Life’s A Carousel

 

When you walk through a storm, Hold your head up high, And don’t be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm, Is a golden sky, And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart, And you’ll never walk alone, You’ll never walk alone

When you walk through a storm, Hold your head up high, And don’t be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm, Is a golden sky, And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart, And you’ll never walk alone, You’ll never walk

You’ll never walk, You’ll never walk alone.

Lots of people in the U.K. think this is a football anthem as it is often performed by the supporters on match day; the tradition began at Liverpool Football Club in the early 60’s and spread to other clubs.  I read that Celtic FC in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland also sing this.  This year is the 50th anniversary of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ being sung by supporters of Liverpool FC.

The song is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein hit musical Carousel which began life on Broadway in New York.  It was their second musical adapted from Ferenc Molnar’s 1909 play Liliom.  Nettie Fowler sings it to her cousin Julie, a millworker, when her husband Billy, a carousel barker, kills himself to avoid capture during a failed robbery.  It is reprised later in the show when Julie’s daughter graduates and the cast join in following the Dr Seldon, the town physician, advising the graduating class not to rely on their parent’s success or be held back by their failure.  In 1999 Time magazine named ‘Carousel’ the best musical of the 20th century.

It’s been a hit record for Gerry and the Pacemakers a Liverpool band in October 1963, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Doris Day amongst others.  The songs message of optimism and common purpose is great for a choir and I hope I can do it justice on Saturday 9th November as a solo number.  I thought it would be a suitable song for the remembrance concert ‘Autumn Leaves’ in Grindleford, Derbyshire.

 

GrinflefordDate

 

Then it is an early start and back up to Scotland for a concert in Beith as a member of “Les Sirenes”, the female chamber choir who in 2012 won the BBC choir of the year under the Musical Direction of Andrew Nunn.  This will be a great opportunity for me as I have been asked to sing one of my pieces from the Kathleen Ferrier competition, “Zueignung”.

 

Choir-Poster

55 thoughts on “Life’s A Carousel”

  3. Hi Charlotte, Long ago, on the island of Oleron, I walked along the coast during a storm ….. amazing experience ….
    I hope that the 9th and 10th you will be filmed so that we can then enjoy …. And the poppy go great with your black dress …
    Thank you for your sharing.

    The best for you

    Reply

    1. That’s sounds like a great adventure in Oleron. I’ve walked in a storm in the North of England seaside town called Blackpool, I used to love going to Blackpool to see the lights and fly kites on the beach with my brothers. There is a tower there with a glass floor walking area, it was inspired by the Eiffel Tower it is 158m high. I won’t be able to video on the 10th sadly but hopefully I may be able to record on the 9th I never know until the day.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. Blackport seam to be a lovevly place. Yes, it was a great adventure….I had gone to spend a week Oléron , during the autumn equinox . I spend my day walking along the ocean and write. One night it was a full moon , the wind singing in the streets of the village, I took my car to go to a deserted beach , facing the sea . Along the way, on a port, the car and people around a CB …. the flotilla was fishing at sea, they told me that there were wind gust to 140 km / h and low of 7 to 10 meters .
        So I go on a beach I knew it was low tide and the water was 200m from the dunes ….. Arriving at the top of the dune, wouaw , foam glittered in the moonlight playing hide seek with the clouds that déplaient gallop . monstrous waves were mourire 20m dunes , wind rugissaint with the ocean as a military tenor avahissant the beach , lightning tore the night was magical , because there was not an ounce of ” hatred ” as if nature was telling me do not be afraid, just look what I can following , listening , feeling , life ….. that night , I did not have my camera. Since when I spell it never leaves me . I hope to revive this spectacle of nature one day ……..

  8. Lovely. I played Jigger Craigin in a production of Carousel in Wilton CT in the 70s and loved the production. It was an opportunity to sing which I had not done before. Got the part on acting chops in spite of no singing ability. Had a special arrangement of “Blow High Blow Low” to cover my tone deafness. Have always respected vocal talent since. Thanks for the memories.

    Reply

      1. I stopped acting and got serious about a career. Left New York area in 82 after playing regional theatre for four years. Last role was the Humphrey Bogart character in Woody Allen’s “Play it Again Sam.” I can still do the voice. (to my wife’s dismay) Sometimes I look back and wonder. Enjoyed it all (even the career.) Thanks for asking

  9. A beautiful song that carries many memories for us in the USA and worldwide as it was the official theme song of the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon and helped raise millions of dollars for the MDA fight against muscular dystrophy.

    “….The song Jerry Lewis perennially sang to conclude the event, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” was originally written for the 1945 Broadway musical play, Carousel by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Lewis has given conflicting accounts on the air as to the origin of his use of the song. According to his account at the end of the 2007 telethon, the song was suggested to him in 1964 by a disabled child, walking with a cane; it was suggested to Jerry as a song that would specifically represent physically disabled children. In the 2010 broadcast, however, Lewis mentioned that he knew the song by heart, and was singing it that year for the “59th time”, which would mean he had been singing it annually since he began hosting MDA telethons in 1952. Also, a recording of Lewis singing the song for a poster child was released as a cardboard record in 1959;[59] that year, Rodgers and Hammerstein gave the MDA permission to use the song as the official theme for the organisation”

    Reply

    1. That’s good to know Jim, muscular dystrophy is a cruel illness any research to help these conditions is a great thing to do. The Tideswell Male Voice Choir raised ££50,000.00 last year alone to help several charities see here

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. It is ‘book week’ that week so I was planning to go home to study for the week with it being my birthday week so it fitted in perfectly 🙂 I’ve known Erin for years so it will be great to meet up again.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hi Don, great choice of graduation song, we don’t really sing at our graduations, they are usually low key affairs, although one year when the Head of 6th form, Mrs Chambers, retired she asked me to sing at the graduation ceremony that year which was great.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. I’m really pleased you enjoyed the article, I’m glad I researched the piece it will help me with the solo version. The Gawsworth concert was the first time I’d sung the song and I’d learnt a version with hold your chin up high so I had to adjust this very quickly or I’d have been completely out of sync.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hi Gwendoline, I love to be busy, I was always a busy child and even on my no-lecture day at RCS on a Wednesday I get up to go to Yoga at 6:30am so I don’t waste the day. I originally had the Beith concert penciled in on the 24th November so that has caused me a challenge transport wise but I think that I’ve sorted it now 😉

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. Hi Evelenmargaret, I love to perform these great songs as they allow you to connect with an audience. I glad that you enjoyed our performance 🙂

      I love your fashion tips, you have some great suggestions.

      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  24. Thanks for recently subscribing to my blog. I’m honored to have such a talented, stunningly beautiful young soul deigning to check in on what I have to say. You are incredible!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your visit and comment sorry I’m late responding. How lovely that your wife is a classical musician does she blog? You could be hard for other bloggers to find because your gravatar doesn’t link back to your blog 😉 I liked your post on trust.

      All the best
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. Thanks for telling me about my gravatar! Always glad when you drop by. No, Claire does not blog. I’ll work on that gravatar. It is always nice when you drop by.

  25. I haven’t heard this song since I was little. My mother sang this in her choir and evidently I did when I was in youth choir. Beautiful arrangement!! 🙂

    Reply

  26. Hi,

    Thanks for making me aware that Molnár Ferenc got famous on Broadway, though I haven’t read Liliomfi yet. I should, you know, I’m a Hungarian after all.

    I’m sure you’ve done justice to this song. To be honest, I’m sure you did better with your great voice than the song itself, which I, for one, don’t like so much at all. But then again, I also don’t like musicals in general. That takes nothing away from your singing! Hope to listen to you more. Greetings from Peter

    Reply

  27. Keep having to re-visit to listen to this song, it was soooo fantastic live the video just doesn’t do it full justice! xx

    Reply

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