on 9/20/2022, 12:59 am
And Max, since "Something Special" is your second favourite KINGSTON TRIO album (right next to #16)....
I decided to post something about one of the songs: "O Willow Waly"
First, I wanted to remind everyone that Bob Shane truly enjoyed this album, knowing about the added orchestra, etc....
and he referred to "Something Special" as an extremely good record. {released: July 1962}
Second, the song which kinda felt strange at the time, "O Willow Waly" appeared to be out of place.
It was a far cry from its two predecessors "Brown Mountain Light" and "One More Town".
"O Willow Waly" also sounded as if John Stewart might have had a cold. >>> Speaking of which....
I remember working for at my first job as an Office Boy. I walked in one day and sneezed....
A-CHOOO !!! ~ My boss says "Gazunt-heit
A-CHOOO !!! ~ My boss says "Bless You"
A-CHOOO !!! ~ My boss says "Ah, go to to hell, you've gotta cold."
Anyhow, "O Willow Waly" grew on me as I got older; especially listening to it WITHOUT ORCHESTRA + CHORUS on the BEAR "STEWART YEARS" Box Set.
It's also available on Allan Shaw's "SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL" CD (Rediscover Music) >>> WITH and WITHOUT ORCHESTRA + CHORUS
Third, I happened to get hold of the movie "THE INNOCENTS" {1961} ~ starring Deborah Kerr. Very haunting and quite an unusual story.
In fact, we keep hearing the song "O Willow Waly" throughout the movie; be it sung or instrumentally. {little girl's ballerina dancer's case}
Deborah Kerr (remember "The King & I"?) plays a Governess having to take care of two children (boy & girl) who might not be so "innocent".
There's something very strange going on, and we don't know what it is....do we Governess?
It might have to do with ghosts (ie: the previous Governess & Caretaker, who lived in the mansion)
Apparently, they had a stormy love affair before their deaths....but something must've gone horribly wrong.
Every so often we keep hearing a woman's voice singing:
We lay, my love and I, beneath the weeping willow,
But now, alone I lie, and weep beside the tree.
Singing O Willow Waly, by the tree that weeps for me,
Singing O Willow Waly, til my lover returns to me.
We lay, my love and I, beneath the weeping willow,
A broken heart have I. Oh willow I die. Oh willow I die.
Brucester
<> "O Willow Waly" / writers: George Auric & Paul Dehn / "The Innocents"
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