Sunday, February 24, 2013

It might as well be spring

Though my translating skills leave much to be desired, hearing French sung seems so romantic in a teenage interpretation sort of way.  I am half-way through the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning AMONG OTHERS, by Jo Walton and her protagonist, at 15, is miles beyond my own dreamy, moony self at more than four times that age.  The recommendation for the book came from a source I can't remember and while I try to write such things in a journal next to the computer, sometimes the notes end up on scraps or back of envelopes and sifting through them - yes, they are mostly still around - would take great gobs of time.  If any of you who read here passed on that title to me, could you let me know?  My brother and I both have grateful thanks to extend.  So here, for a bright and warming Los Angeles morning, something lilting with no (thank you, Woody Allen) heaviosity.


IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING (condensed version) by Rodgers and Hammerstein from STATE FAIR
I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm,
I'm as jumpy as a puppet on a string.
I'd say that I had spring fever,
But I know it isn't spring.
I'm starry-eyed and vaguely discontented
Like a nightingale without a song to sing.
Oh, why should I have spring fever
When it isn't even spring?
I keep wishing I were somewhere else,
Walking down a strange new street.
Hearing words that I have never heard
From a man I've yet to meet.
I'm as busy as a spider spinning daydreams,
I'm as giddy as a baby on a swing.
I haven't seen a crocus or a rosebud
Or a robin on the wing.
But I feel so gay,
In a melancholy way,
That it might as well be spring,
It might as well be spring.


source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/s/statefairlyrics/itmightaswellbespringlyrics.html

6 comments:

Kerry O'Gorman said...

Sigh! How lovely...I used to listen to Blossom Dearie in the background of a small cafe I worked in...her cds always seemed to bring a calm and a little smile to everyone.

Marylinn Kelly said...

Kerry - What a dreamy ambiance the cafe must have offered. How easily I can imagine lingering in such a place and not wanting to leave. This did make me sigh. xo

susan t. landry said...

she sings so clearly and with such precise enunciation that i can understand the french perfectly! (it helps that i already know the song well, via Ella, but still...)

thanks

Marylinn Kelly said...

Susan - Taking the mystery - or some of it - out of sung French. Yes, she is very clear and precise and none the lovelier for it. Enjoy. xo

Sultan said...

One loves Jo Walton

Marylinn Kelly said...

Laoch - Do you love Jo Walton? I only heard of her about 2 weeks ago (that I know of) and read AMONG OTHERS as fast as I could. Yes, I love her, too. Do you recommend anything else in particular? Thanks. xo