soul is in danger.
did I betray my Czar?

 

Grusha:
Why should you cry over the death of a tyrant?

 

Czarina:
You’re right. Tyranny died, not the Czar.
Oh my country, my Russia.
God has freed you.
Amen.
(sound of a struggle)

 

Petrov is dragged in.

 

Czarina:
Petrov! Dear God ! It’s you!

 

Dubrovsky:
The Czar is dead, Long live the Czarina.
chorus sings in Russian. Czarina must go out
on the balcony to acknowledge the cheers of
of the crowds below.

 

Dubrovsky: (to Czarina)
Here is the traitor’s arrest warrant for you to sign.

 

 

Czarina (to Petrov)
Quickly defend yourself, or you will die!

 

Dubrovsky: ( to Czarina)
You hesitate? Sign in the name of the Czar!

 

Petrov:
God has given the world
Liberty and honor.
(to Czarina) To you I give my life,
Oh, Queen of my dear country.

 

Czarina:
You will surely die, dearly beloved.

 

Dubrovsky:
Yes! this villain [dog] must die!

 

Czarina:
My heart, too, will die.

 

Petrov:
I am giving my life so the people may live
My life has earned the ultimate reward of my death.
I hear the drums [ as at a hanging] My duty is done.
I’m going to die. My soul is at peace.

 

Czarina:
Oh, dark destiny, Oh cruel sacrifice,
To be condemned to death.
Your terrible crime will separate us.
Yet you have earned your fate.

 

 

(duet next two stanzas)

 

Czarina:
You will be executed by the state
Which pitilessly cuts down and punishes the guilty.
This shame will follow you to the grave.
You die for nothing!

 

Petrov: (sings simultaneously with above)
Death! Death! This shame will not follow me the grave.  I do not die for nothing.

 

Czarina: ( to everyone present)
Leave us alone. I want to speak with him for a moment.

 

Dubrovsky ( horrified)
Your Majesty!

 

Czarina: (reproving his lack of obedience)
(Yes, indeed, I am now) your Czar!

 

Petrov:
My love, I recall such beautiful dreams of long ago.

 

 

Czarina:
You have no pity if you would leave me like this.
My heart is also on the threshold of death.

 

Petrov:
This is life, not death, Life is just beginning
More than ever, I adore you.
My soul is exalted. You have liberated me.

 

Czarina:
Dearest soul, you can see how much i love you.

 

Petrov:
To leave someone so precious to me.

 

Czarina:

 

Your courage will sustain me.

 

Petrov:
Whether I am in Heaven or Hell–
I love you.

 

 

Czarina:
My heart is bursting with joy.
This ecstasy is enough for me.
I love no one on earth but you.
A love I can never lose.

 

Petrov:
Only love endures, only love endures
Forever, Oh my soul is singing.
A song divine, divine in your embrace.
( again a duet) 

 

 

Petrov:
I live and love, come, my love.

 

Czarina:
In your embrace,
I live and love, come my love.
Come, sweet death! Love lives in death.
Invincible love,
Dear Lord, protect us.
Dear Lord, have pity on us.

 

 

Petrov:
Dear Lord, on my knees,
I beg you to have pity on us.
Dear Lord, forgive me, Protect our love.

 

Czarina:
Dear Lord, receive the soul of my dearest love.
Hear my prayer, dear Lord, protect my love.
Goodbye, Goodbye.

 

Petrov ( as he is dragged off)
Dear Lord, protect my dearest love from harm,
Protect her, I’m going to die, Lord, protect my love.
Goodbye goodbye….
(…then czarina faints in the arms of Grusha as the curtain descends.)

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