Jim’s prompt for today is "Fiancé/Husband/Lover/Wife," and I’m jumping on a song that uses two of them. Something tells me this won’t be unique, but this is such a great song, I don’t care.
"Wives And Lovers" was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1963. They were asked to write the song as a promotional song for the 1963 film Wives and Lovers. The song didn’t appear in the film, but became a hit, anyway. By far the best-known version is the one by Jack Jones, who released it in 1963 and won the Grammy for Best Vocal Performance, Male in 1964. His version reached #14 on the Hot 100 and #9 on the Easy Listening chart. Sadly, the song didn’t make it into the TV series Mad Men…
The lyrics, courtesy AZLyrics:
Comb your hair, fix your make-up
Soon he will open the door
Don’t think because
There’s a ring on your finger
You needn’t try any more
For wives should always be lovers, too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
I’m warning you
Day after day
There are girls at the office
And men will always be men
Don’t send him off
With your hair still in curlers
You may not see him again
For wives should always be lovers, too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you
He’s almost here
Hey, little girl
Better wear something pretty
Something you’d wear to go to the city
And dim all the lights
Pour the wine, start the music
Time to get ready for love
Oh, time to get ready,
Time to get ready
Time to get ready
For love.
And that’s Song Lyric Sunday for November 22, 2020.
Great song choice, John. Those lyrics wouldn’t fly today though! I do love the melody and find the romance within the tune though. 🙂
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It was a different time, when married women stayed at home all day, whether or not they had kids. Glad you liked it!
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It sure was a different time. 🙂
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One of Jack Jones’ best. Good singer as was his dad, Allen, who not only had a fine voice, starred in two Marx Brothers classics. While Jack hit it big singing of wives and lovers, Allen did it with The Donkey Serenade.
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I read where “Donkey Serenade” was recorded the day Jack was born…
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Oh I remember this one. Such a great little song. Hadn’t heard it in forever. 🙂
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It was a good song, wasn’t it?
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Now this is a song to dance to … great choice
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Burt and Hal knew how to write ’em and Jack knew how to sing ’em, didn’t they?
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That makes a lot of sense that “wives should always be lovers”.
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Of course it does, and that’s the point of the song, ain’t it? 😉
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Husbands should be lovers too yano. I’d never heard this arrangement, thanks for introducing me John!
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This was the version that won the Grammy; it’s funny you hadn’t heard it. And yes, husbands should be lovers, too, but that doesn’t fit the meter…
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Brilliant!!! I love this song 🙂
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It’s a real classic, and he had the perfect voice for it.
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Nice song and definitely of its era!
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For certain… They couldn’t get away with a song like this five years later…
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Ah yes a Bacarach/David classic! Nice pick John. I used to love Jack Jones. Wonder if he’s still around …
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He sure is! Here’s his website: http://jackjones.lolipop.jp/. Here’s the link to his music store: http://www.jackjonesmusicstore.com/
Even though he’s no longer with a major label, he’s still performing and recording (and doing all his own marketing, I think) at the tender age of 82, God bless him…
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Hi John, thanks for the link. I’m happy he’s still out there and I’ll look forward to listening to him again. ☺️
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I must remember that title. I always liked the song but never knew what it was called.
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My parents had the album, so I heard it a lot.
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Great choice, written very much from the male perspective , but of it’s era . I the words don’t fit the present. 💜
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It was a much different time: when a woman got married, she quit work and devoted full time to keeping the house and cranking out babies. Not any more…
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No, some where in the middle would be good 💜
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Wow, I don’t think I know this one!
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Won a Grammy and everything.
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