September Song - The Song

The Song

"September Song" is based on a familiar poetic metaphor that compares a year to a person's life span from birth to death. (see http://www.ourgrandmotherskitchens.com/?p=118 and http://wadeporter.blogspot.com/2009/09/re-september-song.html.) Several songs in Frank Sinatra's "The September of My Years", including the title song and "It Was a Very Good Year" utilize the same metaphor.

The song is an older person's plea to a younger potential lover that the courting activities of younger suitors and the objects of their desire are transient and time-wasting. As an older suitor, the speaker hasn't "got time for the waiting game."

The song consists of a chorus, the section that starts, "Oh, It's a long, long time . . ." and two different verses, one describing the courting activities of a young man and one describing the disdainful reaction of the girl and the suitor's patience until she changes her mind.

Singers may omit both verses, as Frank Sinatra did in his 1946 version, sing one verse, as Huston did in his, or both, as Sinatra did in his 1965 recording. (The lyrics to Sinatra's 1965 version can be found here - http://www.lyricstime.com/frank-sinatra-september-song-lyrics.html)

There are major differences between the version of the song recorded in 1938 by Walter Huston and the versions heard today. (Hear his recording at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkWn4--RmEk) Huston's version is tailored specifically to the character he's playing, Peter Stuyvesant. For example, Huston sings, "I have lost one tooth and I walk a little lame," referring to his peg leg. And later he says, "I have a little money and I have a little fame," an unusual courting comment. Both of these lines, and several others, have disappeared from the song.

Other changes involve the point of view of the singer — in Huston's version, the activities of the young man are described in the second person to the girl ("When you meet with a young man . . ."). Contemporary versions make the singer the young man ("When I was a young man . . .).

One subtle difference between Huston's version and other versions is the final line. Huston sings, "These precious days I'd spend with you." Modern singers sing, "These precious days I'll spend with you." The difference is between a proposal offered but not yet accepted, I would spend with you if you accept, and one accepted, I will spend it with you.