The Melody Lingers On: Long Ago And Far Away
Tony Thornton writes with delight about the haunting Jerome Kern/Ira Gershwin song, Long Ago And Far Away - a song to leave all long-time lovers misty-eyed and holding hands.
In 1943, Jerome Kern was approaching the end of his career (he died two years later) but he still had one masterpiece left within him. He was working on the film Cover Girl and had completed the music for the love song to be sung by Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth. This was also used as the haunting background theme for most of the scenes. The song became one of the greatest hits of all time.
His lyricist was George Gershwin’s brother Ira. His regular collaborator, Oscar Hammerstein was otherwise engaged. (It seems that he had taken up with some new chap called Richard Rogers and they were working on a thing called Oklahoma or something like that.)
Meanwhile, Ira Gershwin was holding things up and by the time filming had started he still hadn’t finished the lyrics. So Kern jokingly sent him a suggestion for the title and first line that read: ‘Watching little Alice pee’. This both amused and shamed Ira Gershwin who soon sent along some words.
Although he later changed them, the lyric eventually earned him more royalties than anything else he wrote with his brother George. Perhaps it’s just as well that he replaced: Watching little Alice pee with: Long Ago And Far Away.
I mention this song here because my dear friend Eleanor from San Francisco - on reading this column and noting my preoccupation with the greatest-ever pop song - says that Long Ago And Far Away holds that title. Well, I must admit that it is indeed a contender. I adore it despite feeling somewhat unsure about the strange leap to ‘Long the skies…’. Normally this would be a jump to the major third but Kern hits a semi-tone lower. Although this works beautifully, he has to take a dizzy ride to get back.
I’m not alone here. Arthur Schwartz (Dancing In The Dark) produced the film Cover Girl and was delighted to get Kern and Gershwin to write the score (the only time they ever worked together). But when Kern played Long Ago And Far Away for him, he couldn’t make head or tail of it. He asked Jerry to play the melody with one finger and instantly recognised it for the masterpiece that it is.
Gershwin constructs the third line of each stanza with a brilliant rhyme and a reconciliation of sentiment that causes the listener to connect the two in a most satisfying way.
Long a-go and far away
I dreamed a dream one day,
And now, that dream is here be-side me.
Long the skies were o-ver-cast,
But now the clouds have passed.
You're here at last!
Chills run up and down my spine,
A-lad-din's lamp is mine.
The dream, I dreamed was not de-nied me.
Just one look and then I knew,
That all I longed for long a-go was you.
