What's your favorite song? by Kaye Spencer

We all have songs that mean something extra special to us whether by our associating them with a special event, a loved one, a precious moment, a situation, etc. In fact, if you’re like me, I could go on for hours singing the words to all the songs that are near and dear to me.

But there is one song for me—the one song that tops all the others, the one that gives me chills and brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it—and it’s an American rendition of an old English folk song of complicated and not entirely identifiable origins. But, what is known about the original folk song is it was familiar in Shakespeare’s day, because he referenced it in his play, The Merry Wives of Windsor. There is a legend that the original song was written by Henry VIII for his future wife, Anne Boleyn, but that is apparently a myth as there is evidence the song was around before Henry’s time.

By 1690 or so, the original song was becoming associated with Christmas and New Year’s. Then by the 19th century, any Christmas songbook worth its salt included some version of the original folk song (lyrics and tune) as a carol. Elvis Presley sang the song in one of his movies, and there are a host of others that I won’t include here.

The original song I’m talking about is Greensleeves. As a Christmas song, we know it as What Child is This? And as my favorite song, it’s from the 1962 western movie (and book by same title written by Louis L’Amour) How the West Was Won: A Home in the Meadow performed by Debbie Reynolds.

So for your listening enjoyment, here is the YouTube clip from How the West Was Won with the lyrics below.

A Home in the Meadow
Away, away
Come away with me
Where the grass grows wild, where the winds blow free
Away, away
Come away with me
And I'll build you a home in the meadow
*
Come, come
There's a wondrous land
For the hopeful heart, for the willing hand
Come, come
There's a wondrous land
Where I'll build you a home in the meadow
*
The stars, the stars
Oh how bright they'll shine
On a world that the Lord must have helped design
The stars, the stars
Oh how bright they'll shine
On that home we will build in the meadow
*
Come, come
There's a wondrous land
For the hopeful heart, for the willing hand
Come, come
There's a wondrous land
Where I'll build you a home in the meadow
*
(Lyrics by Sammy Cahn)

Until next time,

Kaye

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(clip art courtesy openclipart.org)