Oh Promise Me is a song with music by Reginald De Koven and lyrics by Clement Scott. The song was written in 1887 and first published in 1889 by

G. Schirmer, Inc. G. Schirmer, Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. The oldest active music publisher in the United States, Schirmer publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-know ...

as an

art song An art song is a Western vocal music composition, usually written for one voice with piano accompaniment, and usually in the classical art music tradition. By extension, the term "art song" is used to refer to the collective genre of such songs ...

. De Koven may have based the melody partly on a song composed by

Stanislao Gastaldon Martino Stanislao Luigi Gastaldon (April 8, 1861March 6, 1939) was an Italian composer, primarily of salon songs for solo voice and piano. However, he also composed instrumental music, two choral works, and four operas. Today, he is remembered al ...

, "Musica Proibita". In 1890, De Koven wrote his most successful

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

, '' Robin Hood''. After opening night, the

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...

playing

Alan-a-Dale Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled ''Allen-a-Dale'', ''Allan-a-Dale'', ''Allin-a-Dale'', ''Allan A'Dayle'' etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a ...

Jessie Bartlett Davis Jessie Bartlett Davis (1860 – May 14, 1905) was an American operatic singer and actress from Morris, Illinois, who was billed as "America's Representative Contralto". Opera and acting She was born Jessie Fremont Bartlett, one of ten child ...

, demanded a song to better show off her voice, threatening to walk out of the production. De Koven inserted "Oh Promise Me" into the score for her.Raph, Theodore
"The American song treasury: 100 favorites"
Courier Dover Publications, 1986, p. 222 The sheet music sold over a million copies in 1890 and continued to gain popularity for several decades, being performed by many artists. The song remains popular as a wedding song both in America and in the UK.

Lyrics

Oh, promise me that someday you and I Will take our love together to some sky Where we can be alone and faith renew, And find the hollows where those flowers grew, Those first sweet violets of early spring, Which come in whispers, thrill us both, and sing Of love unspeakable that is to be; Oh, promise me! Oh, promise me! Oh, promise me that you will take my hand, The most unworthy in this lonely land, And let me sit beside you in your eyes, Seeing the vision of our paradise, Hearing God's message while the organ rolls Its mighty music to our very souls, No love less perfect than a life with thee; Oh, promise me! Oh, promise me!

Use in film and television

The song has made many appearances in films and on television shows where weddings or funerals are taking place -

Edith Bunker Edith Bunker is a fictional character on the 1970s sitcom ''All in the Family'' (and occasionally ''Archie Bunker's Place''), played by Jean Stapleton. She is the wife of Archie Bunker, mother of Gloria Stivic, mother-in-law of Michael "Meathead" ...

sings it a wedding for two people from the rest home where she worked in a season eight episode of '' All in the Family'',

Eunice Eunice is a feminine given name, from the Greek Εὐνίκη, ''Euníkē'', from "eu", good, and "níkē", victory. Eunice is also a relatively rare last name, found in Nigeria and the Southeastern United States, chiefly Louisiana and Georgia. Pe ...

sings it at a family wedding in season one of ''

Mama's Family ''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a Spin-off (media), spin-off of a recurring series of sketch comedy, comedy sketches called "The Family (sketc ...

'', and it is performed at Diana's wedding in '' Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel''.

Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...

performs the song in the

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...

film, '' S.O.B.'' (1981) directed by Blake Edwards.

References

External links

Sheet Music for "Oh promise me"
G. Schirmer, Inc., 1889. 1889 songs Parlor songs Songs from musicals Art songs Songs written by Clement Scott {{song-stub