Preface:
This series is not a set of reviews of what Bob said about each song, but rather it contains my own reaction to each song – and sometimes found Bob’s articles a little hard to follow.
The titles of songs reviewed in my series are noted at the end of this article in alphabetical order, not in the order found in the book.
“Without a Song” was a song (originally containing racist phraseology, later obviously removed) composed originally as an instrumental in 1929 by Vincent Youmans, with the lyrics being added to the music later in the same year by Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu, and published in 1929 (when the original phraseology was acceptable). The song was included in the play Great Day, which closed after a couple of months, although “Without a Song” and “Great Day” – two songs from the show – continued to be popular. Bing Crosby recorded it in the same year with Paul Whiteman’s orchestra.
In the Philosophy of Modern song Bob Dylan has called the Perry Como version”… just downright incredible. There is nothing small you can say about it. The orchestration alone can knock you off your feet.”
Sadly for me (obviously not for anyone else) I really can’t agree with any of that. For me it is totally over the top emotionally and orchestrally, so that the notion that a song can bring solace, hope, understanding etc etc, is lost. But then, that’s just me.
The lyrics below follow the link to the Perry Como recording which Bob particularly cited.
Without a song, the day would never endWithout a song, the road would never bendWhen things go wrong, a man ain't got a friendWithout a song! That field of corn, would never see a ploughThat field of corn, would be deserted nowA young one's born, but he's no good no howWithout a song! I got my trouble an' woe, but sure as I knowThe Jordan will roll (Roll you river Jordan!)I'll get along as long as a song is strungIn my soul! I'll never know what makes the rain to fall,I'll never know what makes the grass so tall,I only know there ain't no love at allWithout a song! (I got my trouble an' woe, but sure as I know the Jordan will roll,I'll get along as long as a song is strung in my soul!)In my soul! I'll never know what makes the rain to fall,I'll never know what makes the grass so tall,I only know there ain't no love at allWithout a song.
Previously in this series
- Cheaper to Keep Her
- CIA Man – the Fugs
- Detroit City
- Don’t let me be misunderstood
- Dirty Life and Times
- Detroit City
- Dirty Life and Times
- Don’t let me be misunderstood
- I’ve always been crazy
- Keep my Skillet Good and Greasy
- My Generation and Desolation Row
- Old Violin by Johnny Paycheck
- Please don’t let me be misunderstood
- Pump it up
- Saturday night at the movies
- Strangers in the Night
- Take Me from This Garden of Evil
- There stands the glass
- Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
- Where or When
- Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
- Without a song
Catch a falling star and put it in you pocket
Save it fo a rainy day
Fo love may come and tap you on the shoulder some starless night
(Perry Como: cath A Falling Star)
Go catch a falling star …..
Teach me to hear the mermaids sing
(John Donne: Go Cath A Falling Star)
Both the singer and the poet well awae of by Dylan
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day
(Perry Como: Catch A Falling Star – Pockriss/Vance)
After John Donne poem-both Como and Donne familiar to Dylan