OUR ANNIVERSARY
Now and again, any composer of songs can consider themselves very lucky indeed to “write” one, that, with the passage of time, remains popular with the listening public. Some songwriters accomplish this, while many more are not as lucky, and even though “their” songs might be considered “above average,”they “come & go” with monotonous regularity, much to the disappointment of the songwriters’ concerned.
It is not an easy business, this song-writing.
Firstly, there are the composers of music that have no idea of writing “lyrics” & of course, there are the lyricists who cannot write the “music” of a song.
Secondly, There are superb song-writers who simply write the songs that “suit” themselves. Everything is great, the music, the lyrics, the “arrangement”, the band or orchestra that accompany them, but most of the people who want to listen, soon get fed-up with this type of song & switch over to something else.
Thirdly & most importantly, songwriters’ generally, have to depend of someone else to actually “present”
their song. Composers, sometimes cannot sing a note, and would’nt dare to “record” their own compositions.
I have been extremely lucky in this regard. As I always say, it was a “gift” from a generous God that I have cherished and am truly appreciative for.
God gave me the gift of writing both the lyrics & music to over a hundred songs, songs that are meaningful &
“commercial”, in that they are not pieces of music that are forgotten moments after they have been heard.
One example is “Dream-World” which I wrote around 1952 ( both words & music), is still popular in 2016, is so very “commercial” that one only has to sing the opening line, “I’m living in a dream world” and ANY SRI LANKAN, anywhere in the “World” will sing you the rest of the song. I am so very proud if this and appreciate it even if some of them cannot sing a note!, the main thing is that they remember the song.!
In the 1930s a song titled “Anniversary Song” was written, later to be immortalized by the great Al Jolson.
This song was “sung” for years by many entertainers who were requested to perform it for countless couples celebrating their anniversaries all over the Planet. This particular version has now been replaced by many other songs in the same vein, and so I thought it high time to introduce another special anniversary song, to which I have, again, written both the music and lyrics.
Through my good friends Neil Jayaselera, Jude Goonewardane, reviewer Joe Vanlangenberg & others too many to mention, I hope to have this song recorded, to become, in time, another great ANNIVERSARY SONG.(here’s hoping, + the “Lyrics”.)
“OUR ANNIVERSARY”
( to be sung by a male vocalist )
THIS IS, FOR YOU & ME, ON OUR ANNIVERSARY
JUST A SWEET LOVE SONG, FROM MY HEART & ME
I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THAT DARLING, I LOVE YOU SO
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY, I WOULD WANT IT TO BE
FROM THE DAY WE MET,SWEETHEART I CANNOT FORGET
I WAS FEELING SO BLUE, SUDDENLY, THERE WAS YOU
STANDING RIGHT BY MY SIDE & YOU MADE SUCH A LOVELY BRIDE
THEN, THIS HUSH INSIDE, AS YOU WHISPERED “I DO”
MUSICAL INTERLUDE (AS ARRANGED), TO :-
AS THE YEARS PASS BY, MY DARLING, JUST YOU & I
HAVE TO FACE THIS WORLD & WHAT IT MAY BRING
BUT, SWEETHEART,FROM ME, ON OUR ANNIVERSARY
IS THE SPECIAL SONG, THAT I ALWAYS WILL SING.
Note. The lyrics tell the story, the music is absolutely sweet, simple & tender, to match the lyrics & the song will undoubtedly be a number 1 “Hit” around the World
provided it is “recorded” as it should be.
LYRICS & MUSIC BY DESMOND KELLY.
