Janice and Bud,

I like this one a lot. Vocals and arrangement and production all intertwine perfectly for a wonderful listening treat. There is nothing I would change. Everything about this worked for me.

Since I first listened to this some time back, I've been pondering the use of repetition in lyrics. Repetition is such a powerful lyric writing device. It's one of the most effective ways I know to amplify lyric content. After bouncing through Youtube from song to song to song, my quest to discover material that showed just how powerful repetition can be stopped when I stumbled on "Climb Every Mountain".

Here are the full lyrics...
Quote:
Climb every mountain,
Search high and low
Follow every byway
Every path you know

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Til you find your dream

A dream that will need
all the love you can give
Every day of your life
For as long as you live

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Til you find your dream

A dream that will lead
All the love you can give
Every day of your life
For as long as you live

Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
'Til you find your dream



...And here are some links to what I consider outstanding versions of the song in very different styles...

1. A traditional approach with Laura Osnes and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkJNaTQgjKM

2. Barbra Streisand and Jamie Foxx with a showstopping presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86urFx1JnCc

3. Judith Durham (something Australian from 1971 and with a hint of Bacharach in the arrangement)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VM5SlHfdoQ

Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics are simple, direct and yet with the assistance of repetition, they create one of the most powerful and inspiring songs I've heard.

What fascinates me with "Climb Every Mountain" is that the "Climb every mountain, Ford every stream" section is sung three times and each time is alternated with the "A dream that will need" section. This means that after the first section ("Search high and low"), the remaining 5/6ths of the song's lyrics are driven entirely by repetition. Moreover, as the above performances clearly show, each repetition brings a boost to the emotional power of the lyrics.

Thank you for inspiring me to take this learning journey! It's been a valuable excursion for me.

I like the way that repetition has been used in "Out Of Your World". To my ears, the repeated opening section helps emphasise the sense of disappointment that the main character is feeling.

It's two thumbs up from me. You've both done an outstanding job.

All the best,
Noel


MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024