78 RPMs 3: Frankie Laine ~ The Girl In the Wood

Frankie Laine ~ The Girl In the Wood
78 RPM - 1951
photo by Styrous®

Frankie Laine was born 101 years ago today, March 30, 1913. When I was 11 or 12 I heard the song, The Girl In the Wood, sung by him. Call it an Oedipus Complex if you'd like, but somehow I associated the song with my mom even though her eyes were not green as the lyrics of the song describe and I did not kill my father as the Greek legend chronicles. My mother DID have dark auburn hair that glowed dark red in the sun and she was tiny (4' 8").

It's a beautiful but wistful song with a rapid and flowing tempo that belies the sadness or regret that is inherent in it; it is also VERY dramatic, as are a lot of the songs by Laine. The backup chorus by the Norman Luboff Choir is beautiful and Paul Weston does an admirable job with his orchestra; both add to the drama to the music.

The song hit the charts:
in the UK #11 - Mar 1953 (1 week)
in the US CashBox #18 - Sep 1951 (5 weeks)
        and Billboard #23 - Aug 1951 (2 weeks)

Tracklist:

Side 1: The Girl In The Wood - 3:07   
Side 2: Wonderful, Wasn't It - 3:09



The Girl In The Wood Lyrics

(Remember me, remember me)
(Remember for the rest of your life)

Oh when I was a young boy
And drove my mother wild
I met a maiden in the woods
And she said, "Child,

Look deep into my green eyes
And at my autumn hair
When your a man you'll never see
A girl quite as fair

Remember me, oh, remember me"

(Remember for the rest of your life)

Her eyes were green as grassy pools
Lookin' right at me
Her hair was red and grown with leaves
Just like an autumn tree

She moved her tiny hands
And she made a litle turn
She swayed in the wind
Just like a graceful fern

I swore as she vanished
That when I was full grown
I'd have a girl just like her
To be my very own

And now I am a man
Would I'd marry if I could
For I can't lose the memory
Of the girl in the wood

Remember me oh remember me
(Remember)
Remember for the rest of your life
(Remember)

I wished a hundred times
That she'd never looked at me
With the first wild beauty
That only you can't see

For man cannot find it
When he's lookin for a wife
And he'll end up in bachelorhood
The rest of his life

Remember me, oh, remember me
Remember for the rest of your life
Remember me, remember me

Remember for the rest of your life


Songwriters: Neal Gilkyson Stuart & Terry Gilkyson
Copyright: Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Frankie Laine ‎– The Girl In The Wood / Wonderful, Wasn't It

Label: Columbia ‎– D.B. 2907
Format: Shellac, 10", Single
Country: UK
Released: 1951
Genre: Pop



Net links:

The Girl In The Wood on YouTube

20,000 Vinyl LPs 30: Frankie Laine ~ Command Performance

Thanks for the wonderfully dramatic songs, Frankie; 

I loved them back then and I will

remember for the rest of my life!

Happy Birthday

Styrous© ~ Sunday, March 30, 2014

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