Wednesday, January 1, 2025

A00098 - P. S. A Time For Us: The Lyrics and the Voice of Johnny Mathis

 On late Saturday night, while scrolling through the channels to find something to watch, I came across a PBS special highlighting the music of Englebert Humperdinck and, by "coincidence", just as I joined the program this song was playing 



In my universe, there are no "coincidences". The timing of this encounter with a performance of "A Time For Us" immediately after having written about it, caused me to think that my previous post was incomplete.  While Henry Mancini's piano version is beautiful, the lyrics associated with later versions of the song has given even greater life to this masterpiece.  So, to complete what I started, I  now note the mastery of not only Engelbert Humperdinck and also of Andy Williams  


And I especially favor the rendition of the song as performed by Johnny Mathis. 

With these additions, and the references set forth below, I now believe that my job is done and that my post is complete.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
December 30, 2024 




A Time for Us

Song by

Johnny Mathis
A time for us, some day there'll be
When chains are torn by courage born of a love that's free
A time when dreams so long denied
Can flourish as we unveil the love we now must hide
A time for us, at last to see
A life worthwhile for you and me
And with our love, through tears and thorns
We will endure as we pass surely through every storm
A time for us, some day there'll be a new world
A world of shining hope for you and me
For you and me
And with our love, through tears and thorns
We will endure as we pass surely through every storm
A time for us, some day there'll be a new world
A world of shining hope for you and me
A world of shining hope for you and me
Songwriters: Nino Rota, Lawrence Kusik, Edward Snyder. For non-commercial use only.




----- Forwarded Message -----
From: skipjen2865@aol.com <skipjen2865@aol.com>
To: Everett Jenkins <skipjen2865@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 28, 2024 at 02:52:06 AM PST
Subject: A Time For Us



In previous emails, I have noted that 1968 was the year the made me.  I will not repeat what I previously said but I will add that one of the reasons why it was an important year was because of the notion of romantic love that became embedded in my 14-15-year-old mind influenced by Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and by Henry Mancini's haunting 1969 Love Theme based on Nino Rota's music from the movie.
 



Of course, the lovely Juliet in Zeffirelli's movie was Olivia Hussey, the British-Argentine actress who ten years later would again inspire me with her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Franco Zeffirelli's "Jesus of Nazareth." 


As is my custom, I finished watching "Jesus of Nazareth" early on Christmas morning.  And, as is also my custom, later on that Christmas day, I made a call to the woman who became my Juliet.  Now, some three days later, I learn of the passing of Olivia Hussey.  
 


Olivia Hussey's passing has caused me to pause and to reflect on those youthful days of 1968 and 1969, Those days are long gone now, but I will always be thankful for the memories of what it meant to have a Juliet and to be able to share a "Time for Us".
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A00097 - Songs That Always Make You Cry, Smile

 

Ellis,

In answer to your question, there was a song that came out in 1968 that became embedded in my mind because of my nascent athletic career.  In my only track and field campaign with Len Miller, I found that my running abilities were rather mediocre but I began to get some traction with my jumping abilities.  In February of 1969, I began to learn the Western roll method of high jumping.  For me, success came by learning to approach the bar with a certain cadence and the song that came out in 1968 provided the perfect cadence for my high jump approach.  The song was Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited


You can hear and feel the song at


I actually set my one and only athletic record by jumping to Soulful Strut.  I was 15, a sophomore on the Class C track team and, in May of 1969, I jumped 5'9 and 1/2" to set the school record.  Not bad for a 5'11" 110-pound Ethiopian refugee looking guy.  

Obviously, by the time my jumping career came to end in 1972 after my first year at Amherst College, my soul was embedded with the song Soulful Strut with the thousands of repetitions of the song I listened to during practice and competitions. 

Now, fast forward to this year, and I find myself in the uncomfortable position of being jolted every time a certain beer commercial comes on.


Like a Pavlovian dog, my natural response to this commercial is to jump out of my chair and jump over something.  But, Ellis, I am 71 now and jumping over anything is likely to land me on the floor with a major hamstring pull.

So, my friend, yes there are some songs which for better or worse will indeed cause a disturbance in body ... and the soul.

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
December 28, 2024

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Ellis 
Subject: Songs That Always Make You Cry, Smile

Everett's nostalgia made me think in a similar, but different vein:

My dear Friend/Sister Lisa Waddell told me a while ago that Bruce Hornsby's Mandolin Rain always makes her cry. I realized that I was (un)fortunate not to have a song that ALWAYS makes me cry. However, on the other side of that coin, the last part of Duke Ellington's Diminuendo in Blue and Crescendo in Blue, when Cat Anderson squeals on his trumpet, ALWAYS makes me smile.

Would you share which songs ALWAYS make you cry and which songs ALWAYS make you smile?

If you want to add a how and why is fine, but not required. I will not ask you to copy to your news feed or homepage nor to leave one word about where we met.

Let me know.

The Texas Pacifist


On Sat, Dec 28, 2024 at 5:10 AM, skipjen2865@aol.com
<skipjen2865@aol.com> wrote:

In previous emails, I have noted that 1968 was the year the made me.  I will not repeat what I previously said but I will add that one of the reasons why it was an important year was because of the notion of romantic love that became embedded in my 14-15-year-old mind influenced by Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and by Henry Mancini's haunting 1969 Love Theme based on Nino Rota's music from the movie.
 



Of course, the lovely Juliet in Zeffirelli's movie was Olivia Hussey, the British-Argentine actress who ten years later would again inspire me with her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Franco Zeffirelli's "Jesus of Nazareth." 


As is my custom, I finished watching "Jesus of Nazareth" early on Christmas morning.  And, as is also my custom, later on that Christmas day, I made a call to the woman who became my Juliet.  Now, some three days later, I learn of the passing of Olivia Hussey.  
 


Olivia Hussey's passing has caused me to pause and to reflect on those youthful days of 1968 and 1969, Those days are long gone now, but I will always be thankful for the memories of what it meant to have a Juliet and to be able to share a "Time for Us".
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A00096 - A Time For Us

 In previous emails, I have noted that 1968 was the year the made me.  I will not repeat what I previously said but I will add that one of the reasons why it was an important year was because of the notion of romantic love that became embedded in my 14-15-year-old mind influenced by Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and by Henry Mancini's haunting 1969 Love Theme based on Nino Rota's music from the movie.






Of course, the lovely Juliet in Zeffirelli's movie was Olivia Hussey, the British-Argentine actress who ten years later would again inspire me with her portrayal of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Franco Zeffirelli's "Jesus of Nazareth." 


As is my custom, I finished watching "Jesus of Nazareth" early on Christmas morning.  And, as is also my custom, later on that Christmas day, I made a call to the woman who became my Juliet.  Now, some three days later, I learn of the passing of Olivia Hussey.  
 


Olivia Hussey's passing has caused me to pause and to reflect on those youthful days of 1968 and 1969, Those days are long gone now, but I will always be thankful for the memories of what it meant to have a Juliet and to be able to share a "Time for Us".


Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins
Fairfield, California
December 26, 2024

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