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: Jeanette and Nelson from their last TV appearance together

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On September 25, 1957, Nelson and Jeanette performed on their second TV show together, “The Big Record.” Who knew that it would also be their last TV show together. They were in the midst of recording their “Favorites in Hi-Fi” album as well. On would have thought that their professional future together was taking off into the stratosphere again.

What stopped their plans was Jeanette’s health, which finally landed her in the hospital in December of that year. She was barely released when Isabel Eddy died. Between Nelson’s devastation over his mother and Jeanette struggling to recover her health, any plans for future work together were “temporarily” shelved. Jeanette did not even finish up her solo recordings for the “Favorites in Hi-Fi” till June 1958. The following year she had one last professional performance on the stage in “Bitter Sweet” and then retired.

Stephen Harris, who saw “The Big Record” when it originally aired on TV,  writes: “What I remember about the 1957 “Big Record” is how Nelson kept stroking Jeanette’s arms during the “Sweet Mystery of Life” duet; he not only grasped her hands, but also ran his hands up and down her arms.  Since they were on camera, there wasn’t much the director could do about it.”

We don’t have a video of this show but you can listen to the audio here.

Jeanette & Nelson – The Big Record

We get emails…

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Sharon,
I just want to thank you for continuing to supply all their internet fans with the info you do! I have loved her since I was a little girl. Those days have, of course, gone by, but my love of her talent and beauty live on………. I was thrilled to be able to record the recent marathon on TCM…. I wouldn’t have been able to do that without your help.. While I love ALL her work, I really was disappointed they didn’t show Girl of The Golden West.. It is one of my very favorites.. When she sings Shadows on the Moon, I about melt.. And I really love Who Are We To say? … I have looked and looked but have never found Shadows on the Moon available as a recording.. I have all her movies on VHS but none on DVD……… The host of TCM channel says they are often asked to show her movies even though she has been gone so long. If you are that someone who requests her movies, could you please ask them to show that movie for me? I really appreciate all your effort to bring her and Nelsons fans information which helps keep them alive in our hearts. Bless you,  Theresa Haines

***

My response to Theresa and anyone else who would like to “nudge” TCM about showing more screenings of their films, doing an 8-DVD package of all the Mac/Eddy films, having me on as a guest with Robert Osborne prior to the TV film showings, having one or more of the 8 movies re-released into theaters for one day, etc., etc. is the following:

Contact the following person rather than TCM (they will refer you to him anyway) and make the requests yourself. They are used to the Mac/Eddy fans being vocal and persistent. So, keep it up! 🙂

George Feltenstein
Senior Vice President
Classic Catalogue Marketing
Warner Bros
4000 Warner Blvd
Burbank CA 91522

Phone: 818-954-6000
email: george.feltenstein@warnerbros.com

 


PS: When the American Film Institute (Eastern headquarters) had a week-long Mac/Eddy film festival back in 1994, they had me do talk before some of the screenings. That week culminated with the book release party for Sweethearts.  I have also done this at other Mac/Eddy conventions for many years. It’s fun!

Sharon

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

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