アンファニズム The Folks Who Live on the Hill

THE FOLKS WHO LIVE ON THE HILL
Words by Oscar Hammerstein II, music by Jerome Kern
Performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
Vocal refrain by Carmen Lombardo
Recorded July 1, 1937
Victor 25615

This song was written for the 1937 Paramount film "High, Wide and Handsome" and was sung by Irene Dunne. The film also starred Randolph Scott.

The same year it was also recorded by Guy Lombardo, Ozzie Nelson, Lennie Hayton's Orchestra, Maxine Sullivan, Bing Crosby and the Tempo Kings. Although the film is nearly forgotten, the song has endured and become a jazz standard.

In the 1950s the song experienced a revival with a lovely jazz rendition by Peggy Lee and with this renewed interest it has become a standard but sung or played more slowly as a ballad. It has since been recorded by Mel Torme, Stan Getz, Johnny Hartman, Carol Sloane, Stephane Grappelli, George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, Sylvia McNair, Kiri Te Kanawa, Diana Krall, Helen Merrill, Nina Simone, Jo Stafford, Carmen McRae, Bill Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Bette Midler and Sammy Davis Jr.

Click on this link to view Irene Dunne's original performance from the 1937 film, "High, Wide and Handsome"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOI9hF2tJBw

The lyrics are shown below. In many renditions, the verse is omitted.

Many men with lofty aims,
Strive for lofty goals,
Others play at smaller games,
Being simpler souls.

I am of the latter brand,
All I want to do,
Is to find a spot of land,
And live there with you.

(Chorus)
Someday we'll build a home on a hilltop high,
You and I,
Shiny and new a cottage that two can fill.
And we'll be pleased to be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".

Someday we may be adding a thing or two,
A wing or two.
We will make changes as any fam'ly will,
But we will always be called,
"The folks who live on the hill".

Our veranda will command a view of meadows green,
The sort of view that seems to want to be seen.
And when the kids grow up and leave us,
We'll sit and look at the same old view,
Just we two.

Darby and Joan who used to be Jack and Jill,
The folks like to be called,
What they have always been called,
"The folks who live on the hill."