Softly As Leave You query

Edgar · Post by **Edgar** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:05 pm

Hi folks. I'm back from my sunshine cruise

and boy was it hot. Yes I know you had it it hot here too,but on a ship you can get out of it and there's always a breeze. Anyway, enough about me! There was a vocalist on one of the evening shows whose name was Chris Ritchie, hadn't heard of him before, but he obviously a MM fan because he sang "My Kind of Girl" and the above. However, he spent a long time explaining the origin of "Softly" and I just wondered if he was having us on!. Does anyone know the true origin of this song? Also, the other cabaret artiste was Bobby Crush. I'd forgotten how good he is. Brilliant pianist.

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:06 pm

Hi Edgar, glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise, and we agree Bobby Crush is a superb pianist. We have a great double album of Bobby's that includes many oldies and a section of the Beatles songs.
As far as Softly, not absolutely certain about this, but wasn't there a story concerning this song which referred to it being written by Neil Diamond

or something, which is totally untrue of course.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:41 pm

Hi all---glad you had a good holiday Edgar---we could use a few sea breezes here at the moment.

I do not know if you have heard Elvis singing this song--I have it as a 45" single--I belive it may have been the "B" side---but at the beginning before he sings, he talks about the song, and how it came to be--I wonder if it is similar to what you have heard?

At the moment, I cannot remember any of it.

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:22 am

Hi Edgar, hope we are not appearing to be too impatient, and maybe some one out here does know the answer and the original story behind "Softly As I Leave You," but could you give us a clue please

Edgar · Post by **Edgar** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:49 am

Well, I heard that the story goes like this. There was an old man dying in hospital, and his son had come to see him. When the old man told him to go home he didn't want to go but eventually he left to get a cup of tea. When he came back, the old man had died and left a note, and the note consisted of the words of the song. How true that is, I don't know.

oxley · Post by **oxley** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:28 pm

Hi Everyone

What a lovely story Edgar true or not, that has always been one of my favourite Matt songs he sings it with such feeling wonderful.

Sorry not visited lately my son came round the other week with a six week old staffy for me, black with white patches called ginny taking up much of my time but very happy to have her.

Val

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:13 pm

The tune began life as an Italian melody I believe, with South African born Hal Shaper putting the beautiful English lyrics to it not long before Matt sang it back in 1962. Hal (as far as I can find out) never provided an origin for his words, apart from his finding the original melody "lyrically inspirational" and unfortunately we may never find out as Hal sadly died well before his time in 2004.

It's a lovely story to tell to introduce a song, and to be honest does it matter if it's true or not?. No matter what the story behind the song it's still a beautiful number which has been covered by some of the greatest voices of the 20th century, and the quiet simplicity of the lyric itself is all the back history I need.

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:01 pm

Hi Edgar and all, it is a nice story true or untrue but here is information of how this song came about. Words and music were by Hal Shaper. He was born in 1931 in Capetown South Africa of an English Father and a Polish Mother.
In 1955 he qualified as a lawyer but his interest was in music and so he came to the UK and worked for Robbins Music for Seven Years.
He recalled how he wrote the lyrics for "Softly As I Leave You".........
I was in Italy in 1961 and Tony de Vito was playing me a symphony in three movements that he had written. I loved the melody in the second movement and I brought it back to England.
Shaper knew the singer Matt Monro whose records were produced by George Martin, so he made a piano demo and gave it to Matt.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:39 pm

Hi all-I have just dug out my 45 of Elvis Presley singing this song live--1978.
Here is how he starts---word for word.

"Now this next song,Ladies and Gentlemen,that we can do is a song we've been doing a lot here,and it's a true story,and I'd like to share the story with you

The song has been around for a long time,and there's a story behind it,and I'd like to share it with you.

It's a story of a man who was in the hospital and was dying, and his wife has been sitting beside him for 3 days and 3 nights.

Sometime in the 3rd day-could have been night or day-she lay down beside him as she dozed off to sleep.

And he felt her doze off to sleep.

And at the same time he felt himself start to die.

And he did not want her to see him pass away.

So he took his notepad from the side of the bed and wrote.....

"Softly, I will Leave you"..........................

Wow, what a tearjerker

Marian

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:43 pm

Hi Val--hope you are getting to grips with your new puppy. I bought 2 new puppies this time last year, having never had a dog before in my life. Quite an education!!

They do improve---my 2 are now just over a year old, and still mischievous at times---but so lovable too.

Good Luck

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:05 pm

Hi Marian and all, this is the story from Hal Shaper.
Elvis had gone to Las Vagas and heard Jerry Vale singing " Softly As I Leave You" and Jerry told Elvis that the songwriter had scribbled down the notes on his deathbed.
Elvis believed this to be true and the song became a great favourite of his.
When Elvis did it on stage for a live album, he said that I wrote the song on my deathbed. I never wanted to correct him as he might have stopped singing it.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:16 pm

Hi Lena and Harry---well it looks as though there are several variations on the same theme.

It just remains a very beautiful song.

Marian

Lena & Harry Smith · Post by **Lena & Harry Smith** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:24 pm

It certainly does, a truly beautiful song and isalways recognised to be among Matt's top recordings.

ROBERT M. · Post by **ROBERT M.** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:12 am

Hello everyone. Mariana44's and Edgars story are very similar.

"Softly As I Leave You" will stay popular, especially with the older generations, who will remember the song more, at the sorrowful times of losing a loved one.

Mariana44, Elvis could not have sung the song live in 1978, as he passed away in 1977. Unless it was released after that sad occasion.

mariana44 · Post by **mariana44** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:16 am

Hi Robert ---you are right of course----I have to say I do not know when he sang it--the date is when I bought it.

Marian