The Windmills of Your Mind (Song)

Song / Down Memory Lane

"The Windmills of Your Mind" is a song with music by Michel Legrand, one of my favourite French composers of film and television scores. The English lyrics of this piece is written by Americans Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The melody was inspired by the theme of Wolfgang A. Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante second movement. The French lyrics (under the title "Les Moulins de mon cœur") was written by Eddy Marnay. The song (with the English lyrics) was introduced in the film The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), starring Steve McQueen and Faye Funaway. It was sung by Noel Harrison, and the film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in the same year.





In 2004, "The Windmills of Your Mind" was ranked 57 in AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Songs survey of top songs in American cinema.  Above, is a recording of Noel Harrison singing this haunting and moving Oscar winning classic song from the Thomas Crown Affair film.


Video Credit:

The Windmills of Your Mind - Noel Harrison. Youtube, uploaded by John1948JohnD. Accessed January 13, 2018.


Resource:

The Windmills of Your Mind (Song).  en.wikipedia.org.  Accessed JAnuary 13, 2018.



(c)  Tel Asiado.  Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.

And This is My Beloved (Song)

Song / Down Memory Lane 

This lovely favourite song "And This is My Beloved" was in the 1953 musical Kismet. It is credited to Robert Wright, composer-lyricist, and George Forrest, writer of music and lyrics for musical theatre. Like all the music in that show, the melody was based on music composed by Russian composer & chemist Alexander Borodin, String Quartet in D. (Here, performed by Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. YouTube, accessed September 11, 2018.) 


 

Vic Damone and Ann Blyth beautifully sang "And This is my Beloved" in the 1955 Hollywood classic film two years after it was first staged as a musical of the same title, Kismet (Fate). The movie clip / music belongs to MGM.  Kismet (1955) is an American musical film released by Metro-Golwyn-Mayer.  It is the fourth movie version of Kismet—the first was released in 1920 and the second in 1930 by Warner Brothers - and the second released by MGM. This 1955 film is based on the successful 1953 musical Kismet, while the three earlier versions are based on the original 1911 play by Edward Knoblock.  This film stars Ann Blyth, Howard Keel, Vic Damone, and Dolores Gray, and directed by Vincente Minelli.  (Sorry, the video of Ann Blyth and Vic Damone became unavailable, 9 Dec 2020. Instead, here's another one: Mario Lanza sings "And This Is My Beloved", with Jess Alexander Choir - here.) 

Before and after 1953, the same melody had been used  for a song and recorded by other producers. In 1946, "And This is My Beloved" was used for a song credited to William Egvick, Bert Reisfelt and Alec Wilder entitled "Spring Magic."  This was recorded by Charlie Spvak and his Orchestra.  In 1956, a version by the great tenor Mario Lanza became popular.  In 1962, Sergio Franchi sang it when he discovered Norman Luboff singing on Sunday Night at the London Palladium.  A favorite guest of Ed Sullivan, Franchi sang it on the February 4, 1968, which was broadcast by CBS, and recorded on his 1964 RCA Victor album as The Exciting Voice of Sergio Franchi.   

Lyrics:  "And This is My Beloved"

Dawn's promising skies
Petals on a pool drifting
Imagine these in one pair of eyes
And this is my beloved.

 

Strange spice from the south
Honey through the comb sifting
Imagine these on one eager mouth
And this is my beloved.

 

And when he speaks, and when he talks to me
Music! Mystery!
And when he moves, and when he walks with me
Paradise comes suddenly near.

 

All that can stir, all that can stun
All that's for the heart's lifting
Imagine these in one perfect one
And this is my beloved!
And this is my beloved!

 

 

Resources:

And This is My Beloved (Song). en.wikipedia.org. Accessed Sept 26, 2014.

Kismet (1955 film). en.wikipedia.org.



(c) September 2014. Updated September 11, 2018. Tel. Inspired Pen Web.  All rights reserved.  

The Impossible Dream (Song)

Song / Down Memory Lane

"The Impossible Dream" - from the film Man of La Mancha

"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics by Joe Darion. It is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole, Sophia Loren, and James Coco. (refer video below). 

The song, which is awarded the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest."  It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition.